Whitman Fortune Telling Cards (1940s)

I did a reading for a friend with a quirky little deck I found on eBay. It's titled simply "Fortune Telling Cards" and it was made by the Whitman Publishing Company. There's no date on the box, but the graphics suggest it dates back to the 1940s. There's a stylized gypsy on the box cover, and the design is very influenced by the gypsy decks published in the early 20th century.

The layout is four rows of 8 cards. That leaves four cards; two are laid out above the four rows, and two below. The #14 card is the Queen; she represents the querent when one is reading for a woman. The #15 card is the King; he represents the querent when one is reading for a man. For this particular reading, the querent is a woman, so the #14 card represents her, and the #15 card represents the one in whom she is most interested.

In this reading, all the cards are read. Those touching the #14 card pertain to the near future, and those farther away concern the events in the more distant future.

The #14 card appeared in the fourth row, in the 7th spot.The #15 card appeared in the second row, in the 2nd spot.

I don't know anything about her love situation, so it's unclear to me why they are so far apart. Has she not met the person of her heart yet? If she has, is there some kind of physical distance between them? Or emotional? Was there a fight, or a breakup? The figures on the cards are facing each other, but they are far apart; it appears there will be quite some time before they will be together in all ways.

The cards surrounding the Queen card, depicting the immediate future, are all gloomy cards. To her immediate right is #7, the Switch, a sign of troubles in family matters. Above it, #33, the Broken Mirror, a long period of bad luck. Above her, #11, the Snake, great misfortune through the thoughtlessness of someone believed to be a friend. Above and to the left #28, the Sword, a warning of evil attack. And below it, #7, the Scythe, a warning of great danger.

The danger predicted in #7 can be averted if there are lucky cards nearby. There are several. To its left, #10, the Children, brings the promise of many and lasting friendships. At the left diagonal #24, the Train, meaning a journey or prosperity. Below it is #26, the Star, a good luck card. And #32 is next to that, the Lightning, meaning a surprise not far away. So yes, I see all these bad omens around her in the immediate future, but there are some good friends who will be there for her (maybe even traveling to be by her side), and help her with friendship and with resources to get through this.

If we look at the next ring of cards around the #14, things perk up. The Children and the Train, we've already discussed. Above the Train is #12, the Rider, which brings very good luck if it is not surrounded by bad luck cards. (And it's not; only one card of the nine is ominous - the Sword.) The card to the right of the Rider is #19, Clasped Hands, which indicates many pleasant friendships. Also nearby is #31, Cupid, which means that one of those pleasant friendships may bring romance. The card to the right of the Clasped Hands is #9, the Fox. This is a warning to beware of acquaintances. Since it is not that close to her card, the Queen, the scheming person will not succeed in bothering her. To the right of the Fox is #16, the Lilies, a long and happy life for her, a life of high standards and honor.

In the next ring of cards around the #14, we see culmination of many good things. #6, the Flowers, a card of happiness. #30, the Heart, a happy home life. #3, the House, success in all enterprises. #36, the Safe - the closed door of the safe faces the Queen, so that means her money affairs will prosper. #18, the Ring, which surrounded by all these nice cards seems to me to predict a solid romance. #13, the Letter, brings luck from afar. #31, Cupid, love. And #22, the Anchor, success and honor in all business enterprises.

So to me, what I see is an immediate future that looks challenging and sometimes grim, but with the help of her dear friends, who are very much committed to her, she will triumph and turn things around. The future will have success in love, and in home, and in money.

The cards around #15, the one that represents her partner, are mostly positive. #8, the Pig, brings luck and success in all undertakings. #5, the Sick Person, might mean there is an illness in someone close to her partner. Right next to it is #2, the Moon, bringing honor and happiness. (Perhaps an illness that allows her partner to take some much-needed time off? Or her partner brings happiness to the ill person by visiting?) #17, the Stork, a change in residence (to be closer to her?) and an advance in business. #21, the Dog, many sincere friends. #1, the Sun, good luck and happiness. #27, the Cats, lying near #20, the Clouds, means there may be a friend who disappoints, though.

I think it's nice that the Heart lies on a direct line between the King and the Queen. I do think she and her partner, though somewhat distant now, will be closer. Her partner has many gifts to bring in the form of strong friends, a successful career, and an optimistic attitude. There will be challenges for her partner, in the form of illness or a friendship that wounds, but there will be challenges for her as well. She also has friends surrounding her, and some good omens around the corner, that seem to merge their paths in an optimistic way.

She had asked a specific question about career, and which path to take. It may be hard to see right now, because of the challenges in her immediate future. Her friends will be her guide out of that storminess. I suggested she turn to them, listen to them, take the path that will lead her closer to her heart's desire and to her partner. Her future will be secure and her finances will be sound if she heeds her friends and takes care of her friendships.

When I shared these thoughts with the querent, she told me that she is living apart from her partner for a while due to work and preparing a house for sale, so she understood the conflicts represented in the cards immediately surrounding her, and the distance between them. She was energized by the reading, and was able to connect the cards to her life in meaningful ways. I hope the insights she made will be helpful to her in this challenging time living apart from her partner and moving her art career forward.