Quick Specs
- Artist: Pamela Colman Smith
- System Designer: Arthur Edward Waite
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
- Edition: Restored, with full guidebook
- Cards: 78 (standard tarot structure)
- Best for: Beginners, reference readers, practitioners who want the foundational deck
The Deck That Defined Modern Tarot
Published in 1909 by Rider and Son in London, the Rider-Waite deck was the first tarot to illustrate all 78 cards, including the Minor Arcana, with full narrative scenes rather than geometric arrangements of suit symbols. That decision by Arthur Edward Waite, and its execution by artist and occultist Pamela Colman Smith, transformed tarot from a mostly elite and esoteric practice into a broadly accessible intuitive reading system. Nearly every tarot deck published since has used the structure and symbolism Smith developed as its reference point.
Smith’s contribution has been significantly underacknowledged in tarot history. She was a Jamaican-born, British-raised artist and member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn who brought her training in symbolism, theater, and fine art to bear on every card. The restored edition works from archival sources to correct the color and line degradation that accumulated through decades of reproduction, bringing the imagery closer to Smith’s original intent.
Why the Restored Edition Matters
Most Rider-Waite decks in circulation are reproductions of reproductions, meaning the colors have shifted, fine details in Smith’s original linework have softened or disappeared, and some cards read differently than they did in the 1909 printing. The restored edition corrects these accumulated changes using archival reference materials, producing a deck that is truer to the original design intentions. For serious students of tarot symbolism, working from the restored version means working from a cleaner source. The included full guidebook provides Waite’s interpretations alongside modern contextual notes.
How to Use the Rider-Waite Tarot Deck
Three foundational approaches to learning and reading with the Rider-Waite deck.
- Learn the Two Sections of the Deck
The 78 cards divide into the Major Arcana (22 cards for large life themes) and the Minor Arcana (56 cards across four suits). Spend time with the Majors first to build familiarity with core archetypes before working with the full deck.
- Use the Imagery as Your Primary Teacher
Every card in this deck tells a story you can interpret before memorizing any formal meaning. Practice by describing what you see in each scene, then compare your impressions with the guidebook to discover where the traditional meanings add depth.
- Start with Three-Card Pulls
A daily three-card draw, past, present, and future or situation, action, and outcome, is the most reliable way to build a relationship with any tarot deck. The Rider-Waite's visual narrative between three cards often tells a story on its own.
The Tarot Fellow Standard
I carry the restored Rider-Waite because it is simply the foundational text of modern tarot. Every deck and every guidebook published in the past century has been written in conversation with Smith’s imagery. Learning on this deck means learning the language that virtually all tarot literature assumes you speak. The restored edition is the right version to own: richer colors, intact linework, and truer to what Smith actually put on paper in 1909. Browse my tarot deck collection if you want to explore beyond the classic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pamela Colman Smith illustrated the deck under Arthur Edward Waite's direction. A Jamaican-born British artist and Golden Dawn member, she was not credited on the 1909 printing and received no royalties, a gap now widely noted in tarot scholarship.
The Restored Edition corrects color and line degradation from decades of reproduction using archival materials. This brings the imagery closer to Smith's 1909 artwork and restores fine linework details lost in successive mass-market printings.
It remains the most practical starting point. Virtually all beginner tarot books and courses use Rider-Waite imagery as their visual reference. Learning on this deck means every instructional resource you find will make direct visual sense.
The Rider-Waite Tarot contains 78 cards: the Major Arcana with 22 cards representing archetypal forces, and the Minor Arcana with 56 cards across four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles) covering everyday circumstances in a reading layout.
Love!
I am in love with this deck. The quality of the cards are amazing. Tarot Fellow is incredible, I know I can trust him with trustworthy service with any purchase
Came a day earlier than what the estimated delivery was so i was SOOOO happy cause i’m very impatient, only thing if I could’ve I would’ve just got the cards because the little book isn’t all that + would prob be cheaper with out it. CARDS ARE GREATTTTT THOOO
Great deck