Lot #52: ORIGINAL 1984 VINTAGE SALVADOR DALÍ TAROT UNIVERSAL DECK – FIRST EDITION

This piece I struggled with putting in the auction because in my opinion it will increase in value and is a rare collectible. The story regarding how the Tarot card set came to be is incredible. This piece is a great investment and will be sure to go up in value. This piece is the Holy Grail of surrealist pop-culture history! The Coolest Story About The Piece: The story of this masterpiece begins with an unlikely Hollywood commission. In 1973, legendary film producer Albert "Cubby" Broccoli contacted Salvador Dalí to design a custom prop tarot deck for the upcoming James Bond film, Live and Let Die. The deck was meant to be used on-screen by the beautiful psychic character, Solitaire. Inspired by his wife Gala’s deep fascination with mysticism and card reading, Dalí eagerly accepted the project. However, the collaboration quickly fell through when Dalí’s financial demands proved to be too astronomical, even for a Hollywood blockbuster budget. The producers ultimately replaced Dalí with artist Fergus Hall, whose Tarot of the Witches deck appeared in the final film. But Dalí refused to abandon his vision. He spent the next decade meticulously completing all 78 paintings, infusing traditional occult archetypes with surrealist iconography—including butterflies, ants, and melting silhouettes. He even left a few inside jokes in the artwork. Dalí painted himself as The Magician. His wife Gala appears as The Empress. As a final, playful jab at the film producers, he reportedly based the face of The Emperor on Sean Connery—Roger Moore's direct rival for the title of the ultimate James Bond. Finally published in 1984, for Dali’s 80th birthday this stunning limited first edition sold out While modern publishers have reissued copies of Dalí's tarot, nothing compares to holding the original 1984 Spanish pressing. The Signature Backs: The reverse side of every single card features a beautiful, repeating gold-ink pattern composed entirely of Dalí’s iconic signature. Gold Gilt Edges: The brilliant, reflective gold leaf bordering each card reflects light beautifully and is unique to the premium formatting of the original vintage runs. Investment Grade: True first editions of this deck are highly sought after on the international art and ephemera markets, with values steadily climbing among serious surrealist collectors. What is Included in this Lot: 1. Original 1984 Presentation Box. 2. 78 Gilt-Edged Surrealist Tarot Cards (Fully authenticated, zero missing cards). 3. Original Multi-language Instruction Booklet. Wow is this piece not cool or what . Pickup category timeslot {A}