- Creator: Alexander Ray
- Publisher: US Games Systems, Inc. https://www.usgamesinc.com/old-style-oracle
- Publication Date: USA 2025 / UK 05-Feb-26
- RRP: USD $23.95 / GBP £28.00
- ISBN: 978-1-64671-275-5
- Reviewed by: Mary du Plessis
I was drawn to the possibilities teased by the name of this deck, and the beautiful illustrations. The guidebook states “Old Style Oracle is the third and final project in a family of decks designed in the style of antique book engravings from the 15th-19th centuries. Together, with the Old Style Lenormand and the Old Style Tarot, this deck forms a special set, unified by common motifs, patterns, and aesthetics.”
In case you’re wondering, yes, I bought the other two decks in the set after reviewing this one. I mean, how could I not?
What works for me? In a word, simplicity. I’m the type of tarot enthusiast who rips open (okay, not literally, I do treat my decks with respect and care) the box and starts shuffling. I might do a walkthrough of the entire deck in order, but that usually comes later.
The first reading out of the sturdy box, a three card Intuitive Reading, hit home. The suggestion was to ‘feel’ the cards, individually and collectively, and that the guidebook descriptions would probably not be necessary. I found this to be true and found the deeper insight in the book helpful. My reading is at the end of this review. The guidebook includes descriptions that address the duality of cartomancy (called ‘plus’ and ‘minus’), as well as a personality description for identifying the players in a reading.
There are 52 cards, and the card stock is good quality mass-market that should hold up with frequent use if treated with care. The deck itself is simply beautiful, with the invisible border cards transporting the reader to a liminal space between the past and the present. In addition, the illustrations in this well thought out system are easily read intuitively, allowing novice readers to begin working with the deck at once, while those preferring more depth can incorporate other systems for a more complex reading.
However, the suggested methods are simple but also complicated. The poster/chart included in the box is a visual guide that outlines the chakras, symbols, number, and colors, but is cumbersome, feels messy when unfolded, and it’s not clear how to use it, as the same information in the guidebook also seems unnecessarily complicated. This is more effort than I’m usually willing to expend when slinging cards, but as this deck is part of its own micro-system (with the Lenormand and Tarot), I can see where this would be helpful if you are the type of reader who layers in a lot of correspondences, systems, etc.
Nevertheless, I feel as though I’ve discovered a deck that I might have overlooked, had it not crossed my desk. While I’m primarily a tarot reader, I’m selectively intrigued by other methods of cartomancy. This one will stick, and I’m excited to possibly attempt combining the three related Old Style decks.
In the meantime, I’ve included a three-card reading in the photos:
Altar – Sanctuary – Well. All three cards in reverse succession from the ‘places’ cards in the deck.
Intuitively, I recognized the need for structure in my spiritual practice, that I must establish a dedicated space for doing spiritual work, if I am to realize my desire to go deeper into my practice.
When I consulted the guidebook, the descriptions highlighted the impact of cause and effect, hitting on my need for security, and how these foundations can enable me to form successful alliances and a steady source of income.
I was able to quickly grasp the understanding of what the cards meant to me, and then further figure out the why, and how to apply the message to bring about the outcome I look for.
Your mileage may vary!
To purchase the complete set, please visit your regional Amazon store, or the US GAMES INC. Links below:
https://www.usgamesinc.com/old-style-oracle
https://www.usgamesinc.com/Tarot_and_Inspiration/old-style-tarot
https://www.usgamesinc.com/Tarot_and_Inspiration/old-style-lenormand.html
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