Lady
Frieda Harris
Lady
Frieda Harris is renowned as the artist who executed Aleister Crowley's Thoth
Tarot. This was, perhaps, Crowley's greated achievement. If Crowley fathered
it, Harris was its mother. It was not an easy birth. She threw herself into the
painting as the bombs of the Second World War fell, as predicted in the
apocalyptic Third Chapter of their scared text, the Book of the Law. Those
paintings selected for the final pack were exhibited twice in 1941. After
Crowley's death Harris considered selling them, but it was not to be and in the
end she bequeathed them to Gerald Yorke. He placed them with the Warburg
Institute. However, Yorke retained several alternative versions of cards that
were not included in the pack and some preliminary studies. These he sold
through the Cecil Court bookdealer Harold Mortlake. They have been in private
hands since and are now exhibited below available for sale. Also offered are
original photographic prints from the 1940's, many signed by Frieda Harris
The
Emperor
watercolour (22ins x 15ins) Signed by Harris SOLD
The
Magician or Juggler
Watercolour 18ins x 11.5ins In decorated mount, signed by Harris. A note buy
her on reverse states "Original version - Rejected" SOLD
The Magus of Juggler
Watercolour 15ins x
11.5ins £6495 (SOLD)
The
Fool
Watercolour 15ins x
11.5ins (SOLD)
The
Moon
Watercolour 15ins x 11.5ins (SOLD)
Knight
of Discs
Watercolour 17.5ins x 11ins in mount with decorated border (SOLD)
Knight
of Wands
Pencil sketch with some colour wash 13ins x 14ins Signed by Harris with her
explanatory notes at foot. In plain mount, crudely trimmed at the foot with
some loss (SOLD)
Hierophant
Water colour 18ins x 10.5ins within plain mount Signed by Frieda Harris (SOLD)
Fool
Pencil Drawing £1295 (SOLD)
Lady Frieda Harris,
Handwritten Letter, 1958
2pp Airmail letter incorporating envelope to Harold Mortlake, it discusses the
tarot cards and a proposed publication of them, and also mentions her book,
Bump into Heaven. Of the photographs below she here says "There are copies
in photographs. Coplete in 2 or 3 albums, one of which A.C. sold to someone. I
believe John Symonds or Gerald has one. The negatives are in the possession of
Mr. Steptoe..... who photographed them. They are very good. He can print a
series & they are complete & would sell the negatives but they are
expensive. If you think necessay ring him up. He is trustworthy. There are
several additional photographs pf Princess - Prince, King of Air, Ace of Cups
which were scrappy & not included in the final pack, also several of the
Magician or Juggler nd 2 of Water Cups". It can be presumed that the
photographs listed below are those referred to below. The passed from Frieda
Harris to Gerald Yorke, thence to Harold Mortlake and then into a private
collection VG Order No. 10903 (SOLD)
The Magician
Black & White Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins Signed with brief
notes by Harris. The design, and title, is very diferent to that finally
included in the Thoth Tarot deck and is not one of the two extra designs
included in the U.S. Games edition. VG Order No. 10600 (SOLD)
The Magican
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is variant to the one
published and now included in the Thoth deck where it is titled the Magus.
Signed on reverse by Frieda Harris VG Order No. 10601 (SOLD)
Wheel of Fortune
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is variant to the one
published and now included in the Thoth deck. Signed on reverse by Frieda
Harris VG Order No. 10602 (SOLD)
The Star
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is variant to the one
published and now included in the Thoth deck. Signed on reverse by Frieda
Harris VG Order No. 10603 (SOLD)
Ten of Discs
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins VG Order No. 10604 £90 (SOLD)
Prince of Discs
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is very different to the
one published VG (reverse grubby) Order No. 10605 (SOLD)
Princess of Earth or Discs
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins Signed on reverse by Frieda Harris
VG Order No. 10606 (SOLD)
Queen of Discs
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins VG Order No. 10607 (SOLD)
Two of Wands
Black & White Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is
variant to the one published. Signed on reverse by Frieda Harris VG Order No.
10608 (SOLD)
Three of Wands
Black & White Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins A brief printed
description of the card's meaning glued to reverse VG Order No. 10609 (SOLD)
Four of Wands
Black & White Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is
variant to the one published. VG Order No. 10610 (SOLD)
Seven of Wands
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is slightly variant to
the published version F Order No. 10611 (SOLD)
Princess of Wands
Black & White Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins This design is
very slightly variant to the one published and now included in the Thoth deck.
Signed on reverse by Frieda Harris and brief printed meaning of card affixed VG
Order No. 10612 (SOLD)
Prince of Wands
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins. This design is variant to the one
published and now included in the Thoth deck Back grimy otherwise VG Order No.
10613 (SOLD)
Prince of Flames (ie Wands)
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins The design is as published, but more
can be seen of the edges in this photo than the opublished version. Signed on
reverse by Frieda Harris VG Order No. 10614 (SOLD)
Five of Wands
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins The design is as published, but the
edges of this photo are cropped in the published version. VG Order No. 10615 (SOLD)
Eight of Swords
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins Brief printed explanation of meaning
of the card glued to reverse which is signed by Frieda Harris VG Order No.
10616 (SOLD)
Prince of Swords
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins The design is quite different from
the one finally published and included in the Thoth tarot deck VG Order No.
10617 (SOLD)
Prince of Swords
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins Signed on reverse by Frieda Harris
VG Order No. 10618 (SOLD)
Princess of Swords
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins. Signed on reverse by Frieda Harris
VG Order No. 10619 (SOLD)
Ace of Cups
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins The design is very different from
the one published and included in the Thoth tarot deck VG Order No. 10620 (SOLD)
Water Ace (the Holy Grail)
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins Signed and titled (variant to
published title) by Frieda Harris on reverse VG Order No. 10622 £125 (SOLD)
Prince of Cups
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins VG Order No. 10623 (SOLD)
Princess of Cups
Photographic Print, nd (c1945) 6ins x 5ins Brief printed description of cards
meaning fixed on reverse which is also signed by Frieda Harris VG Order No.
10624 (SOLD)
Book of Thoth - Prospectus
nd (1944) Single sheet folded once to give 4pp 10ins x 7.5ins. Promoting the
1st Ed of 200 copies, the "first and final Classic of the Tarot"
which was "Nobly" produced. On the back page are details of study
classes being given by Max Schneider so this is will be the US version. Some
discolouration bottom edge front pp VG- Order No. 10106 (SOLD)
Background Development Sequence
This series of drawings by
Frieda Harris shows the process behing the development of geometric patterns
present in the background of some of the tarot cards (Not For Sale)
Lady Frieda Harris, The Masonic Tracing Boards, Three coloured posters
20ins x 14ins c.1975. It is not generally realised that Frieda Lady Harris was
an active co-mason. This is the branch of masonry which was founded by Madame
Blavatsky, Leadbeater and others associated with the Theosophical Society. The
rituals are very much as performed by mainstream Masonry, though there is a
history of viewing the rituals and the Temple in terms of subtle energies which
some Masons might find unusual. As Co-masonry was open to men and women it has
abandoned one of the landmarks of the United Grand Lodge of England, and so has
never been recognised as legitimate by that body. However it seems that some
Masons do recognise the sincerity, value and unique history of Co-masonry. The
impression gained from the outside is that relationship between this tradition
of fringe masonry and the mainstream is informally cordial. Frieda Harris
painted her own versions of the Tracing Boards. The result have the components
of the traditional designs, but are distinctively her own and modern. They can
be seen in the context of the development of the design of the tracing boards
by clicking here:-
The Development of the First Degree Board
The Development of the Second Degree Board
The Development of the Third Degree Board
Alternatively you can view just her designs here (of course the actual posters
show far more detail!):-
Frieda Harris, First Degree Tracing Board
Frieda Harris, Second Degree Tracing Board
Frieda Harris, Third Degree Tracing Board
These posters have their own history. The original paintings were acquired by
British Occultists in the 1970's. Around 1976 a few hundred sets of these
posters were printed. This is the only publication of these designs that there
has been. Posters survive far less well than books, which are only rarely
pinned to walls! Moreover posters are not collected by libraries, and their
existence is not recorded in catalogues and bibliographies.