The Arthur Rackham Oracle: Revised & Refined 2nd Edition

The Arthur Rackham Oracle, Revised & Refined 2nd Edition, is an 80-card oracle deck that draws upon the enduring fantasy illustrations of Arthur Rackham (1867-1939). Created by Doug Thornsjo of Duck Soup Productions, this deck is presented as the definitive divination tool based on Rackham's work, carefully preserving the integrity of his original art. The second edition incorporates customer feedback, featuring more than 15 new card designs, re-lettered subtitles, and brightened images, while removing previous sideways or overly dark cards.

This oracle system is designed to be open-ended, not directly derived from Tarot or Lenormand, yet it contains elements that resonate with both. The card meanings are developed directly from Rackham's artwork and the stories they illustrate, ensuring that the interpretations are deeply connected to the visual narrative. The creator emphasizes that no artwork was cropped, altered, or edited, beyond cleaning and restoring the images to their original luster, setting it apart from other decks that might adapt Rackham's art more freely.

The deck includes 78 oracle cards plus one male and one female significator, totaling 80 cards. It is printed on 350 gsm high-quality art paper, in standard tarot size (70mm x 121mm), and comes with a 12-page Little White Booklet. The Kickstarter campaign successfully funded upgrades to a two-piece box and gold foil edging, enhancing the deck's collectible appeal and physical quality.

This deck is ideal for collectors of classic fantasy art, particularly admirers of Arthur Rackham's distinctive style. It appeals to oracle readers who prefer a system with a rich, old-world flavor and a strong connection to storytelling traditions, rather than a strict, pre-defined structure like the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot. Experienced readers looking for an intuitive, open-ended divination tool will appreciate its unique symbology, while its accessibility also makes it suitable for novices interested in exploring a non-traditional oracle.

Doug Thornsjo, a graphic artist, writer, and cartoonist with over 35 years of experience, is the creator behind Duck Soup Productions. He successfully funded his first tarot deck, Tarot of the Zirkus Mägi, in 2014 and has since developed several other popular Tarot, Oracle, and Lenormand packs. His motivation for using Kickstarter for the Arthur Rackham Oracle's second edition was to achieve a high-quality production at an affordable price point, shifting away from his usual print-on-demand model to reach a wider audience and cover printing and shipping expenses.