Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup Postcards
From Mystic Tea Room
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''"The leaves forming [a] dog tell of a faithful friend coming home from abroad, and the three dts in a line indicate [an] offer of marriage from him. This will mean a great and happy change in your fortune as shown by the wavy lines."'' | ''"The leaves forming [a] dog tell of a faithful friend coming home from abroad, and the three dts in a line indicate [an] offer of marriage from him. This will mean a great and happy change in your fortune as shown by the wavy lines."'' | ||
- | + | The dog is coming from abroad because he is running along a roadway that descends from the "away" portion of the rim toward the "home" or handle of the cup. The three dots are the "wish sign" and although they do not represent a marriage per se, they do represent the fulfillment of a desire. The author of these cards assumes that the sitter is a young person hoping for a marriage, but the symbols could just as convincingly be read to say that an old friend is returning home from overseas and will fulfill some desire or wish of the sitter that is not marital in nature. The Wavy Lines are interpreted as "a great and happy change in your fortune," which is rather more optimistic than their customary meaning of "uncertainty." | |
<i><b>catherine yronwode</b><br>curator, historian, and docent | <i><b>catherine yronwode</b><br>curator, historian, and docent | ||
<br><b>The Mystic Tea Room</b></i> | <br><b>The Mystic Tea Room</b></i> |
Revision as of 01:40, 26 December 2020
In this set of 12 postcards, issued in Great Britain some time between the First and Second World Wars, we have essentially a series of study cups as flash cards or teaching instructions in cup reading. Because the printed interpretations are so brief, i cave added some further explanations of how they were derived.
1. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Anchor at Bottom, Journey, Leaves at Rim
Anchor at bottom, Long Voyage, Successful Career Abroad
2. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Anchor at Bottom, Little Dots
3. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Anchor at Bottom, Square with Three Dots
Letter With Good News, Successful Career
4. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Anchor at Bottom, Square with Dot at Side
Wish is Granted and Brilliant Future
5. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Anchor at Rim, Broad Leaf Below
6. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Anchor at Rim, Mountain, Three Dots in Line
Happy Married Life and Offer From Friend
7. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Mountain, Square with Dot
Promotion and Letter With Money or Good News
8. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Heart and Dots
Voyage Leading to Happy Marriage
9. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Heart, Ring, Leaves at Rim
Happy House Party and Marriage
10. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Ring and Triangle
Luck, Good News, Happy Marriage.
11. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup - Cat and Letter
A rival, but a lucky letter brings promotion
12. Your Fortune in a Tea-Cup -- Dog and Three Dots in a Line
"The leaves forming [a] dog tell of a faithful friend coming home from abroad, and the three dts in a line indicate [an] offer of marriage from him. This will mean a great and happy change in your fortune as shown by the wavy lines."
The dog is coming from abroad because he is running along a roadway that descends from the "away" portion of the rim toward the "home" or handle of the cup. The three dots are the "wish sign" and although they do not represent a marriage per se, they do represent the fulfillment of a desire. The author of these cards assumes that the sitter is a young person hoping for a marriage, but the symbols could just as convincingly be read to say that an old friend is returning home from overseas and will fulfill some desire or wish of the sitter that is not marital in nature. The Wavy Lines are interpreted as "a great and happy change in your fortune," which is rather more optimistic than their customary meaning of "uncertainty."
catherine yronwode
curator, historian, and docent
The Mystic Tea Room