Arland Ussher Signed XXII Keys of the Tarot (1957). Ultra-Rare Hand-Coloured Limited 1st Ed No 32/50. Yeats Circle Provenance. Dolmen Press.

THE 22 KEYS OF THE TAROT BY ARLAND USSHER - DESIGNED BY LESLIE MAC WEENEY | SIGNED BY USSHER | JULY 1957 | HAND PAINTED | SPECIALLY BOUND | LIMITED EDITION NUMBER 32 OF 50

Step into the esoteric world of Irish mysticism with this rare, signed and hand-coloured edition of The XXII Keys of the Tarot, a beautifully illustrated guide to the Major Arcana by Anglo-Irish essayist Arland Ussher (1899–1980). Published in 1957 by Dublin’s renowned Dolmen Press, this book embodies a unique literary and occult heritage tied to W.B. Yeats and his circle.

Ussher moved within the same intellectual circles as Samuel Beckett and W.B Yeats, all of whom were significant figures in Irish Literature. Both Ussher and the Yeats family had a deep interest in the Tarot and occultism. Two key illustrations in this book, La Papesse (The High Priestess) and Le Pape (The Hierophant), were uniquely copied from cards lent by Georgie Yeats, wife of W.B. Yeats and an influential figure in Irish esoteric circles. These images hold particular historical and symbolic significance. Georgie's experiments with automatic drawing and occult interests were a significant influence on W.B. Yeats's book A Vision.

Dolmen Press was founded by Liam Miller and is the most significant private press in 20th-century Irish publishing. Initially founded to provide a publishing outlet for Irish poetry and the work of Irish artists, the scope of the Press grew to include prose literature by Irish authors as well as a broad range of critical works about Irish literature and theatre.

Illustrator Leslie MacWeeney began working with the Dolmen Press in 1954. She later served as secretary to Anne Yeats (daughter of W.B. Yeats), assisted with the archives of Jack B. Yeats, and worked closely with figures linked to the Cuala Press. Her 22 tarot designs are based primarily on a deck Ussher acquired in Paris.

Intended as a limited edition of 250, only 50 were to be signed and hand-coloured. According to MacWeeney, post-war shortages halted production, making the finished coloured copies exceptionally rare.

This is copy No. 32 of 50, signed by Arland Ussher and hand-coloured throughout. The signature and limitation number are shown in the photographs.

Note: Arland was also a descendant of Primate James Ussher, Lord Archbishop of Armagh (1625-1656) who was famous for calculating the date of Creation using biblical chronology – concluding the world was created on the evening before 23 October 4004 BC.

Condition: Clean interior, firmly bound, with light, age-appropriate handling to the slipcase. A beautifully preserved and highly desirable collector’s copy. Please refer to photographs for full details.