The Answers

Stock photo of a Taltos teacup.



     So I have been on hiatus for nearly over a year; I had a lot of things to attend to and this blog was not a main priority for me. I am reviving the blog and I'm doing so with an amazing find, I finally have the Taltos booklet.

  One of my initial posts for the blog was about a zodiac fortune telling teacup referred to as the Taltos Cup of Fortune. I briefly described tasseography and the appearance of the cup as well as my curiosity for all the symbols printed within it. I am very happy to say I no longer need to wonder what the symbols mean, or how to use the cup. I'm also happy to tell you, that unlike the many jerks who own the Taltos cup and booklet, I'm going to share the interpretations with you.

  This will not be a word for word copy of the booklet, I will mostly summarize what it says as much of which is basic tasseography instruction which can be found anywhere.

The Taltos Fortune Telling Teacup
    Basic knowledge of tea leaf reading will come in handy, please refer to my first post for more information. When reading the Taltos cup the interpreter will look at the symbols along the rim. It does not matter if the tea leaves are on the symbols or below them; they are to be interpreted the same way. If they fall between symbols I suppose you can gauge which symbol the tea leaves are touching the most or simply link the symbols together (i.e. marriage and monetary gain, interpreted as marrying a rich man. <- This isn't from the booklet just a quick example). As I had stated before the closer the leaves are to the rim the sooner the events will take place. The seven pointed start located at the bottom of the cup is an emblem of good luck, and the ship nested within the star indicates that we will overcome our troubles through patience and calm waters lie ahead.

The Symbols
A Knife - Symbolic of separation and strife.
The Moon - Foretells a passionate love affair.
A Letter - If the leaves appearing near/on the symbol are small it will be a letter concerning money. If however the leaves are large it indicates a love letter is on the way.
A Glove - A challenge or difference of opinion is signified. A firm stand must be taken because justice and good luck are on the "inquirer's" side.
The Heart - A symbol of sincere affection. If the tea leaves near/on the symbol form a ring then a marriage might be announced.
A Key - Foretells the advent of new projects; an important change will benefit the "inquirer."
A Fan - If there are a considerable number of tea leaves on this symbol it means a social gathering at which the "inquirer" may have one or two flirtations. Care must be taken to avoid jealousy. If there are only a few tea leaves then the symbol denotes a small gathering.
A Church - A ceremonial gathering is foretold. The formations the tea leaves make can indicate what type of gathering will take place; a cross would denote a funeral, and flowers would represent a wedding.
An Apple - The apple is symbolic of a desire to better one's position. If the tea leaves form a figure of a man or woman the improvement will come through the help of someone close.
A Cage - Indicates illness and misfortune will befall the "inquirer" unless great care is taken in all things concerning family affairs as well as finances.
A Fig - An emblem of fertility
A Snake - A snake signifies treachery. A supposed friend is not to be trusted.
A Torch- A good sign; it means progress and dedication to one's work. Perhaps fame will be the reward.
The Mountains - These lofty peaks denote domestic happiness or a wonderful love affair. They also denote success concerning one's career.

The Planetary Signs
   So after you've interpreted the symbols along the rim you move onto the planetary emblems located in the bottom of the cup. There are two interpretations for each emblem, it depends on whether or not there is a thick layer of tea leaves, or a thin layer. For the sake of convenience they'll be assigned a number, a thin layer is #1, a thick layer is #2.

The Sun
1.Good luck and happiness
2.Indignity and loss of social position.

The Moon
1. Social success.
2. A loved one is not faithful.

Mars
1. Beware of quarrels.
2. A quarrel with long trusted friends.

Mercury
1. A journey is foretold which will bring good luck or a meeting with a person of the opposite sex.
2. A tiresome journey will have to be made.

Jupiter
1. An important decision will have to be made. Be careful in the choice of male friends.
2. Legal troubles are likely.

Venus
1. Very attractive to the opposite sex, with many admirers. A long happy life.
2. People will be jealous of the "inquirer's" ability to charm. Beware of spiteful talk.

Saturn
1. Something will be lost, for example money or reputation; or a death will occur.
2. A proposal will be received; not necessarily of marriage. The "inquirer" would be wise to reject this. In particular beware of the opposite sex.

The Stranger in the Teacup
   I admit I've never heard of this term before now. Apparently a long stemmed tea leaf is referred to as a "stranger." If this leaf happens to fall on a red planetary emblem it can assist the "reader" in understanding the character of the "inquirer's" husband, wife, or sweetheart.  This time we will assign the type of tea leaf numerical order; a firm tea leaf which denotes good qualities will be #1; a soft tea leaf means the character is weak and will be #2.

The Sun
1. Generous and straightforward.
2. Domineering.

The Moon
1. Very headstrong and independent.
2. Fond of drink and the opposite sex.

Mars
1. Hot tempered and very fond of sport.
2. Irritable and mean.

Mercury
1. Clever and a great talker.
2. Very conceited.

Jupiter
1. Just cheerful and kind.
2. Selfish and self-centered.

Venus
1. Handsome, fascinating, and fond of music.
2. Careless over money, and a tendency to gamble.

Saturn
1. Grave, serious, and painstaking.
2. Lazy, jealous and spiteful.

The Saucer
  Wow... I had to read this one over a few times. It's a good thing it isn't word for word because overall there's some pretty weak english in this booklet. To use the saucer the "inquirer" is to set the cup down immediately after drinking; you should be doing the tea leaf reading in a well lit room and not be lifting the cup off the saucer as this could cause the tea leaves to shift. If you intend on using the saucer in the reading do your best not to jolt the cup, it needs to remain in that position for the entire reading. The zodiac signs are printed on the saucer; the "reader" needs to be aware of the "inquirer's" astrological sign. Once that is determined the "reader" is to find that sign on the saucer; then the reader must look inside the cup and identify the planetary emblem which is farthest from the "inquirer's" astrological sign. The placement of the cup is always by chance and should never be placed in a purposeful way.
....Holy frig this is a long one...

Aquarius Jan.21-Feb.19
These people are restless, and are never really happy unless they are on the move, or amongst people. Intelligent but lack concentration therefore many of their natural gifts are wasted. Cheerful and reliable friends, but their feelings can be hurt.
Sun- When the sun rules them they make generous and faithful friends.
Moon- The moon give them a quiet nature and they enjoy an artistic side of life.
Mars- Gives them a fighting nature.
Mercury- Gives a sarcastic, embittered nature.
Jupiter- Makes them faithful.
Venus- Makes them cheerful and happy.
Saturn- Gives a covetous and envious nature.

Pisces Feb.20-Mar.20
  These people are often moody. They underestimate their qualities and suffer from an inferiority complex. They are artistic and although they enjoy the company of friends they are also content being alone.
Sun-The sun makes them fond of the opposite sex.
Moon- The moon makes them kind and thoughtful.
Mars - Makes them idle and quarrelsome.
Mercury - Makes them conceited.
Jupiter- Makes them studious and determined.
Venus- Makes them very attractive to the opposite sex.
Saturn- Makes them deceitful.

Aries Mar.21-Apr.20
  These people are usually impetuous, quick thinking and ambitious. They are great fighters and will overcome obstacles to attain their ends. They are honest and trustworthy. They tend to be abrupt in manner, which can cost them friends, but they are loyal and surround themselves with people.
Sun- Makes them generous to excess.
Moon- Makes them restless and changeable.
Mars- Gives them quick tempers.
Mercury- Makes them fascinating entertainers.
Jupiter- Makes them courteous, ideal in welfare work.
Venus- Makes them fond of the opposite sex.
Saturn- Makes them quarrelsome.

Taurus Apr.21-May 22
   Taureans are typically pleasure loving and are not very hard working. They are fond of money. They dislike change as they are not very adaptable. They prefer close friends and have strong family ties.
Sun-Makes them opinionated.
Moon- Gives them a cheerful disposition and makes them fond of the opposite sex.
Mars- Makes them hard and cool.
Mercury- Makes them pleasure seeking and idle.
Jupiter- Gives them a generous disposition.
Venus- Gives them fascinating and good company.
Saturn- Makes them stupid, narrow minded, and selfish.

Gemini May 23-Jun.21
   These people have a dual nature which is difficult to understand. They hate to make decisions because they hesitate and therefore miss opportunities. They have sparkling personalities, are amusing, are often surrounded by friends so they become the center of attention.
Sun- Makes them friendly and sociable.
Moon- Makes the ingenious and crafty.
Mars- Makes them generous and dedicated.
Mercury- Makes them very attractive and intelligent.
Jupiter- Makes them frank and very good in business dealings.
Venus- Gives them a mild disposition and makes them greatly loved by all their friends.
Saturn- Makes them fond of the good things in life.

Cancer Jun.22-July 22
   These people are extremely sensitive and very moody. They are protective of the people they love, often making them possessive. They have great endurance, are goal oriented, and show their stubbornness.
Sun- Makes them generous and fond of drinking.
Moon- Makes them kind and thoughtful.
Mars- Makes them revengeful and jealous.
Mercury- Makes them fickle, uncertain, and restless.
Jupiter- Makes them obliging and polite.
Venus- Gives a loving disposition, but tends also to make them lazy.
Saturn- Makes them vivacious and fascinating to the opposite sex.

Leo July 23-Aug.22
   These people are great fighters and usually achieve success. They have abilities of an exceptionally high order. They have tenacity and purpose. Leos are amongst the most famous. Women are usually very talented and make marvelous wives and mothers.
Sun- Makes them honest and faithful.
Moon- Makes them ambitious.
Mars- Makes them outstanding in the world of sport.
Mercury- Makes them hasty and abrupt in manner.
Jupiter- Makes them noble.
Venus- Makes them passionate.
Saturn- Makes them conceited and boastful.

Virgo Aug.23-Sept.22
   These people are very persevering and are usually hard working. They are critical of people and are very hard and unemotional. They usually make excellent husbands or wives. Children are always well cared for by Virgo parents.
Sun- Makes them scientific.
Moon- Makes them selfish.
Mars- Makes them active and keen.
Mercury- Makes them good in public life.
Jupiter- Makes them self-indulgent.
Venus- Makes them fond of music and the arts.
Saturn- Makes the studious.

Libra Sept.23-Oct.22
  These people are usually easy going, and when decisions need to be made they try to steer a middle course. They are natural home-makers and can settle down anywhere. They are affectionate and adaptable. There is always an atmosphere of peace and happiness in their homes.
Sun- Makes them extravagant.
Moon- Makes them lovers of society.
Mars- Makes them quick tempered.
Mercury- Makes them ingenious and crafty.
Jupiter- Gives them a generous disposition.
Venus- Makes them loving and respected by all.
Saturn- Makes them proud and conceited.

Scorpio Oct.23-Nov.21
   These people are steady and have great presence of mind. They never seem to lose their nerve, even under great pressure. There are many doctors and nurses born under this sign. They have fine imaginations and make good scholars.
Sun- Makes them ambitious.
Moon- Urges them to become involved with the opposite sex.
Mars- Gives them great power.
Mercury- Gives them a strong will.
Jupiter- Makes them active.
Venus- Makes them fond of drink.
Saturn- Makes them seek trouble and quarrels.

Sagittarius Nov.22-Dec.22
   These people are fond of money and usually spend it freely in their youth; they become more careful in middle age. They marry late and seem to have small families. They are usually fond of sport and always play to win. If they lose however they are "good sports" and seem to have plenty of friends. The women of this sign are very affectionate and make good wives.
Sun- Makes you fond of sport.
Moon- Makes them passionate and loving.
Mars- Makes them hasty and abrupt in manner.
Mercury- Makes them impetuous.
Jupiter- Makes them noble and straightforward.
Venus- Makes them conceited and given to showing off.
Saturn- Makes them reserved.

Capricorn Dec.23-Jan.20
   These people are very stubborn and tenacious. They are intellectual and unmoved by flattery. They tend to be painstaking and methodical. They attain the goals they set. They are fond of material things.
Sun-Makes them just and good tempered.
Mon- Makes them lazy.
Mars- Makes them courageous.
Mercury- Makes the peevish.
Jupiter- Makes them austere.
Venus- Gives them a happy disposition.
Saturn- Makes them generous.


    So that's all of it! My hands are numb now so I think I'm done. I hope this helps someone out because I know I was pretty frustrated without the booklet. Enjoy your Taltos teacup!
-Sugar Skull

UPDATE: I no longer really use this blog at all anymore, I got married, bought a house, life got busy. I'm super happy to hear that so many of you enjoy your cups and that you appreciate the transcript of the booklet! Your comments may not get published for months at a time but I do see and appreciate that you leave them! Thank you for your kind words and all the best!

Sweet dreams of tea.

___There are some treasures in this world that only a seldom few are fortunate enough to own. I am not one of those people. Today I will show pictures of some amazing teacups that I will probably never see in person, it pains me to do so...just looking at them leaves me with this ever present desire to stab myself. So let's just get this over with...

The Aynsley Nelros Cup of Fortune
___Aynsley is a reputable English manufacturer of quality bone china, the company was founded by John Aynsley in Staffordshire, 1775. This is an outstanding piece named the "Nelros Cup of Fortune." This teacup is said to be from 1904 however I'm not one hundred percent sure the one I've shown is that old; there are other Nelros cups from the 1920s and I'm uncertain if there is a difference in appearance. Like most fortune telling teacups this one comes with a fancy little instruction booklet titled "Would'st learn thy future with thy tea?... This magic cup will show it thee." this also appears on the outside of the teacup. They go up for auction starting at a about a hundred dollars or so.
___I like the simplicity of this teacup; the combination of red, black and white is very pleasing to me (if you haven't noticed already...). Perhaps the designer of the Taltos teacup was inspired by the Nelros Cup of Fortune. As you can see the interior of the cup has symbols along the rim, there's a similar star shape in the bottom surrounded by planetary emblems, and a nautical symbol in the center of the cup (this time it is an anchor instead of a ship). The saucer also depicts astrological signs much like the Taltos saucer features.

The Paragon Fortune Telling Teacup
___Paragon is another recognisable English producer of quality china, it was founded by Herbert Aynsley (the great grandson of John Aynsley) and Hugh Irving in 1897. This teacup is from the 1930s and usually is seen in either blue or pink. Along the rim of the interior it reads "Many curious things I see when telling fortunes in your tea." I'm sure there must be a book to accompany this teacup however I have yet to see a copy of one available online. A variety of symbols are scattered about the inside of the cup, these are usually coloured fuchsia but the one pictured appears to be a reddish-brown colour.

___I find the appearance of the symbols in this cup to be quite charming; it almost feels as though a Victorian artist picked up a teacup and started sketching romantic doodles inside it. The one symbol that particularly stands out in my mind is the skull, it piqued my interest. I truly desire this cup. I nearly died when I found it up for auction at ten dollars a few weeks ago, but as I suspected the price climbed to about fifty or sixty dollars which is over my current budget (I have some big financial obligations to attend to XP). From what I've seen it's not unheard of for these cups to sell anywhere from eighty to two hundred dollars (usually USD).
_
The Alfred Meakin Cup of Knowledge
___Alfred Meakin Ltd began producing china in 1875. This Cup of Knowledge dates back to 1924 and has a distinct look that separates it from the aforementioned fortune teacups, it depicts playing cards instead of symbols. Here Cartomancy has joined forces with Tasseography to provide the reader with an enlightening divinatory experience. In this instance you would use the location of the tea leaves in relation to the cards to determine what the future could hold.


___To be honest I'm not even sure I can be so bold as to use the word Tasseography when describing this teacup, it's more Cartomancy than anything else. Alfred Meakin is not the only company to produce fortune telling teacups with the use of playing card symbols, there are many other makes, however I felt this one was the most attractive. It probably comes with a booklet for interpretations but in one such example I've seen a teacup with the meanings printed on the saucer (very convenient if you buy the cup without the booklet). In auction this generally starts at seventy five dollars.

Honorable Mentions
___I have some teacups I'd like to share that either didn't make my favorite list, or I did not have a sufficient amount information to work with.


The Royal Doulton Swastika
___I'm sure you're already aware of Royal Doulton's popularity, particularly for their whimsical china figurines, but can you believe they produced a tasseography teacup with a swastika in the bottom of it? Before Hitler turned the symbol into a pile of ungodly puke it was recognized as symbol of good fortune, which gives us a decent indication of just how old this one is. I couldn't find much information on this teacup, I happened across it when I was on someone else's blog(linked in sources at the bottom of the entry). I don't know if it's the stigma attached to the swastika or the fact it looks drawn on in pencil that puts me off; I'm not a huge fan of this teacup and have no urge to run out and find one.

_
Cannonsburg Pottery Chinese Cup of Knowledge___This one also came off of the same blog as the Royal Doulton however I have seen it a few times already. I fancy it because it's Asian inspired and the symbols are colourful. It's the same basic idea as the Paragon and the Aynsley Cup of Fortune.
Cup of the Unknown
___This cup is freaking amazing! It's my love of Halloween and fortune telling together!!!! But I know shit about it! I found this while searching Google for Halloween teacups, the auction has ended and I'm pretty sure the seller knew next to nothing about it either. The saucer has North, East, South and West printed on it, inside are symbols synonymous with Halloween. It doesn't appear to be very old, I figure the oldest I'd go is the seventies. I wish I could find it for myself, only in dreams I suppose.


___There are way more teacups for Tasseography than I have featured here today, too many to list. For your curiosity I've included a picture of all different kinds, click here. I'd like to add that many of these teacups have probably been reproduced and since I'm not an antiques appraiser I probably couldn't spot a fake if it were presented to me. Please don't go off and blow your money on anything, always do your research first, use your own discretion.
-Sugar Skull


***Please understand that none of the photographs shown are that of my own, unless I state otherwise (or it's something I obviously own) I pretty much find them via google, auctions, blogs. If any of these photos belong to you I apologize, I'm using them purely for reference and take no credit for them.***

Sources: Royal Doulton Swastika, Cannonsburg Pottery; Octoberfarm.

Crystal balls, tarot cards, and teacups?

___Traditionally when you think about fortune telling a teacup isn't the first thing that comes to mind. I assume most of us picture a swindling haggard old gypsy woman hovering over a luminous little ball of crystal, but this is only a stereotype and it lends no credibility to the true art of divination and the various forms of fortune telling available to us. In this day and age anyone can be a fortune teller...well sort of. I’m not saying you can predict anything that’s legitimate; I’m just saying you can try...and trust me, there are plenty of things for you try. For instance you might be good at Cartomancy, the art of card reading; all you really need is to acquire a simple deck of cards and have access to the definitions (found easily online). Or you could try your hand at palmistry (no pun intended). Why not Tasseography? Never heard of it before? Well that’s what this entry is all about...

___Tasseography is the art of tea leaf reading. In order to practice this all that is required is some loose leaf tea and a teacup to put it in. The subject who wishes to have their fortune told is to drink from the cup and leave a small amount of tea within the bottom (enough so that the bottom is covered), they should then tilt the cup slightly and turn it clockwise three times. After this is completed they can set the cup down and the interpretations can begin. Someone else can read the cup or the subject alone can do so, it’s all personal preference. The reader looks carefully at the tea leaf formations and determines what each resembles. If the formations are far from the rim then these will be predictions for the distant future, if they appear close to the rim then these events should be interpreted as occurring very soon. There are many sites online as well as books available on tea leaf reading that give definitions for nearly any symbol you can imagine, however I’ve found that these definitions can vary substantially so you might try making your own. For example you could ask yourself what a dog symbolizes to you; man’s best friend? or an ill omen? Just remember that this is all for entertainment purposes and not to be taken seriously.

___Now that I’ve given a brief introduction to Tasseography I’d like to touch base with what I really wanted to talk about, my new teacup. I’m fortunate enough to have stumbled upon this lovely little work of art known as a Taltos cup. They were made sometime around the seventies to the eighties and initially were a part of a giveaway contest but were apparently mass produced shortly thereafter. They come under three different makes, I have a Jon Anton. I paid four bucks for this bad mother. They’re not that hard to come by either; after acquiring mine I decided to search for another and have found two more in my city only within two weeks. It’s unfortunate though that many individuals will gouge you on these cups. They’re all over Ebay and usually sell for like ten dollars, if at all, but I’ve seen some pretty greasy individuals claiming that they’re super rare and charging right up the ass for them (one guy was asking eighty?!). If you can find one at a reasonable price then I suggest getting it. I don’t think they will appreciate in value by much but they are quite charming and are a must have for the teacup collector.

___As you’ve probably noticed both the teacup and the saucer look unusual; they’re adorned with symbols depicting the astrological signs, planetary emblems, and just some random stuff. This cup is tea leaf reading made easy, or it would be if I had the booklet that accompanies it. With this teacup (and a few others that are similar in design) you don’t need to interpret what the clumps of tea leaves look like; you just need the definition for whichever symbol they are closest to. Inside the cup along the rim are symbols that are very common in Tasseography; I was able to find most definitions online...however I’m still uncertain as to how one would use the astrological symbols. Assuming it’s similar to using a natal chart I get the impression each planet is a house and it affects whatever symbols fall inside it, but why is there a ship dead center in the bottom?? A ship symbolizes a worthwhile journey, but it doesn’t look too appealing while it’s sunken beneath my tea... I’ve noticed when I set the teacup down the handle can point to whatever zodiac sign is on the saucer beneath it, so I’m guessing that’s how the saucer is used during a reading. Hopefully one day someone can explain to me how to use the Taltos cup as the instruction booklet intended. I don’t drink from it often for fear of breaking it; I’m still in search of another that’s affordable and in good condition so I can lock one up and use the other (I’m the kind of person who takes their action figures out of the box, so yes I brave drinking from antique and collectible teacups). If you were wondering what the teacup reads it says “Perchance this cup will show it thee. Woulds’t thy fortune like to see?” I’ve seen the reverse of this, so I’m not positive which way it should be read. The way it’s been printed on the teacup seems ass backwards, but maybe it’s just me.

___Overall I’m quite satisfied with my antique shop find. The next time someone mentions fortune telling perhaps you’ll picture my little teacup, and maybe you could entertain your friends by reading their tea leaves.
-Sugar Skull