Show Me your Most Well Loved, Weathered, Oldest Deck

[Wyrdkiss]

Greetings,

 

I love a well-used deck. One with fading, frayed corners, a bit of discoloration.

 

Here is my personal Thoth, used for years. Let's see yours.

 

 

[TheStarOfCups]

My Bunny Deck! My first ever tarot deck. The cards have such a sweet energy and they love being used to help me as much as they can. They're still in good shape but I want to get them laminated soon to keep them safe.

[Wyrdkiss]

3 hours ago, TheStarOfCups said:

My Bunny Deck! My first ever tarot deck. The cards have such a sweet energy and they love being used to help me as much as they can. They're still in good shape but I want to get them laminated soon to keep them safe.

That's cute and has some obvious use to it, but not too much. Honestly I hope you keep as is, but that is just me!

[Wyrdkiss]

and remember lamination can discolor paper

Edited August 14, 2021 by Wyrdkiss

[katrinka]

It's too bad Kali isn't here. I remember her posting readings using an old LS French Cartomancy Lenormand, with the images mostly worn away. The cards were kind of mottled white. You had to be familiar with the Dondorf pattern to be able to tell what the cards were.

I never had any that worn, but I've had a few worn ones over the years. Soft stock and splayed, almost furry-feeling edges. A couple have been lost, and the rest have been retired and packed away. But I still use this one, it's right here on my reading table.

It's the first Kipperkarten deck I got, in the early 2000's. The edges got very grubby and splayed, and the borders had something that looked like mildew spots, so I trimmed it. I never edge decks, but after trimming, I wanted to seal it so I edged it in rose gold. A little bit got on the cards, I'm not good at edging. But it effectively did the job, I haven't had any more black spots. Bonus is that it's small enough to live in the Ouija tin now.

Yes, I've marked some of the cards in faint ink on the titles. Those are Malkiel's Master Cards.

It's a testament to the quality of the ASS Altenburger stock that the images haven't rubbed away the way Kali's did. I learned on this deck, and it's been used and riffled countless times. The images are barely worn, but you can see a little white on the red wall in Trübe Gedanken. I have a brand new spare waiting in the cabinet that I've never felt the need to use. This old one is my main Kipper. When I want a change I use Ciro's. I don't use any others, or collect and amass Kipper decks. I only need this one and Ciro's, and in the beginning I only needed this one.

 

I have a few other beat ones that I still use and haven't packed away - my Grimaud Grand Jeu comes to mind - but that one was printed ca. 1970 and it was well-used when I got it. I think the OP is asking for images of decks that we put all the wear on. 🙂

Edited August 15, 2021 by katrinka

[katrinka]

7 hours ago, TheStarOfCups said:

My Bunny Deck! My first ever tarot deck. The cards have such a sweet energy and they love being used to help me as much as they can. They're still in good shape but I want to get them laminated soon to keep them safe.

I second what Wyrdkiss said. And it wouldn't be the same deck laminated. Part of a loved deck is the way it feels in hand, IMHO.
It looks fine. 🙂 I wouldn't do anything right now. If you're worried about being without it at some time in the future, you could look for a backup copy.
Or you could scan the deck and have a copy printed up at https://www.printerstudio.com/

You probably wouldn't be violating copyright as long as it's for your own personal use and you aren't selling decks or card images, passing the scans around, or making them available online. At least I've never known an artist to be upset by someone making a backup copy for themselves. It's the deck pirates that infuriate them!

 

Bonus is that you can get different sizes, like a pocket deck or a mini.

 

Edited August 15, 2021 by katrinka

[Decan]

7 hours ago, katrinka said:

It's too bad Kali isn't here. I remember her posting readings using an old LS French Cartomancy Lenormand, with the images mostly worn away. The cards were kind of mottled white. You had to be familiar with the Dondorf pattern to be able to tell what the cards were.

I asked her if she would like to post it, or if she would like to grant me special permission to post it for her. Her Lenormand deck is unique, indeed!

[Decan]

I post below a pic of Kali's Lenormand deck with her permission!

Enjoy!

 

[Raggydoll]

6 minutes ago, Decan said:

I post below a pic of Kali's Lenormand deck with her permission!

Enjoy!

 

Love it!

 

I do own an antique lenormand but it’s in great condition so not worth showing here. 
 

The deck that is my most loved/used deck is probably my vintage RWS (blushing fool edition). But it too has held up very well so I feel it’s not worn enough to be featured here 😄 I tend to not wear down decks for some reason. Or maybe I haven’t been at it for long enough. I’ll let you know when a couple more decades have past 😁

[Decan]

On my part I'm afraid that I have nothing worn enough to show in this thread; the sign that I don't practice enough! 🥴

[Raggydoll]

44 minutes ago, Decan said:

On my part I'm afraid that I have nothing worn enough to show in this thread; the sign that I don't practice enough! 🥴

Or maybe you are a gentle shuffler like myself? 

 

I have been thinking about my oldest decks. I don't have some of my very first decks still so I can't show them, but I know that the deck I used as my only reading deck for several years (while reading for clients too) did not wear down. I have been reading cards for 26 years. I don't think I have any decks that have been with me for all that time though... Back when I started I could not get hold of decks easily so I made do with decks that I didn't really like, and once I had the chance to substitute them I gladly did! I do know that one of my RWS decks did get slightly beat up after I had used it almost daily for a very long time. It was one of the "newer" editions. I think most who own a vintage RWS knows what I talk about, the vintage ones feel more papery because they aren't laminated like the new ones. But they are remarkably durable.

 

However, I am pretty sure that I could get my decks to look pretty beat up if I started shuffling them more vigorously (I overhand shuffle and I am gentle due to achy hands). I bridge shuffle regular playing cards and they tend to wear down much quicker. 

[Decan]

16 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

Or maybe you are a gentle shuffler like myself? 

Possible, indeed. But as well, I'm not a professional (and never was, it's pastime) and I also tend to change decks, so hmm...

[katrinka]

 

1 hour ago, Decan said:

I post below a pic of Kali's Lenormand deck with her permission!

Enjoy!

 

 

That's the one! Unforgettable. 😁
And not quite as worn as I remembered it, only half mottled white, lol.
Merci beaucoup, Decan!
 

1 hour ago, Decan said:

On my part I'm afraid that I have nothing worn enough to show in this thread; the sign that I don't practice enough! 🥴

 

23 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

Or maybe you are a gentle shuffler like myself?

 

I think it comes down to having too many decks. My first Tarot deck got very frayed and worn because it was all I had for some time. I mean the only deck I had was that Tarot, PERIOD.
And I managed to put some wear on the Kipper deck because it was my only Kipper for so long. But not as much as I put on that old Tarot, since by that time I was also doing Sibilla, etc.
But it's been a good while since I put serious wear on a Tarot or Lenormand, because I have a lot of those and I rotate them.

Edited August 15, 2021 by katrinka

[DanielJUK]

Here is mine, I cannot compete with the gravitas of some of the really old decks but it's personal to me 🙂

 

Mine is a RWS.....

 

 

It's really hard to photograph the card to fully reflect the aged condition of it. There are lines / creases in the cards, you can see on the Hermit and it's quite battered, they don't lie flat on the table anymore very well. They haven't curved too badly as cards, just the corners are a bit wonky 🙂

 

I first got into tarot when I was 13, I bought a "fortune telling kit" which was a box with many divination methods. The tarot part of it had an awful black and white Tarot de Marseille with a teeny book. It was one of the worst decks you could give to a beginner ever, really hard to use. The kit box had drawn me in but I wanted a deck I could use and learn with and so I went to my local WH Smith's (a chain of stationary / book and sort of everything stores here) and in the basement there was an occult section. I picked up this RWS deck. When I went to pay, the cashier was like, I am sorry you are too young, company policy! So my Parents had to come and buy my deck (and didn't have any issues getting it for me). I don't think WH Smith's have such a section these days.

 

Somehow along the way the box became too battered and it lives in a silk cloth (which is very rare for my decks) but it really reflects my tarot journey and always been with me. Next year I will have owned it for 30 years and I haven't always used it or been studying tarot but it's special to me! I still use it for myself and others, perhaps I need another RWS for more regular use 😆

 

This deck has always been with me on my tarot journey, so it's weathered and battered but it's special to me. I think I would be more upset if this deck was ever lost or stolen more than any other!

[Raggydoll]

2 minutes ago, DanielJUK said:

Here is mine, I cannot compete with the gravitas of some of the really old decks but it's personal to me 🙂

 

Mine is a RWS.....

 

 

It's really hard to photograph the card to fully reflect the aged condition of it. There are lines / creases in the cards, you can see on the Hermit and it's quite battered, they don't lie flat on the table anymore very well. They haven't curved too badly as cards, just the corners are a bit wonky 🙂

 

I first got into tarot when I was 13, I bought a "fortune telling kit" which was a box with many divination methods. The tarot part of it had an awful black and white Tarot de Marseille with a teeny book. It was one of the worst decks you could give to a beginner ever, really hard to use. The kit box had drawn me in but I wanted a deck I could use and learn with and so I went to my local WH Smith's (a chain of stationary / book and sort of everything stores here) and in the basement there was an occult section. I picked up this RWS deck. When I went to pay, the cashier was like, I am sorry you are too young, company policy! So my Parents had to come and buy my deck (and didn't have any issues getting it for me). I don't with WH Smith's have such a section these days.

 

Somehow along the way the box became too battered and it lives in a silk cloth (which is very rare for my decks) but it really reflects my tarot journey and always been with me. Next year I will have owned it for 30 years and I haven't always used it or been studying tarot but it's special to me! I still use it for myself and others, perhaps I need another RWS for more regular use 😆

 

This deck has always been with me on my tarot journey, so it's weathered and battered but it's special to me. I think I would be more upset if this deck was ever lost or stolen more than any other!

I love the creased Hermit card ❤️ Beautifully worn deck! 

[Wyrdkiss]

@DanielJUK that RWS is lovely, perfectly aged.  I'm pleased a few people responded here. I thought perhaps I was the only one who appreciates the look and history.

[Sadewa]

3 hours ago, Wyrdkiss said:

I'm pleased a few people responded here. I thought perhaps I was the only one who appreciates the look and history.

You are most certainly not the only one.

 

I don't really have an aged deck, but that doesn't stop me checking this post daily to see beautiful worn decks owned by others.🤫

[Wyrdkiss]

15 hours ago, Decan said:

I post below a pic of Kali's Lenormand deck with her permission!

Enjoy!

 

Imagining these on a old, wooden table makes me fantasize about far away places and time long past.

[Flaxen]

My oldest regular reading deck is the Ancestral Path. I can’t remember exactly when I bought - late 90s sometime. 
 

The box and edges of the cards are a bit grubby but the images themselves are still unworn. What I love about it is that it still smells of the Nag Champa incense I used to store it with. I haven’t kept it with that for over 15 years and yet the deck still has that faint scent. It takes me right back to that time. 
 

 

[AJ-ish/Sharyn]

1928 Tarocco Piemontese that was a gift from Debra on the old AT forum.  10/2016  Grizabella and met her for lunch in Olympia Washington, such a fun gathering. It comes up in the rotation about once a year and I always have to glue a couple of cards back together. They are paper and fronts and backs are two parts, glued together.  It may be a combo of 2 decks, I don't know, but I love it and treasure it. And I doubt photos will show our aged decks very well 🙂 One of those things 'you have to be there'. 

 

I can picture modern decks grubbified, but not worn, they are made so beautifully. That said, Grizabella used one of the early Magic Realist decks steadily for some months and it actually went soft and bendy! 

Edited August 16, 2021 by AJ-ish/Sharyn

[Dixiechick80]

On 8/14/2021 at 1:27 PM, TheStarOfCups said:

My Bunny Deck! My first ever tarot deck. The cards have such a sweet energy and they love being used to help me as much as they can. They're still in good shape but I want to get them laminated soon to keep them safe.

 

Omg! That is absolutely the cutest deck I've ever seen! Did you interview this one? What is it's disposition?

[Wyrdkiss]

On 8/15/2021 at 4:32 PM, Sadewa said:

You are most certainly not the only one.

 

I don't really have an aged deck, but that doesn't stop me checking this post daily to see beautiful worn decks owned by others.🤫

 

Glad you are enjoying them @Sadewa.   I hope to see more posted here.

[TheStarOfCups]

3 hours ago, Dixiechick80 said:

 

Omg! That is absolutely the cutest deck I've ever seen! Did you interview this one? What is it's disposition?

I did! They're very sweet cards. The deck seems young and doesn't really like to talk about very sad topics. However, they're always looking out for me and always trying to protect me. If they think someone is bad for me they let me know immediately! I feel super connected to this deck and I think they also feel very connected to me!

[Wyrdkiss]

A few more from my personal Thoth.

[Aliki]

My precious very first deck i connected to it before i even get it it's my most trusted one so far and my favourite no matter the decks and oracles I'll collect and have so far 🥰 even though i have other favourites too that's my most favourite