The Crystal Tarot(s) - Elisabetta Trevisan - Lo Scarabeo

[SlightlyMagic]

Really enjoying this deck I recently bought on eBay and whilst searching for a backup I noticed the version I have (see image) differs from those available new or secondhand online. Was wondering whether anyone has any more info on or has come across this particular version?

 

The only date on the packaging or booklet is the 2000 Copyright on the bottom of the box and is rather oddly called The Crystal Tarots where as the other versions I've seen drop the 's' from Tarots. The ISBN-10 matches that of the version available to be bought new, however the layout differs slightly on mine with the Italian text at the bottom of the cards and the English, Spanish, French & German at the top of each card.  There appears to be an older version, again with the different layout to mine.   The booklet and descriptive text on the rear of the box is in English, Barcode 9788883950162, ISBN-10 888395016-X.

 

I've had a trawl across the internet and a few tarot databases/lists, tried a few reverse image searches but cannot find any mention of this version of the deck online, any info for this curious mind would be most appreciated. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Therese]

Hi @SlightlyMagic !

 

You could write to Lo Scarabeo, I think. 

[gregory]

There are indeed two versions. I am on the road at the moment, but I can give you full details in a couple of days, when I can get into my database.

[SlightlyMagic]

2 hours ago, Therese said:

Hi @SlightlyMagic !

 

You could write to Lo Scarabeo, I think. 

Had crossed my mind but having recently contacted them about a forthcoming deck and them not having any info about it I didn't fancy my chances so they'll be a last resort.

[DanielJUK]

Worth waiting to see what info gregory has, because she really is our resident deck expect 🙂

But they have a very friendly customer service at Lo Scarabeo and so you could always email them and ask.

edited: amazed you had a bad outcome about that deck, I have always had great replies from them. Maybe they cannot talk about that deck before release? 😞

[SlightlyMagic]

52 minutes ago, gregory said:

There are indeed two versions. I am on the road at the moment, but I can give you full details in a couple of days, when I can get into my database.

Thanks, look forward to receiving any info you may have

[gregory]

5 minutes ago, SlightlyMagic said:

Had crossed my mind but having recently contacted them about a forthcoming deck and them not having any info about it I didn't fancy my chances so they'll be a last resort.

I  too am amazed; it is always possible your email went to spam; it can happen to companies as well as us mere mortals. IIRC the older one has slightly larger cards and he newer one standard LoS size, but - hold your fire for now ! Also there was an even earlier majors only one.

[SlightlyMagic]

2 minutes ago, DanielJUK said:

Worth waiting to see what info gregory has, because she really is our resident deck expect 🙂

But they have a very friendly customer service at Lo Scarabeo and so you could always email them and ask.

Yeah they were great about providing me with a few replacement cards however I asked them if they had any more info on a deck I saw was coming out in October and all they told me was it's coming out in October 😆 Figured they may struggle with what appears to be a 20 year old deck.

[SlightlyMagic]

Yah, the majors deck came in similar looking packaging and was called the glass tarots. 

[gregory]

The Vetro, in fact ! STAINED glass, not just glass.

 

ANYWAY: I would need to be with the actual cards if you need more info but here you go:

 

The first edition, called Tarocchi di Vetro, was majors only, with large cards in a slipcase package, and came out in 1990.

 

 

The first 78 card one (Crystal Tarots, with an s) came out in 1995. I am pretty sure the cards are a little larger than LoS usual size, but I cannot find any proof of this and the deck is not with me. Titles are in 4 languages according to my database; I may have slipped up there. I see Adam McLean shows a 2000 date; mine says 1995, and I bought it in 1997, so that’s odd…

 

 

 

Oddly enough, the one you show seems to come in between the first 78 card one and the one now being sold: it's listed on David Westnedge's site.

 

 

 

The newest one (different box; otherwise the same) came out in 2004, according to my database. It has two extra cards – I THINK a title card and an advertising card. Cards are the standard LoS size. 120 x 66 mm.

 

 

 

 What was the October deck you asked about ?

[SlightlyMagic]

So grateful for your help @gregory. Aye that's the one, for some reason the English version I've seen left out the 'Stained', which is an odd move. 

 

My cards are 5.8cm x 11.2cm if this helps in any way?  So they were originally released in 1995 then a reprint in 2000 (that I possess). I guess they had their reasons but the 'black box' version probably wasn't long after this 2000 reprint and wouldn't have been around for long if the latest version appeared in 2004.

 

The October deck I asked them about was the Conver Marseille Vintage Tarot, going off bookdepository.com where I originally saw it, not due til March now, although the picture has been updated showing a few of the cards so I do have a little more to go by now.

[gregory]

In that case it sounds like they had an issue with it and don't want to discuss it.. I have a sort of direct line into them; I'll ask, but not right now - time to do the laundry.

 

Odd about the size; that's SMALLER than most. Now I want to get home and look at mine IRL !

[gregory]

 

ETA there are two Convers coming up - one in October (page 12) and one not till February 2023 - I don't think the catalogue has changed any dates - I've had mine a while, and it looks the same. Have you perhaps confused the two ?

[SlightlyMagic]

This is the deck I was referring to, missed the October one when I rechecked earlier, Im guessing these are releases in different territories. Do seem to remember another vintage Marseille in darker packaging. Not really all that interested in them though, Ive added a few TdMs to the collection this week and feel I've enough for now. In the event I get another or something similar I'll probably dip into il meneghello's catalogue.

[gregory]

LoS decks are distributed in the US by Llewellyn, but the packaging doesn't change, except that Llewellyn tend to add their logo.

 

Here it is from their actual catalogue.

 

Their things are released later in the USA - transport and stuff. They appear to be showing the European release copy and the US one. with the dates for each attached - which is silly,. but down to Bookdepository rather than LoS. Bookdepository can be quite mad at times; I recall when they put up a re-released version of a Magic Realist deck that was not re-released and was not going to be. Magic Realist were hopping mad as people kept emailing them to ask about it - it took WEEKS to get it taken down. Was there anything else you wanted to know other than the date? If you want dates - use the real LoS catalogue - and if you are in the US and-can't wait - order direct from LoS ! Never rely on external sites to get this stuff right, They so often don't.

[SlightlyMagic]

Ta for the confirmation. I've seen so many decks lately I got a bit confused, the darker packaging one I saw was their RWS  'Tarot Vintage'.

 

The date was the one bit of info I had, I was fishing for pics and anything else they may be able to offer regarding the size, finish etc. I couldn't find them on their website, strange they didn't point me to the catalogue as this would have helped tremendously. Thanks again! 

Edited August 16, 2022 by SlightlyMagic

[gregory]

The whole catalogue is easy to find on their website. They probably thought you'd tried that already,.

 

 

Here it is - I always download it the minute it comes out.

https://www.loscarabeo.com/en/pages/catalogo

 

The finish is fairly standard with their decks, unless stated otherwise; as to the size - I see for the October one it is stated quite clearly there: 78 cards, 65 x 118 mm. The February one is 66 x 120 mm. - what one might call their standard size. So the October one is FRACTIONALLY under.

I wouldn't have thought with a TDM you needed more than a couple of images, as you only need to see the style of the cards you already know !

Anyway - take a look at their catalogue. And they have a public FB page - but I don't do FB, so I can't say much about that !

Edited August 17, 2022 by gregory

[SlightlyMagic]

Perhaps I'm not being very clear, at the time I contacted them I only had the release date to go by.  The updated thumbnail on book depository and the cat page you provided here have given me enough info 👍