What is Your Personal Top Ten Tarot?

[Scandinavianhermit]

1 hour ago, Natural Mystic Guide said:

 

I find it interesting that your criterium of frequency of use differs from 'beauty alone' and on 'how much I love a deck.  Aesthetics trumps all for me, although when I look at my list of top ten, see above, there are several that I do not love aesthetically.  Generally though, the beauty of a deck is the first criterium by which I choose to consider evaluating using a deck and adding it to my collection.  Sometimes, if it's not too much trouble I and maybe others would love to see your top ten for your other 2 categories, namely 'beauty alone' and 'how much I love a deck'.

Oh, if frequency were to be the only criterion, my list would look differently. I included some decks on my list, Knapp-Hall, Lasenic, Noblet, Vergnano, the Aluette, Marteau 1930 and Soprafino on the criterion how close I think they come to an ideal deck.

 

If use is the only criterion, my list would look like this. DFWT is still No. 1, until some creative genius invent something even more amazing.

 

FOR DIVINATION

1. Dame Fortune's Wheel Tarot (Paul Huson, Lo Scarabeo)
2. CBD Tarot de Marseille (Yoav Ber Dov, US Games Systems Inc.)
3. Öberg's 52 card deck, Standard Swedish Pattern  (now Esselte)
4. 52 card deck, Standard Swedish Pattern (Ferd Piatnik & Sons, Vienna). The link above mentions both Öberg, Piatnik and others' take on the Standard Swedish Pattern.
5. Grand Tableau Lenormand Oracle Cards (Lo Scarabeo's reprint of an out of date Piatnik one. Piatnik has gone through at least three Lenormand designs through the ages, perhaps more.)
6. Traditionelle Wahragekarten (Ferd Piatnik & Sons, Vienna)

FOR MEDITATION

1. Oswald Wirth Tarot (1889, 22 trumps only, small scale reproduction)
2. Rose Tarot (Nigel Jackson, Llewellyn)
3. The First Occult Tarot (Robert M. Place, Hermes Publications)
4. Oswald Wirth Tarot (1926, 22 trumps only, small scale reproduction)

It is very difficult to find a real Oswald Wirth deck (i.e. by the artist himself and only 22 trumps). Full deck paraphrases by other artists abound. Michel Simeon's re-drawing from Tchou (1966) and US Games does not impress me, and I suspect that it has damaged the reputation of Wirth decks in the English-speaking world. Fans of GD and Thelema oughtn't bother with Wirth. I prefer to have my Aleph on the Bateleur, they don't.

[Ferrea]

4 hours ago, Natural Mystic Guide said:

 

I find it interesting that your criterium of frequency of use differs from 'beauty alone' and on 'how much I love a deck.  Aesthetics trumps all for me, although when I look at my list of top ten, see above, there are several that I do not love aesthetically.  Generally though, the beauty of a deck is the first criterium by which I choose to consider evaluating using a deck and adding it to my collection.  Sometimes, if it's not too much trouble I and maybe others would love to see your top ten for your other 2 categories, namely 'beauty alone' and 'how much I love a deck'.

 

Thank you for your comment, @Natural Mystic Guide!
I too get interested in cards when I find them aesthetically appealing (beauty) but also when I find the concept and its execution compelling (for example, Madhouse Tarot). Sometimes I find myself with a beautiful deck, only to realise that I do not particularly like reading with it (Aquarian Tarot, Golden Botticelli). And then there are decks that I love because the artist brings so much more to the table than just a great idea and amazing skill, namely their wit and personality (Luigi Scapini Tarot). However, it wouldn't make it onto the list of my most beautiful decks.
 

I'm happy to post my alternative lists in the coming days. Or, I'll do a Venn diagram using these three criteria.

[Mi-Shell]

Spoiler

 

9 hours ago, Natural Mystic Guide said:

 

I find it interesting that your criterium of frequency of use differs from 'beauty alone' and on 'how much I love a deck.  Aesthetics trumps all for me, although when I look at my list of top ten, see above, there are several that I do not love aesthetically.  Generally though, the beauty of a deck is the first criterium by which I choose to consider evaluating using a deck and adding it to my collection.  Sometimes, if it's not too much trouble I and maybe others would love to see your top ten for your other 2 categories, namely 'beauty alone' and 'how much I love a deck'.

For me in this top 10 list there are 2 "categories" of decks:

Decks that I love and use for personal readings  - often

Decks that I "have" to use very often for face to face readings for others.

Currently only the Greenwood Tarot, of which I have several copies belongs in both of these categories. 

The South West Sacred Tribes Tarot for example is in the list, because most of my Native American sitters want this deck - or "the Manitous" = the Medicine Cards Oracle....

Clients with Celtic / European pagan heritage usually choose the DruidCraft - and well, guys often love and choose the Tarot of the Origins.

The Songs for the Journey Home ( and again a mini copy of the Greenwood) is on there, because I have the smaller copy with me, when we are travelling with the motor home and I give free readings on the campgrounds in the evening, so it gets a lot of use.

The Soprafino - that is a heritage thing, because my maternal Gran had an original one and read with it ~~sometime around the turn of the century before last until WWII and my mom also knew this deck.

Ironwing combines my daily work as a silver smith and my shamanic family heritage. I use for private reading only.

Alchemist's Garden is a deck with only psychoactive plants, some of which I know well, others are the bane of some of my clients and others I am learning about... It is a study deck.

Anieth Nature and the Guardians are Animal only images and the Guardians have safely guided me through

Spoiler

a wild and nasty upheaval of slander, embezzlement - discovery and accusations of devil worship in the local Anglican church.... 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2024 by Mi-Shell

[Misterei]

On 8/9/2024 at 2:25 AM, Natural Mystic Guide said:

... I find it interesting that your criterium of frequency of use differs from 'beauty alone' and on 'how much I love a deck.  Aesthetics trumps all for me,...

This is an interesting point.

I think Symbolism is my top judging criteria. That would be a whole different question: what are your top 5 critera for judging a deck?

For me i would say:

1. Symbolism
2. color palette
3. artistic skill [aesthetics / beauty]
4. ease of use / practicality [tin, smaller size, shows-up on camera, etc]
5. overall vibe

But now back to the regular topic 😉

[Rose Lalonde]

Tabula Mundi
Tabula Mundi Mini  🙂
Thoth
Pierre Madenié 
Spirit Keeper's 1st Ed.
Roots of Asia

Tyldwick
Asherah

Tarocco Favoloso
Tarot of the Crone

[Natural Mystic Guide]

2 hours ago, Misterei said:

what are your top 5 critera for judging a deck?

That's a good question.  Why not start a thread on it, @Misterei

[Natural Mystic Guide]

10 minutes ago, Rose Lalonde said:

Asherah

I like the Asherah deck, too...   I've heard that it's a 'Thoth' deck and I see that you are familiar with the Thoth deck, too.  Would you care to share if you agree that the Asherah is a Thoth deck and if so, why?  Maybe this is ranging too far afield for our topic here, though..  I am in awe of the Spirit Keeper's Tarot.  It's just not 'beautiful' enough for me.  BTW the last deck of the SKT third edition has just sold.  No next printing in sight.

[Rose Lalonde]

19 hours ago, Natural Mystic Guide said:

Would you care to share if you agree that the Asherah is a Thoth deck and if so, why?  

Sure. Asherah is a hybrid that leans Thoth. It has Thoth's courts, Magus, Lust, Art & Universe. It has RWS' Justice (at 11) & Judgement. The minors look more like the Thoth's art, not RWS-style scenes, with some inspired by Harris' art, while others have entirely original designs by Wheatley.

Edited August 12, 2024 by Rose Lalonde

[Hedera]

Ooof, this is difficult!

I would probably start with a smaller core of decks, that would (probably) not change too much.

 

In no particular order:

 

- Thoth (either a recent large MM edition, trimmed to just the image; or the German edition from a few years ago, with the softer colours and round circles, untrimmed)

- Way of the Panda (Baby edition)

- Northern Animals (first edition, trimmed to make it slightly smaller, using one of the extra cards as Judgement)

- World Spirit (first edition, trimmed to just the image)

- Fountain 

 

So, that is five.

 

For the other five I would probably pick from the following, depending on season, use case, whim etc...

 

- Halloween (regular size). Love love love this deck! But I only use it from late August until early November.

- Anna K, indie edition.

- Bonefire, first edition, trimmed. This deck helped me through the death of my father, so it is very important to me - but using it feels almost a bit too meaningful, sometimes.

- Cosmic Tribe. In winter, sometimes this is the only thing that can lift the gloom. At other times it can be a bit too bright and loud and colourful.

- Spiral, trimmed to just the images. For some reason, I often have trouble reading with this; but I've had it for so long and know the images so well that it feels like an old friend.

- Some kind of RWS; probably the French Albano-Waite with added gold (by me, to cover the bright yellow sky in some cards) or a Dutch edition with lovely soft colours and a pink ankh on the back.

- Tarot of Prague, first edition.

- Textured 

- Shadowland (for when I want Halloween-ish vibes during the rest of the year). It has horrible gold edging though, which I'm in the middle of trimming off.

- Morgan Greer, tin edition (good for reading in dark surroundings, or on days when my eyes are giving me extra trouble).

- Robin Wood, trimmed (same, another very visually clear deck)

- Eight Coins Tattoo (trimmed). This one also is great in bad eyesight situations

 

This last list is just a wild mix of personal / sentimental, practical and seasonal decks!

So, I would pick 5 different ones from it depending on when, where and for whom I would be reading.

 

 

 

 

[Hedera]

Hm, for some reason I can't edit my previous post?

The Northern Animal does not have an 's' on the end, and I also wanted to add the Jolanda (Swedish Witch) deck to my long runners-up list.

 

A new English language edition has come out recently, which I'm planning to get once I have some financial wiggle room again; I look forward to finally reading her book in English!

[Natural Mystic Guide]

16 hours ago, Rose Lalonde said:

Asherah is a hybrid that leans Thoth.

This is very helpful.  Thank you for taking the time to share.  One of my favorite cards is the Queen of Swords -- the Biblical heroine who defeated the evil tyrant Holofernes through the strategic application of feminine power.

 

I also like that Wheatley uses the I Ching on some cards.

Edited August 11, 2024 by Natural Mystic Guide