Metallic Decks

[EmpyreanKnight]

To readers who have metallic decks, i.e. those with metal-foiled images on the cards themselves and not just the edges: which ones do you like to work with? Which are your favorite/s, and which ones are you bent on eventually adding to your collection? Do you have any tips as to their upkeep?

 

Don't be afraid to show your inner magpie. Yeah so what, I like them bright, shiny things. ;) And as they say: ain't no such thing as too much bling. 8)

[EmpyreanKnight]

I only have four and all of them are from Lo Scarabeo. These are the Golden Tarot of Klimt, the Golden Universal, the Visconti Tarots, and the Golden Lenormand Oracle. They're slabs of pure awesomeness, and people tend to like them for the most part, especially the Golden Universal. They can get a bit too striking when exposed to sunlight, but otherwise they're simply eye-catching. You should try reading them in a dark room with nothing but candlelight - the effect is pure magic.

 

Of my collection, I like the Klimt the best and not just because of the dreamy, sensual, and breath-taking art. It could have turned oh so wrong and what could have been a promising project could have produced garish kitsch instead. But Mr. Atanassov applied the gold tastefully, and the resulting effect is that of a melancholic, bewitching opulence that has often made me sigh in admiration. Also, all that gold foil is so apt - I mean, Klimt often employed actual gold leaf in his oeuvres, so yeah. And for its price, it just can't be beat.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love all of the gold-foiled decks I own. One day, I shall have each and every single one of the decks in LoS's metallic line for myself. It's just how it is. :)

[Albadawn]

I really want to get my hands on the Golden Thread tarot at some point. I love the app, and stylised imagery has always appealed to me! I'm also super into geometric shapes and patterns at the moment and I think it reflects that as well (pun intended). ;)

[Carojulie]

Hello,

 

I have two Baba Studio decks that have metallic foil : the Tarot of Prague (3d edition)  and Alice tarot. Both are just breathtaking, the application of the foil is so well done and well dosed. It gives the decks an allure of luxury. A lot of foil on some cards, and just a few details in others : it's elegant and not in your face. Think opulent rather than bling.  Soft shine rather than bright glare.

And the cardstock is great, buttery, flexible, easy to shuffle and apparently resistent.

I had those decks for more than two years now and they dont age so far, the metallic foil is surprisingly résistant, eventhough I use the decks quite often. I am VERY careful with all my decks though, so even my older decks tend to stay in pristine condition ; but this metallic foil seems to fare well through time and use, so far.

 

From the same artists, I also have the Victorian Romantic Gold and the Bohemian Gothic Silver. They are different. (I think there is no foil in these, just the use of gold ink or silver ink. I believe that it is in Cartomancy forum, that I read a post where Karen from Baba Studio  explains the difference)

In these two decks, the cards are not as bright or shiny as in the Alice and Prague decks. But the Gold and Silver decks are true objects of beauty, the gold or silver ink shines just enough to make the cards very special.... a different sort of luxurious, more secretive. Think soft glow rather than shine, silk velvet rather than lamé. Gorgeous !

I have not had these long enough to speak of their durability, but I think other readers could maybe testify here ?

 

I wish one day to have one of Lo Scarabeo metallic decks, they look great, but I really dislike Lo Scarabeo multi lingual borders.... so the Tzar and the Klimt decks are out for me. I think the Visconti also has a vertical border on the left of the images, that is not going to work with me. I believe the Golden Universal has no such borders, so I might go that way when time comes. 

 

[katrinka]

Echoing on the Alice and the 3rd edition Tarot of Prague. Those are the absolute apex of metallic decks!

 

At the other end of the spectrum, I have a horrible oversized set of LS 1926 Wirth majors. The backgrounds are chunky color changing holographic glitter. It looks like something from the back-to-school aisle at the dollar store.

 

Since then, I've acquired a lovely non-metallic brace of Wirth majors: http://thecartomancer.bigcartel.com/product/oswald-wirth-tarot-majors But at the time I bought the Trapper-Keeper Wirth, it was the only one in print.

 

All of this has served to reinforce my profound trust in Baba, and my LS aversion!

[EmpyreanKnight]

From what I see in video reviews, the Golden Tarot of Wirth Grand Trumps has a decidedly different treatment compared to Lo Scarabeo's other metallic decks. It has glittery backgrounds, very much unlike the foil stamped images in the foiled decks that I have. But sigh I guess I have no choice but to buy the Golden Wirth to actually compare it to them. :P

[EmpyreanKnight]

Hello,

 

I have two Baba Studio decks that have metallic foil : the Tarot of Prague (3d edition)  and Alice tarot. Both are just breathtaking, the application of the foil is so well done and well dosed. It gives the decks an allure of luxury. A lot of foil on some cards, and just a few details in others : it's elegant and not in your face. Think opulent rather than bling.  Soft shine rather than bright glare.

And the cardstock is great, buttery, flexible, easy to shuffle and apparently resistent.

I had those decks for more than two years now and they dont age so far, the metallic foil is surprisingly résistant, eventhough I use the decks quite often. I am VERY careful with all my decks though, so even my older decks tend to stay in pristine condition ; but this metallic foil seems to fare well through time and use, so far.

 

From the same artists, I also have the Victorian Romantic Gold and the Bohemian Gothic Silver. They are different. (I think there is no foil in these, just the use of gold ink or silver ink. I believe that it is in Cartomancy forum, that I read a post where Karen from Baba Studio  explains the difference)

In these two decks, the cards are not as bright or shiny as in the Alice and Prague decks. But the Gold and Silver decks are true objects of beauty, the gold or silver ink shines just enough to make the cards very special.... a different sort of luxurious, more secretive. Think soft glow rather than shine, silk velvet rather than lamé. Gorgeous !

I have not had these long enough to speak of their durability, but I think other readers could maybe testify here ?

 

Thanks for informing us about the Victorian Romantic Gold and the Bohemian Gothic Silver, Carojulie. I believe they are OOP now, so they cost an arm and a leg. Metal inks are great since I loved it in the Renaissance Tarot, but for hundreds of dollars, I would prefer some foil instead.

 

But oh, thank you so much for making us aware of the metallic Tarot of Prague! I thought that by now its price would have spun out of control like a misfired rocket, but when I checked it out, it's actually still reasonable. I'm beginning to really like it, so this goes straight to my list.

 

I wish one day to have one of Lo Scarabeo metallic decks, they look great, but I really dislike Lo Scarabeo multi lingual borders.... so the Tzar and the Klimt decks are out for me. I think the Visconti also has a vertical border on the left of the images, that is not going to work with me. I believe the Golden Universal has no such borders, so I might go that way when time comes.

 

Yup, the Golden Universal doesn't have multilingual or vertical borders. The Golden Tarot of Marseille won't have that too, but it's only due to be out this June-July. Also: the metal foil in LoS decks is very resilient. In my personal experience and also as recounted by a lot of their users, even with frequent use they do not flake at all.

 

I have expressed my distaste of Lo Scarabeo's multilingual borders in some of my previous comments, and I was very glad when it finally got scrapped. I had some misgivings even as I was waiting for the Klimt to arrive, but when I finally had it in my hands - they were quickly swept aside like so much dross. It's like I was so mesmerized by the beauty of something so prepossessing, so preternaturally exquisite, that its faults seem like niggling cavils to me. I was so glad I gave it a chance. You might, too. :)

[EmpyreanKnight]

Btw, you can check out all of Lo Scarabeo's metallic decks here:

 

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/metallic-decks.shtml

 

The Renaissance Estensi and the silver-foiled Mantegna are so going to be my next target.

[katrinka]

I used to have the Mantegna, very nice foiling but I never read with it and ended up gifting it.

The LS Wirth would be OK if it was like that. But it isn't.

It isn't ANYTHING like that. It looks like it should have Spongebob characters on it, not those lovely Wirth images. Absolutely juvenile and cheap looking.

Do yourself a favor and don't bother. You can get nonmetallic but nonetheless very nice Wirths at the link I posted earlier.

Seriously. It's a dumpster fire.

[EmpyreanKnight]

Lol alright, I shall be steering clear of it. ;D

[Mitsuraki]

I have...two metallic decks, I think?

 

Tarot Nefertari is FOR SURE metallic because I've been blinded by it before hahaha.  But I do love that deck.

 

I have another deck that I think is metallic, but I can't remember off the top of my head and it isn't easily accessible right now.  Tarot of St. Petersburg?  I think that's the other one I have that's metallic.  I'll have to check, though, because I may be thinking of a different deck entirely...

[katrinka]

I have a Russian Tarot of St. Petersburgh and it's not metallic, if that's any help.

Though a metallic version would be wonderful with those black backgrounds, now that you mention it.

[EmpyreanKnight]

Mitsuraki, maybe you're referring to the Golden Tarot of the Tsar.

[Carojulie]

I used to have the Mantegna, very nice foiling but I never read with it and ended up gifting it.

The LS Wirth would be OK if it was like that. But it isn't.

It isn't ANYTHING like that. It looks like it should have Spongebob characters on it, not those lovely Wirth images. Absolutely juvenile and cheap looking.

Do yourself a favor and don't bother. You can get nonmetallic but nonetheless very nice Wirths at the link I posted earlier.

Seriously. It's a dumpster fire.

Thank you for the warning Katrinka !  ;D

I saw this deck on the AE list given by Knight, and on the net the images on the deck looked quite good. I might have been tempted to get it, f not for your warning ! I dont want such an esoteric deck with holographic glitter, I dont think it will be a good match !

[Carojulie]

Thanks for informing us about the Victorian Romantic Gold and the Bohemian Gothic Silver, Carojulie. I believe they are OOP now, so they cost an arm and a leg. Metal inks are great since I loved it in the Renaissance Tarot, but for hundreds of dollars, I would prefer some foil instead.

 

But oh, thank you so much for making us aware of the metallic Tarot of Prague! I thought that by now its price would have spun out of control like a misfired rocket, but when I checked it out, it's actually still reasonable. I'm beginning to really like it, so this goes straight to my list.

 

Yes, Baba decks can reach incredible prices once they get OOP and land on the secondary market. I twice found Baba decks on ebay though, at very reasonable prices - probably sellers that did not know what they were selling. In each occurence, the name of the artists was not in the listing (not listed under Baba Studio or Magic Realist Press). One of them was simply listed under the title "Rare tarot deck", I would have missed it entirely if I had not had time that day to iddly browse ebay ! So miracles happen :)

 

Anyway. If you like metallic decks, I strongly encourage you to get the Tarot of Prague before it goes OOP. I saw what happened to the Alice tarot : the minute it went OOP, the price doubled. I am glad I could get it when it was still in print ! I have learned that it is better not to think to long about Baba decks : if you can afford it, just get it while you can, otherwise the price just rises and rises like a dough with too much yeast.

So if you like metallic deck, and if you can afford it, you WILL love the current edition of the Tarot of Prague.

And there is now the Victorian Romantic in metallic overlay, which promises to be phenomenal. We are still on the pre-order period for this one, so it is a little less costly than the Prague one.

 

Yup, the Golden Universal doesn't have multilingual or vertical borders. The Golden Tarot of Marseille won't have that too, but it's only due to be out this June-July. Also: the metal foil in LoS decks is very resilient. In my personal experience and also as recounted by a lot of their users, even with frequent use they do not flake at all.

 

I have expressed my distaste of Lo Scarabeo's multilingual borders in some of my previous comments, and I was very glad when it finally got scrapped. I had some misgivings even as I was waiting for the Klimt to arrive, but when I finally had it in my hands - they were quickly swept aside like so much dross. It's like I was so mesmerized by the beauty of something so prepossessing, so preternaturally exquisite, that its faults seem like niggling cavils to me. I was so glad I gave it a chance. You might, too. :)

 

Are these decks gold gilded ? otherwise, I am thinking that maybe, a good trimming might be the solution to get rid of those villain borders ?

I like them even less when they are vertical along the side. I really cannot bear them. But it's true that the Viconti is such a beauty... and who need titles for this deck, I can work with it without the titles I am sure.

As for the tarot of Klimt... I am not sure. I love Klimt, I have admired his work since I was a child. I agree that this deck is stunningly beautiful, but there is something else....  I have the mini version, and I dont read with it ; it is not just about the borders. It is also the choice of art ; all the character seem to be sick or starved....I find it a little depressing.

[EmpyreanKnight]

Yes, Baba decks can reach incredible prices once they get OOP and land on the secondary market. I twice found Baba decks on ebay though, at very reasonable prices - probably sellers that did not know what they were selling. In each occurence, the name of the artists was not in the listing (not listed under Baba Studio or Magic Realist Press). One of them was simply listed under the title "Rare tarot deck", I would have missed it entirely if I had not had time that day to iddly browse ebay ! So miracles happen :)

 

Anyway. If you like metallic decks, I strongly encourage you to get the Tarot of Prague before it goes OOP. I saw what happened to the Alice tarot : the minute it went OOP, the price doubled. I am glad I could get it when it was still in print ! I have learned that it is better not to think to long about Baba decks : if you can afford it, just get it while you can, otherwise the price just rises and rises like a dough with too much yeast.

So if you like metallic deck, and if you can afford it, you WILL love the current edition of the Tarot of Prague.

And there is now the Victorian Romantic in metallic overlay, which promises to be phenomenal. We are still on the pre-order period for this one, so it is a little less costly than the Prague one.

 

Carojulie, you just provided the folks here with valuable advice worth hundreds of dollars. Seriously - thank you for being generous enough to share this. Even with just this I would have been so glad that I started this thread. It's so fitting that someone provided such golden advice in a metallic decks thread. :P

 

And yup, I am so keeping an eye out on Baba releases from now on.

 

Are these decks gold gilded ? otherwise, I am thinking that maybe, a good trimming might be the solution to get rid of those villain borders ?

I like them even less when they are vertical along the side. I really cannot bear them. But it's true that the Viconti is such a beauty... and who need titles for this deck, I can work with it without the titles I am sure.

 

They're not gilt-edged at all, so I think it's alright to trim the borders away. It might affect the reversability of the backs tho.

[EmpyreanKnight]

As for the tarot of Klimt... I am not sure. I love Klimt, I have admired his work since I was a child. I agree that this deck is stunningly beautiful, but there is something else....  I have the mini version, and I dont read with it ; it is not just about the borders. It is also the choice of art ; all the character seem to be sick or starved....I find it a little depressing.

 

That's actually what I so loved about it. Grand riches with the ashen thread of melancholy and decay running through them, a powerful and affluent gilded class slowly being crushed by the weight of its own dissipation and weltschmerz, scenes of unbearably langorous sensuality set against the most abject decline and depravity. I cannot think of a deck that so perfectly encapsulates such fin de siécle decadence, that deftly reveals how puissance and frailty can coexist in such lofty/accursed vessels. Glory and ruin, abundance and penury, innocence and debauchery - the full extremes of the human experience are depicted amidst the cold, steely glints of all that gold. Just looking at the cards inspires sensations in me that are almost akin to love. They leave me breathless.

 

I know that this is a matter of taste tho, and what greatly moves one might leave another person untouched. I think that maybe the Klimt just happens to beautifully match my world view. Anyway, my apologies if I waxed purple over the Klimt, I'm just so in love with it. Lastly: not all of the characters look infirm, tho most do seem a bit wan. The Moon card provides a magnificent refutation to this.

[katrinka]

Yes, Baba decks can reach incredible prices once they get OOP and land on the secondary market. I twice found Baba decks on ebay though, at very reasonable prices - probably sellers that did not know what they were selling. In each occurence, the name of the artists was not in the listing (not listed under Baba Studio or Magic Realist Press). One of them was simply listed under the title "Rare tarot deck", I would have missed it entirely if I had not had time that day to iddly browse ebay ! So miracles happen :)

 

Anyway. If you like metallic decks, I strongly encourage you to get the Tarot of Prague before it goes OOP. I saw what happened to the Alice tarot : the minute it went OOP, the price doubled. I am glad I could get it when it was still in print ! I have learned that it is better not to think to long about Baba decks : if you can afford it, just get it while you can, otherwise the price just rises and rises like a dough with too much yeast.

So if you like metallic deck, and if you can afford it, you WILL love the current edition of the Tarot of Prague.

And there is now the Victorian Romantic in metallic overlay, which promises to be phenomenal. We are still on the pre-order period for this one, so it is a little less costly than the Prague one.

 

Carojulie, you just provided the folks here with valuable advice worth hundreds of dollars. Seriously - thank you for being generous enough to share this. Even with just this I would have been so glad that I started this thread. It's so fitting that someone provided such golden advice in a metallic decks thread. :P

 

And yup, I am so keeping an eye out on Baba releases from now on.

 

 

YES. They all go up, some more than others.

I missed a couple of editions of the Victorian Romantic, but I managed to snag a gold edged one on ebay for about a hundred bucks, which is not the massive increase that you see with some of their stuff. The main ones that go sky high are first editions, but things like cold stamping can do it too. So double whammy with the Alice.

 

Baba is meticulous about keeping their limited editions limited. I once tried hinting to Karen that the Bohemian Gothic would be earth shatteringly gorgeous with predominantly red and blue cold stamping (I still think it would), but they won't do that because it would be too similar to the Bohemian Gothic Silver. As much as I'd like a cold stamped BG, I have to admire their ethic.

 

If you can grab bells and whistles like a scarf or a wooden box, do it. The Mythical Creatures monochrome is already going for double price, and there's nary a metallic spot on it.

 

[EmpyreanKnight]

Thanks for the additional tips, katrinka :)

[Mitsuraki]

I have a Russian Tarot of St. Petersburgh and it's not metallic, if that's any help.

Though a metallic version would be wonderful with those black backgrounds, now that you mention it.

 

Yeah, I checked it once I found it, and the card design isn't metallic.  The borders, though, seem to have a metallic glint to it when I look at it.  I have to wonder if maybe it's just because the color looks[/] metallic and the gloss of the card just makes it look even more metallic?  But I do absolutely agree that a metallic version would be GLORIOUS.

 

Mitsuraki, maybe you're referring to the Golden Tarot of the Tsar.

 

I'd never even heard of that deck!  I looked it up, but I'm not a huge fan of the art.  Wonder if it would be different if I saw it in person...Also, sorry for the delay.  I actually forgot that I responded to this and almost posted the same thing again lol

[EmpyreanKnight]

No prob, Mitsuraki. :) But you're right, the St Petersburg looks downright beautiful with its vivid and lushly-colored scenes set against the black and gold frame. I wonder if the golden outer borders are made of metallic ink tho, like in Packard's Golden Tarot of Visconti-Sforza.

[katrinka]

Have you seen this one? The black and gold is lovely. https://labyrinthos.co/products/golden-thread-tarot-deck-cards

 

The art style is a little weird - I think Kelly at Truth In Story mentioned that it's like being in an old Zelda game, and that's a pretty apt description.

I don't dislike it, it just isn't something that puts me in card reading mode. I won't be getting it, but I love the gold on black.

 

I would love to see THIS done in gold on black:

 

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/egyptian/

[EmpyreanKnight]

Thanks for the suggestion, katrinka!

 

I got the (free!) app and it was darn good. If it stays like that, I might be persuaded to buy the deck. It's a bit too austere for my taste but I can grow to like it if it's good for divination. :)

 

And oh these old Egyptian decks. I have yet to go through an Egyptian phase, but I have the Brotherhood of Light Tarot by C. C. Zain and because of whatsawhosit[/member] I've grown to really like it

[katrinka]

I never really had an Egyptian phase, either. The only deck I have in that style is a Papus that I got as a gift. I do like it (Need to take a deeper dive into TotB, though). I just think that Egyptian Tarot would be stunning in gold on black!

[EmpyreanKnight]

I just unsealed the Golden Lenormand Oracle, and what I noticed is that while it has the gold dot pattern on the backgrounds like in the Golden Universal, it doesn't have slabs of gold foil in the actual images themselves, as the other decks in Lo Scarabeo's metallic line do. Which I honestly think is a good thing, since in Lenormand decks, one should easily be able to discern the central images without any visual distraction.

 

The cream/sepia background and the saddlebrown linework on the borders complements the gold so well. And the cards are bigger than the average Lenny, with a very pleasing gloss. The images are not very sharp tho.

 

It comes in a handsome sturdy box tho, with a competently-written (as far as I can tell) companion booklet. Overall - it has a great production value. I definitely look forward to using it. Very highly recommended! :)