Looking for Help Finding a Deck

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Chariot said:

Maybe go onto YouTube, put 'tarot flip through' in the search box, and see what comes up. Just about EVERY tarot deck in the universe has a flip-through you can look at—showing you every single card, plus backs.  Furthermore they usually show what kind of box the thing comes in, whether a book comes with it, and often a look at the book itself.  This will save you a lot of tears you might shed otherwise, by just buying blind.

 

So so true. Just thinking of the sheer amount of money I have saved because these kind souls post their unwrapping videos - whew! 

[Natural Mystic Guide]

9 hours ago, Tanga said:

Good luck fining "The One"/"Ones" - it took me a million years

I'm still searching.  It's a fun search.  I find a lot of excellent partially perfect decks.

[Tanga]

On 12/28/2023 at 5:18 PM, PathWalker said:

no - @Doktor_Zeus said they lived an hour away from Glastonbury.

 

I live in Glastonbury   

Apologies.

And it takes me an hour to get across London - to get to say - the aforementioned bookstores around COVen GArden.  

So... hir could still go hang out in Glastonbury central... etc.etc.etc.

I am determined hir find some palls!!  🤓🧙‍♂️.

Edited December 29, 2023 by Tanga

[Doktor_Zeus]

2 hours ago, Tanga said:

Apologies.

And it takes me an hour to get across London - to get to say - the aforementioned bookstores around COVen GArden.  

So... hir could still go hang out in Glastonbury central... etc.etc.etc.

I am determined hir find some palls!!  🤓🧙‍♂️.

 

Nice to see someone using gender-neutrals. For the record, I’m cisgender male and my pronouns are he/him. I should probably get used to putting that in my profile somewhere.

 

hehe… ‘Coven’ garden, I  see what you did there.

 

 Glastonbury is a great place to look for a deck but I never seem to have chance when I visit. I’m usually there for the wood merchant on the Tuesday market.

 

Surprisingly, I saw a halfway acceptable deck in Lidl of all places today - one of those dirt cheap ‘teach yourself’ kits, but the cards weren’t actually bad. No box, but I could always get a velvet bag. I might go back for a copy.

[gregory]

Ooh which one ? The Works had a good one last year ! (Also a REALLY bad one which my daughter looked at and said " Can ANYONE make a tarot deck, then ?")

[Doktor_Zeus]

@gregory I think it was ‘the secrets of the Tarot’ - no doubt the guide with it will be very twee, but the cards don’t look awful for a fiver.

 

 Which was the bad deck? The works have a few, and some of them don’t look awful. There’s one here that reminds me a little of the Mystic Mondays deck, which always seems to show up in ‘top ten’ lists.

[gregory]

This one:

https://www.theworks.co.uk/p/home/tarot-gift-set/9781488945571.html

 

 

 

Edited December 30, 2023 by gregory

[gregory]

Is yours this one ?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/305299715093

 

 

Looks like the Mystic Dreamer - which is indeed half decent. (Oh - it isn't. Or at least some of the cards aren't....) Those cards are very familiar, though.

 

Wait - this one maybe - modified a bit:

https://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/simply/

 

It's a bit crude, but for the price....

Edited December 30, 2023 by gregory

[DanielJUK]

oooh we are getting our very own dollar tree tarot decks in the UK, in our discount shops! 🙏🥰

cheap and cheerful and possibly readable 😉 

[Eugenie]

Now, I am not sure if you are interested, but there are imperfect Keymaster decks for sale at the creator's website and shipping to the UK is 12 quid. 
 

[Doktor_Zeus]

26 minutes ago, Eugenie said:

Now, I am not sure if you are interested, but there are imperfect Keymaster decks for sale at the creator's website and shipping to the UK is 12 quid. 

That’s a very nice looking deck but I think I’d prefer it not to be damaged. I’ll see if I can source one somewhere else first.

[Doktor_Zeus]

@Eugenie I looked up the Keymaster in detail, and it turns out to be a 'Pips' minor arcana. A pity because I rather liked its art style.

[Eugenie]

6 hours ago, Doktor_Zeus said:

@Eugenie I looked up the Keymaster in detail, and it turns out to be a 'Pips' minor arcana. A pity because I rather liked its art style.

Ah, right, sorry - I forgot. I was a bit excited to find it available, even if imperfect, because I love the playing card deck it is based on and even thought of buying it and removing the Majors. But I did buy the playing card deck after all. I am not sure I will be able to use it for divination but I intend to try learning it. 

Anyway, there are so many beautiful and unusual decks out there - I am sure you will find your perfect one (or more). 

[PathWalker]

Did anyone suggest Thoth?

And if so, what did you think?

 

Your list is very difficult to work with - No Marseille type because they are pips - and a huge number of 20th century decks make reference to the artwork for the Waite deck.

The Alchemical is a super deck, I would recommend that too.

I wondered about the latest creation that Lynryd Narciso - let me see if I can find it - certainly not your usual thing . . .

 

Oh, it's listed here (there is another edition) -

 

[gregory]

I'm beginning to feel a bit like that too. Nothing seems to suit, so - maybe just wait till the "right one" appears like a miracle.

[Misterei]

@Doktor_Zeus

slightly off topic perhaps ... but what is your MOTIVATION for wanting to find a new deck/s?

What need should the deck fulfill?

 

For example I like Golden Wheel b/c of the Slavic imagery and folklore ... also this deck fulfills a NEED in my collection -- no nudes.

I tend to use this deck reading for teens or ppl I who might feel embarrassed by the nudity in RWS or other decks.

I got Lightseers b/c I felt the NEED to have a contemporary deck to appeal to younger folk and their aesthetics. It was a happy bonus to discover I actually liked the deck for myself, too.

 

The only other times I felt motivated to buy a deck was b/c a friend had it or I saw it on here or YT ... and the desire reaction kicked-in.

I had to learn to control that desire reaction, though! It made me a bit stupid before I got a handle on it.

 

So ... what NEED do you wish a new deck to fulfill?

Or if not need ... what is the motive?

[gregory]

On 12/26/2023 at 11:18 AM, Doktor_Zeus said:

Must Have:

A pictorial minor arcana

Strong symbolism

High quality artwork

 

Nice To Have:

Alchemical symbols

Guide book

 

Must NOT Have:

Anything involving the art from the Rider-Waite-Smith deck

Gimmicky themes (i.e. 'Cat Tarot' or 'Dragon Tarot')

The word 'Witch' or 'Angel' in its title

 

Turn Offs:

CGI / 3D rendered art

Renaissance art

Monochrome art

Colour coding

Tuck boxes

 

A few decks that I either have already, or have looked at and liked, but not enough to buy:

Light Seer's Oracle, Arthurian Tarot, Mystic Mondays, Pre-Raphaelite Tarot

 

OK - so - no tuckboxes is a bit of a killer - but how about Sweet Twilight ? It is based on RWS in tradition - but does not involve that deck's art.

 

If you want to go to extremes try the Holy Light, which ticks ALL your boxes - but....

[Raggydoll]

If it comes down to the tuckbox then why not learn to make your own boxes?

 

https://www.thetarotforum.com/forums/topic/1440-homemade-tarot-bagspursesboxes/

 

[gregory]

Of course, OP wants a BOOK as well, so.... you can't get a good one in a tuck box.

[Raggydoll]

49 minutes ago, gregory said:

Of course, OP wants a BOOK as well, so.... you can't get a good one in a tuck box.

There are some indie decks where they do both tuck box and a separate nice book (like the Pagan Otherworlds). But yeah, I see what you mean. 

[gregory]

ACTUALLY now that you mention it - @Doktor_Zeus - have you seen the Tarot of the Drowning World ?

[Tanga]

43 minutes ago, gregory said:

ACTUALLY now that you mention it - @Doktor_Zeus - have you seen the Tarot of the Drowning World ?

Wow @gregory - that's an unusual deck... I shall enjoy perusing...

 

Now deck suggestions - doubt there's anything I can input which doesn't tick something undesirable, but I'll just stick in ones I like. Lol.

https://superlunaris.com

https://www.larchtarot.com/tarot-deck-reviews/the-textured-tarot-deck-review

 

 

 

[Eugenie]

Also, Prisma Visions are gorgeous decks. I am not buying one for myself because there are a couple of cards that do not sit well with me, but anyway the desks are amazing. And the Green Glyphs deck which is also there. 

[gregory]

5 hours ago, Tanga said:

Wow @gregory - that's an unusual deck... I shall enjoy perusing...

 

It is absolutely incredible. And then some.

[Rose Lalonde]

Took me 13 years to find the deck that suited me best. Always tricky with so many decks and everyone liking different things. 

 

I'll throw in my favorite, Tabula Mundi, since it seems to tick some of your boxes. Original artwork and not a tuckbox. Guide book. Some alchemical symbolism. 

Majors: https://www.tabulamundi.com/ Link on that page to the minors. Indie, but the small size isn't overly expensive. Thoth inspired and not hard to read for Thoth and RWS enjoyers.

 

Switching gears, Dame Fortune's Wheel has majors based on the 15th century Estensi Tarot (aka Charles VI), and minors based on Etteilla's meanings. So it definitely meets your 'no RWS art' criteria.  Well regarded creator who offered a pdf guidebook with history. In a Lo Scarabeo tuckbox though. Wen has lots of photos of it -- https://benebellwen.com/2021/09/16/dame-fortunes-wheel-tarot-by-paul-huson/

 

Also Etteilla-inspired is Tarot of the Holy Light. Heavy on alchemical symbolism, which made me think of your list. I don't own this deck, but I think that's a tuckbox (whose art doesn't match the deck inside). https://benebellwen.com/2015/03/20/review-of-tarot-of-the-holy-light/

 

The Mary-el Tarot goes its own way. Influenced by Thoth and RWS, but she decided to relate the minors to the majors with the same number, so all 9s are related to the Hermit, for example. Has a guidebook in large box with magnet close that contains both deck and book.  https://benebellwen.com/2014/03/28/the-mary-el-tarot-my-personal-reading-deck/

Edited January 2, 2024 by Rose Lalonde