what does your collection say about YOU!

[zurgles]

My collection is pretty eclectic. I think it says I love color, have a sense of humor, like cartoons, am analytical and like to get deep, but also that I like to be entertained. Also that I belong to certain communities. Also that I got really obsessed with tarot between 2018-2020 as that’s when most of my purchases were made (I had quit smoking and used the money I had been spending on cigarettes to buy mostly indie decks. Alas, I started up again 5 years later).

 

I’m casually searching for a black and white deck and that Black Violet one seems cool. I have a couple contenders with a wide range of styles between them. I had a phase where life was really intense for a while and I thought it’d be nice to have one for when I’m overwhelmed with life and colors are too loud and saturated with meaning. I haven’t felt that way in a while, but just in case, it might be nice.

[Barleywine]

My collection reflects my decades of esoteric study. I have just over 80 decks and a large percentage are Golden-Dawn-based (Thoth and Thoth clones for the most part, since I consider RWS and its ilk to be "ersatz Golden Dawn"). It also reveals that I failed to research a good many of them before I bought them since over 80% of them just sit on the shelf.

[Misterei]

I suppose a deck detective would deduce i like historic decks--especially Italian--and RWS style for modern.  This Sherlock Holmes of Tarot collections might also deduce I'm serious and conservative. No cute trendy theme decks or photocollage. No AI generated decks. No gimmick decks. The majority of the collection is hand drawn or painted by an actual human being. Ciro Marchetti is as far as I go into digital art. Everyday Witch is the limit of my cute factor. 

On 10/21/2025 at 12:59 PM, zurgles said:

Also that I got really obsessed with tarot between 2018-2020 as that’s when most of my purchases were made (I had quit smoking and used the money I had been spending on cigarettes to buy mostly indie decks. Alas, I started up again 5 years later).

I SO relate to this 🤣

On 10/21/2025 at 12:59 PM, zurgles said:

I’m casually searching for a black and white deck ...

I've tried a couple B&W decks and ended up giving them away. I thought I would love Bianco Nero--but nope. It went to the thriftstore. Likewise Tarot I Naibi di Giovanni Vacchetta: Anima Antiqua. I have a color version of Vachetta which I love--the B&W version didn't hit. The ones I've kept are Inversion Tarot in a tin, and I just bought Tarot Obsura--not sure how it'll read for me. Fyodor Pavlov isn't B&W but it has a limited, muted palette and I get good readings from it.

On 10/23/2025 at 10:25 AM, Barleywine said:

My collection reflects my decades of esoteric study. I have just over 80 decks and a large percentage are Golden-Dawn-based (Thoth and Thoth clones for the most part, since I consider RWS and its ilk to be "ersatz Golden Dawn"). It also reveals that I failed to research a good many of them before I bought them since over 80% of them just sit on the shelf.

Now a days I ALWAYS watch a youtube video before buying a deck. Definitely made some mistakes over the years. But those mistakes get donated to thrift store so they don't stay in my collection.

That being said, many of my decks do mostly sit on the shelf. My historic decks I purchase for study and pure love of history. I seldom to never read with them. And then there's the client thing. I use historic tarocchi more often to read for myself. I find it's easier to read for clients when I can point to the picture and it clearly illuatrates the client's situation. Harder to do with non-scenic decks.

[Ferrea]

On 10/21/2025 at 9:59 PM, zurgles said:

I’m casually searching for a black and white deck ...

 

My favourite BW decks are The Light and Shadow and Le Psycho Tarot. For your inspiration. 

[zurgles]

39 minutes ago, Ferrea said:

 

My favourite BW decks are The Light and Shadow and Le Psycho Tarot. For your inspiration. 

Thanks! I’ll check them out.

8 hours ago, Misterei said:

I've tried a couple B&W decks and ended up giving them away.

I wonder if I’d have the same reaction. I guess I’ll know when I find out. 🙂 Let us know how Tarot Obsura goes for you!
Also do you get any eye strain with the Inversion tarot?

Edited October 25 by zurgles

[Misterei]

9 hours ago, zurgles said:

... Also do you get any eye strain with the Inversion tarot?

Ha! No, but I find i ONLY use it for shadow work or dark topics. I's one of my recommended decks in the video about tarot for shadow work. Anyway, I can't read with it on regular run of the mill topics. It only works on shadowy stuff for me. 

[Barleywine]

19 hours ago, Misterei said:

And then there's the client thing. I use historic tarocchi more often to read for myself. I find it's easier to read for clients when I can point to the picture and it clearly illuatrates the client's situation. Harder to do with non-scenic decks.

As a dyed-in-the-wool Thoth guy, I own RWS decks mainly for public readings because they say "this is tarot" to most sitters. I've had a couple pick the semi-scenic Thoth when offered, but I don't bring non-scenic decks to these sessions.

[Misterei]

4 hours ago, Barleywine said:

As a dyed-in-the-wool Thoth guy, I own RWS decks mainly for public readings because they say "this is tarot" to most sitters. I've had a couple pick the semi-scenic Thoth when offered, but I don't bring non-scenic decks to these sessions.

Yep. RWS is the archetype [stereotype?] in most peoples' minds.

I DO like RWS--definitely my comfort zone. LOL I don't give sitters a choice. They get read with the deck I choose for them 😉

[Morwenna]

On 7/8/2024 at 1:32 PM, Scandinavianhermit said:

 

 

Addendum:

If affordable editions of Knapp-Hall Tarot, Church of Light Tarot and Robert M. Place's The First Occult Tarot becomes available, I would be tempted out of mere curiosity, but I doubt I would abandon CBD,  DFWT and my trump-only Wirth.

I guess I lucked out years ago. My Knapp-Hall I bought from a dealer of science-fiction books many years ago at a convention, and it had been on their shelves so long that I got it for something like $8.

 

I noticed after re-reading my previous post here that I forgot to mention dark decks, unless I was thinking of them as "mythological." 

[2dogs]

My collection might suggest at the moment that I'm interested in reconciling the RWS and Thoth Tarot systems with an interest in science and nature, also simplicity and decluttering. I can however feel the urge to declutter further 😉.

[Scandinavianhermit]

16 hours ago, Morwenna said:

I guess I lucked out years ago. My Knapp-Hall I bought from a dealer of science-fiction books many years ago at a convention, and it had been on their shelves so long that I got it for something like $8.

Congratualations! Knapp-Hall is a fascinating expression of continental tarot! 

[2dogs]

21 hours ago, 2dogs said:

My collection might suggest at the moment that I'm interested in reconciling the RWS and Thoth Tarot systems with an interest in science and nature, also simplicity and decluttering. I can however feel the urge to declutter further 😉.

 

Sorted. Now it correctly suggests I like to interpret science and nature based images because I'm rubbish at Tarot 😹.

[Chariot]

My collection ...or at least the decks I use most often ...says that I'm the sort of person who a) is not religious at all, and b) likes useful—usually human-based—images that can be applied easily to life as we know it.

 

I love nature and the natural world, but I don't like it when nature-based tarot decks attribute stereotypical qualities to animals ...fox=clever, snake=dangerous, otter=playful, etc.

I'm definitely a RWS fan ...and I own many newer decks based on that system.  I don't mind if a newer card's image deviates slightly from the usual RWS card depiction, as long as the meaning in the new card's image is obvious.

I use reversals to enlarge a deck's vocabulary, and for eliminating some guesswork ...is this the shadow side, etc.

 

I use tarot for pragmatic advice, guidance, and insight into my real-world life, and for dealing with actual events, personalities and attitudes.  

Edited November 19 by Chariot

[Ferrea]

4 hours ago, 2dogs said:

 

Sorted. Now it correctly suggests I like to interpret science and nature based images because I'm rubbish at Tarot 😹.

 

Inspired by your readings, I got the Solar System cards a few weeks back. The Element cards will hopefully arrive at the beginning of next year.

With my interest in astronomy and chemistry having been my favourite subject at school, I can see how you can extrapolate any slice of reality using these decks.

I assume you're not rubbish at tarot but rather limited by its many built-in layers of subjectivity (or contextual collectivity) that already interpret reality. The only pre-interpretation in the Solar System/Elements decks happens on a measuring/quantifying level without assigning an experiential value to the images.

I've used the cards a few times. Some messages were creepily accurate and easy to grasp. Sometimes my mind had to do quite some stretching, and it can feel a bit chilly at the fringes. Which makes me appreciate the cosiness of the elaborated tarot system.

 

Thank you for bringing these decks to my attention! I can't wait to use them both in conjunction.

[2dogs]

1 hour ago, Ferrea said:

Inspired by your readings, I got the Solar System cards a few weeks back. The Element cards will hopefully arrive at the beginning of next year.

 

Oh brilliant! I've never known anyone else to actually buy even one of these decks so am looking forward to hearing how you get on with them.

 

I suppose with the number of decks in your collection you have managed to see the world in terms of the Tarot system and symbols, but 

 

1 hour ago, Ferrea said:

limited by its many built-in layers of subjectivity (or contextual collectivity) that already interpret reality

 

is the problem for me, I have to try and figure out what someone else's interpretation and system means and the ambiguities confuse me 😵‍💫.

[DanielJUK]

8 hours ago, 2dogs said:

 

Sorted. Now it correctly suggests I like to interpret science and nature based images because I'm rubbish at Tarot 😹.

 

I used to enjoy the oracle readings you did with themed decks of cards you picked up at Museum Gift Shops. Not made with an intention for divination but gave good readings with the theme of the deck. It was clever 🙂 

[2dogs]

14 hours ago, DanielJUK said:

I used to enjoy the oracle readings you did with themed decks of cards you picked up at Museum Gift Shops.

 

We certainly had some fun back then but most of those decks didn't stand the text of time, too many dinosaurs and Baby Jesus 🤣.

[Raggydoll]

1 hour ago, 2dogs said:

 

We certainly had some fun back then but most of those decks didn't stand the text of time, too many dinosaurs and Baby Jesus 🤣.

 

Ever tried mixing them, so the dinosaurs complement Baby Jesus? 🤣 Might make for interesting readings 

[2dogs]

31 minutes ago, Raggydoll said:

Ever tried mixing them, so the dinosaurs complement Baby Jesus?

 

It's really not a good idea 🤯.

 

 

[Scandinavianhermit]

8 hours ago, 2dogs said:

 

It's really not a good idea 🤯.

 

 

Oh. This is another world!

 

[Elaina]

Not me over here clutching my wooden charm dolls.