I noticed that they have upgraded their Tarot kit boxes. When I bought the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot and the Tarot of Vampyres around two years ago, while the cards have been average (if a bit on the thin side) physically speaking and the companion books simply divine (they were critically lauded and were definitely some of the best in the market), the box these sets came with were an altogether tragic affair. They were flimsy, sad things that would cave in if they were stacked with other sets or books. There was a huge, near-universal clamor for tougher and hardier boxes, but nobody was really expecting anything since Llewellyn has survived for years upon years and this (trifling?) concern seems to be the least of their worries.

 

Around late May when I received my Linestrider, I was very pleasantly surprised. It came in a thick, sturdy, well-made box with magnetic flaps. At that time I thought it was just a fluke, that maybe it was a special one-off thing.

 

A few days ago, I got my Modern Spellcaster's, and that's when I recognized the pattern. I remember watching an unboxing vid of the recently-released Celtic Tarot, and I wondered at how handsome the box it came in is. Like the Spellcaster's and the Linestrider, it was sturdy with magnetic flaps. Just to test my theory, I looked at review vids of the Everyday Witch and I think I just confirmed it. This year is the year they finally dispensed with the woeful packaging of old to usher in the era of better-made, more appealing and more resilient boxes.

 

So, what are your experiences with the newly-released Llewellyn Tarot decks? How do you find them?

HoRah for Llewellyn. Their kit boxes have been a plague upon helpless buyers

This sounds promising!

 

I bought the Llewellyn Classic Tarot a few years back and the experience did not make me excited to own more of their decks. The box it came in was quite large, with the book inside as well as the cards wraped in plastic. No smaller box for the deck! It's not one I use a lot but I still found I had to make a pouch for it as I couldn't keep them in the gigantic box, which I ended up tossing anyway.

 

So I'm awaiting a Llewellyn deck this week and I hope it comes in a better box as you two say :D

BTW, I just have to add that it seems like only recent Llewellyn releases have the solid box. I bought the Legend: The Arthurian Tarot Kit just a few months ago, and it was the same old frumpy package.

Ah, that's a bit disappointing. Still, it's a good development from Llewellyn. Now if they would only spoil us with some better cardstock...  8)

HoRah for Llewellyn. Their kit boxes have been a plague upon helpless buyers

This. Oh GOD so much this !

I'll have to double check, but I think the only Llewellyn kit I have is the Gilded Tarot which I bought a couple of years ago. It's the flimsy box. Actually, probably the flimsiest of the large boxes that I have. And, come to think of it, I don't think there was an inner box for the deck ... but it did come with a decent organza-type bag for the deck. Hmmm ... my Anna K. Tarot is Llewellyn too and in a flimsy box. I had to buy a bag for that deck.

 

The Tarot Illuminati is in a superb box ... but that's Lo Scarabeo. But, I've read this complaint a lot back on the old Forums. It's good to hear that Llewellyn is finally getting their act together.

I wish I had waited a little longer to purchase some of their decks until the boxes and cardstock changed!  :'(

It seems that only 2017 releases onward will have sturdy boxes, unless Llewellyn had a change of heart and chose to toughen up all their offerings. The pre-2017 sets like the Animal Totem and Legend: the Arturian would still have those floppy boxes, at least in the near future.

I found out something new!

 

I was looking at review videos of the Mystical Cats Tarot due to the persuasive enabling of the folks in the Magical Dogs Tarot thread. Here is one video from around a year ago, featuring the deck in the flimsy cardboard box that we've come to love.

 

 

Here is a more recent video from 4 months ago. Notice any difference?

 

 

Yup, it came im a solid box with a magnetic clasp! It seems like Llewellyn is beginning to phase out the makeshift packages of yore and is replacing them with more substantial boxes. I hope they'll do that to their older offerings like the Tarot of Vampires and the Golden Dawn Magical Tarot.