Tarot Deck Boxes

I'm new to tarot collecting, and I have a major gripe with publishers of decks. Since this isn't about a particular deck or the qualities there of, I posted here instead of the deck forum.

Does anyone else think the boxes that most decks come in are entirely too easily damaged and almost impossible to get open without creasing them? Those little notches on the top cover that hold the flap down make it so hard to open them without creasing the flap...not to mention the flap creases so easily, and the corners wear to tatters like nothing! AND, the most heinous thing of all...the boxes have flaps on both ends and are only the exact size of the deck+LWB, so it's almost impossible to get the deck entirely back into the box safely without bending/creasing the LWB or spending 10 minutes jiggling.

Dal Negro is the only company that seems to have the right idea with this - their boxes don't have notches on the top flap, open easily, and are plenty big enough for the decks so that you don't have to worry about the bottom flap. The Robin Wood box design is even better, opening sideways so that none of the flap issues exist.

The bigger boxes, like those of the various box sets, aren't too bad...aside from being huge and taking up a lot of room. I'm mainly angry about the regular deck boxes. Anyone else feel the same way? I suspect not many...I'm just very particular about keeping things nice and in good condition, and these boxes make it so hard!

For years I kept my only deck (the RWS) in its original box, so I know what you're talking about. The box is fine as sales packaging, but flimsy for storage - eventually I had to use tape to keep it from falling apart. When I finally got a bag for the cards, I tossed the box with relief.

My question to you is, why keep the box at all? Why not get a bag or a small wooden box for your deck? Either will last a lot longer than the manufacturer's box, and your choice will be more personal and attractive.

I admit, I do keep my World Spirit deck in it's original box, which is in pretty good shape. But I do plan on getting a bag for that deck eventually. I find bags easier to manage.

I use bags for my working decks, the ones I'm actively using, but there are also decks that I plan to use only for the artwork, meditation, exploration, or special occasions. It takes more room to store decks in bags than it does to store them in rectangular containers of roughly the same size, which can be carefully stacked or shelved. Plus, some of the boxes are signed, like the inner boxes of the Magic Realist special editions, and even taking the cards out the first time can damage the box if you're not absurdly careful.

I wish I had the room to keep everything in bags (or enough bags), but the boxes just make more sense for storage of decks I'm not actively using. I just wish they held up better, or more importantly, that they were designed more appropriately for taking the cards in and out of them!

Bridget said:

For years I kept my only deck (the RWS) in its original box, so I know what you're talking about. The box is fine as sales packaging, but flimsy for storage - eventually I had to use tape to keep it from falling apart. When I finally got a bag for the cards, I tossed the box with relief.

My question to you is, why keep the box at all? Why not get a bag or a small wooden box for your deck? Either will last a lot longer than the manufacturer's box, and your choice will be more personal and attractive.

I admit, I do keep my World Spirit deck in it's original box, which is in pretty good shape. But I do plan on getting a bag for that deck eventually. I find bags easier to manage.

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Yes boxes for collectors can be a problem. They do wear out. I actually pack the boxes of my older decks away from the deck when i go into a cycle of use of a deck that has a older box to keep the box as good as possible.

Just last night I pulled a University press box and deck out to read with and a side flap fluttered to the floor This box has been taped in the past so it is sort of beyond "collectible" to me and is a 100% reading deck, a great one.... but still watching that flap drop hurt

The new Buckland Romani Tarot has a very cheap box ( but good card stock) and when I get around to studying that deck I will keep the box separate from the deck as I know the box will only survive a few of even the most careful openings.

I would never throw a box out as I consider a deck without its original box "incomplete".

I keep all mine in their boxes; most are OK - but I sometimes use a thin knife under the flap to raise it....

Llewellyn boxes are the absolute worst though - far too big and crush in the mail....

The decks I use on a regular basis are in bags. Like you Strategeus, I keep the others in boxes. But I do have extra bags on hand to use if I decide to pull one of the boxed ones out and use it more than once. That way the boxes stay halfway decent. I do agree that it's much easier to store them in the boxes.

I keep all mine in their boxes, too. For the most part, there's not been a problem but I must admit I'm wearing my VR Gold box out, so my daughter is buying me a baba prague bag for it.

My Vieville box is also tatty, but SO is buying me the special wooden box from WW so I'm happy!

If I kept my decks in bags, I'd have panic attacks as to what was where, such is my (lack of) memory.

faunabay said:

The decks I use on a regular basis are in bags. Like you Strategeus, I keep the others in boxes. But I do have extra bags on hand to use if I decide to pull one of the boxed ones out and use it more than once. That way the boxes stay halfway decent. I do agree that it's much easier to store them in the boxes.

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Exactly.

Okay - bags are good. Yep, they do take up slightly more space than boxes, but not much, really. I have a small bookshelf (v. small) in which I keep my whole collection, minus the deck I'm carrying around at the time. Top shelf, about two feet long, holds all decks in bags. Next shelf has all decks in boxes - some came in good boxes like the Attuned Moon Oracle, some I keep in nice boxes I bought myself, and some I hardly use or keep for trading, so they stay in their boxes.

The third shelf is stacked high with empty boxes. Agreed - Llewellyn boxes suk. But here's a great idea that Umbrae posted - fold all your empty boxes up and flatten them to keep them pristine while you're using the deck. I've put all mine into one of the bigger boxes (Faeries Oracle) so they stay flat.

And if you want bags . . . come see my website

\m/ Kat

firefrost said:

If I kept my decks in bags, I'd have panic attacks as to what was where, such is my (lack of) memory.

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All my decks fit into a small box, and I still get confused by two of them in the same bag. If I had as many decks as you, I'd probably want images from the deck on the containers as well.