Do you use your expensive decks?

This follows on from a thread Olivia has at the moment ..... and I wondered if it is just me who uses a deck totally regardless of its value, or its potential value? Does everyone else put them away to accumulate further financial value?

Is it just me who plays with all my toys?

I remember my mum adored fine china and had some lovely pieces which sat in her display cabinets and she used ordinary china. Her beautiful china never got used - it seemed so sad that when she died she had all this lovely stuff that had just sat there .... I vowed that I would use all my "best" things regardless.

So - do you use your more valuable decks?


ETA - I do not mean, in any way whatsoever, to criticise Olivia's choice not to use her potentially valuable deck - that is her absolute right and I wuld not in any way diss or criticise her decision.

Some of them. I don't use my most valuable - the Jumbledance - but that's because it's not really a using deck because of the lamination.

I use the Blake, not that it's all that valuable . . . my large, bright-coloured Thoth would be of some value now had I not trimmed it and used it to the point of rubbing the images off in places

I use my Corte - and *defaced* it as well by painting it with gold paint.

I use my Payen, my precious and wonderful Lex Vieux Jours Lenormand (about $AU100 with postage ) and Ancestral Path Tarot.

Once out of the IDS, I will use my Noir (but I also have a spare ), my Magickal, Knapp-Hall and Ironwing. I will use my Diary of a Broken Soul, Ceremonial Magick, Victorian Romantic and Balbi.

So yes, I guess I do. And always will, unless I do actually buy something for its collection value. I agree that it's better to use the beautiful things than hoard them (though I do sympathise with and respect the argument for preservation ). And they bring me such pleasure

\m/ Kat

Wendywu said:

..... and I wondered if it is just me who uses a deck totally regardless of its value, or its potential value? Does everyone else put them away to accumulate further financial value?

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Yep and nup, in that order.

I have one, and only one, untouchable deck, the Lebanese Tarot, and that only because only 100 of them were printed, and the cardstock is quite unlike anything else I've ever felt in my life. And even this one I'll pull out and play with - *very* carefully - from time to time. I never show it to anyone except avowed art lovers.

Wendywu said:

I remember my mum adored fine china and had some lovely pieces which sat in her display cabinets and she used ordinary china. Her beautiful china never got used - it seemed so sad that when she died she had all this lovely stuff that had just sat there .... I vowed that I would use all my "best" things regardless.

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My mother is still alive, and does exactly the same thing, only worse.

There are some things she has on display. There are many more she has boxed up in her travelling-trunk from when she migrated to Australia in the 1950s - and she even still has many of her wedding presents, STILL UNOPENED (she married in 1959).

I performed an experiment, one day.

I raided the cupboard she had a heap of good stuff locked away from the damaging effect of people's eyes once, and I ... er ... stole (yes, there's no other word for it) a gorgeous silver filigree candelabra, and the most delicate and exquisite cut glass milk-and-sugar set. When she next fisited me, the candelabra was on the table, three lit candles in it, and her milk and sugar came out of that set. She didn't even notice. That was twelve years ago, and she still hasn't noticed.

This just proved to me that not only didn't she use stuff, but she didn't even appreciate it at all, if she didn't remember it. I'm still wondering if I should rob her again. Last time it was kind-of excusable because I was performing an experiment, and true to me promise to myself, if ever she makes any reference at all to the items, I'll tell her and give them back. But the second time around I wouldn't have any such intentions. which is probably why I haven't done it.

Thats something I always wonder about too.I have a couple I don't use, I just look at. My Large Glitter Illuminated will not be used. I tried, but I am so afraid that I would damage it, that I just can't. And to get a back up of every expensive Deck I have would cost me an arm and a leg.Although I am now thinking about a medium with glitter..LOL

Even in my worst collecting phase, I used any deck that caught my fancy, regardless of its value. And by "used" I mean "shuffled, laid out, carried about in a purse or backpack, etc.". USED.

My only concession is that I do not and did not let my daughter see the more delicate or irreplaceable ones. At twenty months old they catch her eye, and I have often let her play with (ie, scatter about) my more colourful decks. She's currently a fan of my Grimaud TdM, which has two creased cards to attest to the fact.

Not intending any disrespect to anyone, but I really do not see any point in owning things you are afraid to use or touch.

Part of my criteria for spending anything more than $20 on a deck is that it should be something I'll use, otherwise it isn't really worth it.

I have some regrets at dropping $60 on a Fantasy Showcase last year which has only sat on my shelf, and probably will continue to do so unless I decide to sell it one day, or get really adventurous. Some of the images are so lovely, and some are just NOT, and it lacks most of the qualities I look for in a reading deck. I like looking through it, but I don't even want to shuffle it, because then I have to take the time to figure out which of the un-labelled, non-traditional cards are which...

I also have a Bohemian Gothic collecting some dust on the shelf.. but this one was a gift, and given to me in a time when it was not yet oop and expensive. I have used it a couple of times, but it really isn't my style as far as reading goes, though I love the art, the ambience, and the cardstock.
My Tarot of Prague, however, gets put to good use.

However:
My most expensive deck was my large irridescent-painted Illuminated, at about $180... and it is one of my all-time most used. I am also thrilled to report that after nearly 3 years of very regular use (ie: several times a week being shuffled and used by me and clients both), it is still in nearly -PERFECT- shape! What a well-made deck.. good value for the money in both beauty and longevity!

Next most expensive would be the large-size Il Meneghello Visconti. I use that one too, though not as often. I really like laying out big spreads on the floor with it. I have to shuffle carefully because the cardstock is so thick and stiff, but it feels so good in my hands, and the cards are so beautiful and perfect, how could I not read with it?

The Soprafino is my favoritefavoritefavorite! I read with my Il Meneghello all the time, and with the same regular use as the Illuminated I mentioned above, it's also still in excellent shape. I would have thought that with square corners and lack of lamination, it would have fallen to pieces by now, but it's actually quite pristine! .... and I even riffle-shuffle!

I also use my Corte dei Tarocchi, Marsiglia Svizzera, and hope to make good use of my newly acquired Minchiate Fiorentine (once I get a little better handle on my interpretations of the non-traditional trumps).
I adore Il Meneghello decks, and it would be an enormous shame if they were left neglected on my shelf all the time.

Definitely! I don't purchase anything I don't think I'll actually use.

This conversation reminds me of situations I experienced when I still wove for a living. People would be afraid to use things I'd handwoven because they perceived them as being too "precious" (as opposed to too "fancy") for routine use. Heck, I'd not spent all that time creating the pieces for them to languish unused in drawers!

I apply that same mindset to Tarot decks. Assuming is one is not a collector, I think we should use and enjoy the things we love and that bring us pleasure. That is their purpose!

edited to add: It's an obvious thing, I think, but it might be worth adding that while I use all my decks regardless of their market value, I don't do so cavalierly. My work surfaces are clean and I take basic care when traveling with and/or storing my decks. I handle all my decks rather gently because that is what comes naturally, but others are free to handle them, too. Indeed, I rather insist upon it when reading for others.

At first when I started collecting decks, I wanted decks I liked and that I'd use. That resolution worked at first, it's greatly facilitated by my difficult taste and the fact I dislike most decks. At first... But when I reached around 25 tarot decks and the wishlist kept getting longer, I realised it was not feasible. I was acting like when I was a kid and I wanted to sleep with all my stuffed animals at once at night, even though I had too many of them and I loved them all, there wasn't enough place left for me to sleep in the bed and I had to decide which ones would sleep with me.

So I've decided to be a collector instead so like that I'm happy to keep on collecting decks I like, I keep a batch of favorites that I dabble with and study while I use my main, which have been the Liber T Tarot of Stars Eternal for the last two years, most of the time.

My dream would be if I had the space and money to have display cases for my decks.

In my favorites there are indeed OOP or hard to find decks like the All Hallows Tarot, Bohemian Gothic Tarot (Silver), Tarot of Dreams (original version) and the Fairytale Tarot (MPR). For the oracles there is the Fortune Teller's Deck as well that can sell high on Amazon and Ebay. I've used a lot the Tarot of Dreams and the Fairytale when I got them. I've been dabbling for the last six month of 2009 with the Bohemian Gothic and discovering it, the poor little got "forgotten" right after I bought it when it came out because I was just starting to save money for my computer and I avoided all temptations and that of course included tarot, decks and this forums, so the Bohemian Gothic ended up buried for over a year until I "rediscovered" him last year. As for the All Hallows Tarot, I got it recently and I find it quite adorable. I've been using the Fortune Teller's Deck for years now. All these decks have an excellent lamination so I'm not too worried about using them but generally I'm careful with all my decks.

Wendywu said:

This follows on from a thread Olivia has at the moment ..... and I wondered if it is just me who uses a deck totally regardless of its value, or its potential value? Does everyone else put them away to accumulate further financial value?


ETA - I do not mean, in any way whatsoever, to criticise Olivia's choice not to use her potentially valuable deck - that is her absolute right and I wuld not in any way diss or criticise her decision.

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no offense taken, Wendywu
If I had a deck that I genuinely loved, then I think I would use it, despite its value or potential value. If it wears out, then I'd just try to get another one. I purchase all my decks to read with, so for me to get a deck and never read with it would be defeating the purpose of getting the deck in the first place.

The thing with the deck I mentioned, though, is despite the fact that it is a really nice deck it's not my favorite ... and I'm glad. I don't ever want it to be my favorite. I don't ever want it to be my holy grail deck because when it becomes rare I don't want to feel as if I need to spend a lot of time and money trying to replace it. So I decided it would be best to just put it up and read with it occasionally, rather than continue to put heavy wear on it (through heavy use).

Of course I will still read with it but not to the extent I would my main reading deck. I guess, while its still readily available, I could purchase a spare copy of that deck but I don't really like the deck enough to want a spare. That's basically all I meant when I said, "I don't want to use it because it's going to be valuable one day."

I don't have very many expensive decks. The ones I do have weren't that expensive when I got them.

I bought a backup of the Bohemian Gothic just because I loved it so and I wanted to have an extra in case anything happened to the one I use. I have a silver edition which I only have looked through and admired a few times. I really don't want to mess it up so I don't really use it. If I didn't have a standard, I probably would use it.

The Victorian Romantic deck is one I actually bought just because everyone raved about it and I got the feeling it was going out of print. I didn't think I would like it at all because it seemed just too "pink" and "frilly" for me (before I had it.) I only have one. Now I wish I had at least 2 more It's become my most used deck, the deck I go to most often when reading for others. I love, love, LOVE this deck.

I do have the Limited edition Touchstone. I worked with it a lot when I got it, I used it this past week when someone wanted a reading and chose it. I don't use it very often because it just isn't one of my favorite reading decks, but I do use it.

I'm not really sure what else I have that is considered expensive, but generally I buy them to use them. If I really love the deck, I buy a second copy-mostly for fear it will go out of print and I may need a replacement card.

I feel, as others have said, that we should use our pretties. How can we enjoy them if they are sitting on a shelf collecting dust. Beautiful dishes should be used, if they are special, then only use them for special occasions, it adds to the beauty of the occasion. The beauty of a deck cannot be seen if it is never allowed to escape the confines of it's plastic wrap. Besides, I cherish decks that have been used by others... there's magic in there