Dirty Decks

I figure with all the collectors on AT, some of you must have some stories about used decks you have received in unseen beforehand purchases. I picked up an Oswald Wirth today, I initially looked it over - all cards were there, only one seemed a little beat up (the top of the deck card) and it seemed decent for the price...though it did smell slightly musty. But I still thought it was a good deal and decided to take it. The seller also had an older Xultun, a little musty as well, but great condition, and a Sacred Rose (AGM Switzerland) in perfect condition except for some warping. I took all 3 for $10 each.

After getting them home and taking a closer look, I realized the Wirth was pretty filthy. Really gross. I don't even want to speculate on what was on the persons hands who handled this deck all these years. I just spent the last hour or so washing down each card individually with baby wipes wrung out in the hottest water I could stand with a few drops of lavender castile soap. It looks better now - time to put it in a shoe box with some kitty litter and baking soda.

So I was wondering if anyone wants to share any stories about dirty or disgusting or otherwise not so pleasant purchases of used decks....

This wasn't a used deck, but... When I bought my Tarot of Light and Shadows I was really excited, and then I opened the box, and... Phew! What a terrible stench! I don't know what they put in that ink, but it smelled so evil that I couldnt use it. Took months to dissipate. It was so bad-smelling as to be kinda scary.

Here's me hovering like a fruit fly because I thought you meant nuddies and the like

I would probably throw a filthy used deck away or send it back to the owner.

The only real problem that is similar is I bought a Rider Waite which turned out to have all the meanings in sticky labels stuck to the backs

I couldn't use it and couldn't send it back as ebay didn't see it as a problem so I think I gave it to someone. It was one of these awful brightly coloured ones which hurts my eyes so I was pleased when I calmed down

caridwen said:

Here's me hovering like a fruit fly because I thought you meant nuddies and the like

Click to expand...

well, I won't say it didn't cross my mind that a title like that would get some attention....

um....what exactly are "nuddies"??

Bhavana said:

well, I won't say it didn't cross my mind that a title like that would get some attention....

um....what exactly are "nuddies"??

Click to expand...

Nude - a baby way of saying nude - in the nuddies

caridwen said:

Here's me hovering like a fruit fly because I thought you meant nuddies and the like

Click to expand...

That's what I thought too.

caridwen said:

I would probably throw a filthy used deck away or send it back to the owner.

The only real problem that is similar is I bought a Rider Waite which turned out to have all the meanings in sticky labels stuck to the backs

Click to expand...

Huh? The meanings weren't printed on the actual card face?

caridwen said:

I couldn't use it and couldn't send it back as ebay didn't see it as a problem so I think I gave it to someone. It was one of these awful brightly coloured ones which hurts my eyes so I was pleased when I calmed down

Click to expand...

I bought a Radiant Waite a few years ago, and the factory smell was so strong it took months to dissipate. Blech.

Lokasenna said:

Huh? The meanings weren't printed on the actual card face?


.

Click to expand...

I read professionally! How professional does it look to have labels on the backs of the cards They were also really distracting when I was doing spreads.

Back to actual dirtiness...

My 1st edition Alchemical arrived with some cards caked in what looked like baby sick. I sat down with those anti bacterial wipes and gently wiped the surface of all cards. On some cards I had to do a bit of scraping but after a while I got them all clean...

Now you'd never know.

My Ironwing had titles hand written on the majors and courts in biro. I knew about it before I bought so I was fine with it. I used Winsor & Newtons artists oil on a cotton bud (gently) and it took every bit of the biro ink off. I was a little too enthusiastic on one card and took a slight part of the sheen off the card but other than that, you'd never know .



For cards that stink of cigarette smoke I have a tightly sealed box of exceptionally perfumed tealight candles. I generally shove the offending deck in with the tealights for a few weeks and they come out fine.

Old fashioned razor blades (very carefully angled) take stuck on bits of gunge off well - be careful not to lift the card surface. The ground in type of dirt responds well to babywipes (y'know, I've never come across much that babywipes don't shift - babies' bottoms must be tougher than we think!).

my deck mostly looked like someone with really dirty hands handled it all the time....but it does look much better now - even smells a little better. Last night while watching TV I used sage to smudge the heck out of it for about a half hour, practically each card individually. I know it doesn't really do anything, but it sure made me feel better. I am going to get some fine sandpaper and lightly sand the side walls of the deck too - I hear that is where the smell originates from. Then back into the kitty litter box.

That idea with the scented candles sounds good too.