Tarot of Prague and Tarot de Paris

[Bean Feasa]

I have the Tarot of Prague and I love it. I came across the Tarot de Paris while browsing and am sorely tempted. But I wonder are they a little bit similar? Has anyone got both - do they have a similar feel, do you think, or does each one have its own distinctive 'voice' ?

[Astraea]

Both are lovely, and each has its own distinctive voice. If you have a sense of what each country is "about" energetically, I think you will find that the cards express that inner perception -- I recommend both decks.

[truthsayer]

even though each uses statues and photoshop to put together the collage, i find each to have a distinctive flavor. paris and prague are entirely different cities with their own distinct stories and history. they aren't clones of each other. the paris has more of a masculine feel while the prague has more gender balance. get both. you'll be glad you did.

[Bean Feasa]

Thanks for the info, Astraea and Truthsayer.
I've only spent a couple of days in each city - and in the case of Paris that was nearly 20 years ago (heavens where does the time go?) But I loved both places, and I could well imagine the Tarot de Paris reflecting a different spirit of place to the ToP.

I think I have to have it. What was that? I distinctly felt my credit card twitch!

:) Kate

[Logiatrix]

Originally posted by truthsayer
...get both. you'll be glad you did...
:D :D :D :D :D :D :D
Right on, truthsayer!
Spoken like a true tarotphile!
Bean Feasa, welcome to tarot-mania...my preciousssssss... })

[Cerulean]

You might want to check

www.tarotdeparis.com and inquire if the mass market version or if an upgraded quality card version that the artist/author desired is available.

In terms of cost, the mass market edition is less costly than Tarot of Prague and it's more readily available at the moment...so if you need to prioritize, you can wait on this a few weeks.

I think the Paris version is very lovely with a subdued palette. Somehow I feel it has a 'Thoth' feel to it. The Thoth is Art Deco and sculptural: Tarot de Paris is kind of like a nice promenade....a real walk through sculpture gardens. Kind of like browsing a park with architectural ruins.

Tarot of Prague has the zesty and crisp colors as if I was at a festival in the middle of an unknown, musical city. Somehow the art and characters of different times came together on a bright summer's day to dance with me..

The Prague deck is more pricy in the book and deck edition; if you go with the deck edition, a nice booklet is included, but I find that the book is very very good. This is a limited edition, so it might be best to try for a deck edition at least...through tarotgarden.com, alidastore.com or the tarot of Prague website.

Good luck! Tell us what you end up with...they are both lovely.

Mari H.

http://www.tarotofprague.com/

[Bean Feasa]

Quote from Mari
"Tarot de Paris is kind of like a nice promenade....a real walk through sculpture gardens. Kind of like browsing a park with architectural ruins."

Well how could on earth could I resist a nice Parisian promenade. And I can justify it by telling myself it's cheaper than a plane ticket!!! In fact I'm just being a totally sensible person. Teehee!
Thanks Mari.

And Tauni, I think I'm definitely suffering from a severe case of tarot-mania - quite incurable too, I'd say. I'm a happy lost cause :)

[fairyhedgehog]

I'm reviving this thread because I did a search and this one already asked the question I had in mind. But the last post was a couple of years ago, so I'm wondering what people's experience is of both decks now?

What has brought it up for me is seeing the Tarot of Prague in real life in Watkins bookshop (London). I didn't think I liked the deck from the online pictures but the real life cards are somehow different. And I was wondering how it compares with the Tarot of Paris.

Anyone got both?

[baba-prague]

Yes, I have both ;D

I find them very different, but then, I'm hardly objective so it may not make much sense for me to say a lot.
But what I ought to say is that the Tarot of Prague kit (with the first edition "book-binder" cover deck and book) is now OOP. We have run out ourselves except for a few that we put aside for the Prague Castle shop (not sure what we do when those go). We're still offering those few on our online shop, but it'll be a matter of what happens first - Prague Castle take them or we sell them direct. The distributors in the UK and USA have a good few still, but when those go, that's it folks!

We may do a book/kit to go with the second edition deck, but not sure yet, and if we do, it will not be for quite some time.

[jackdaw*]

I know amazon.ca still offers the first edition kit as well for the Prague ... it is worth every penny and more! Get the Prague, and definitely get the first edition with the book if you can. It is stunning, with lovely heavy cardstock and is just the best deck I have! And the book is very good too.

The Paris is a lovely deck too ... but in a very different way. It seems to be "slicker" if that makes any sense. I don't mean finish, I mean overall presentation. The images have lots of polish, but they seem a little cold to me, lacking the exuberance of the Prague. Plus it's just a wee bit too big for regular everyday reading. I think people will use it more as a meditative deck. But it is lovely.

[fairyhedgehog]

Thanks, Queen of Pentacles, that's a helpful comparison. I'm not sure I want a large sized deck!

And thanks for the advice on the Tarot of Prague first edition, baba-prague :)

[jackdaw*]

Very welcome.

About the Paris ... I don't mean large like Lunatic or even Cary-Yale Visconti large, but perhaps DruidCraft or Tarot of Dreams large? My decks are at home and I'm not, so I'm not sure of the specific comparison.

But seriously, both decks are beautiful and well worth having. But if you're only getting one, get the Prague!

[Baroli]

I don't have the Paris deck, but I am in love with ToP. It is a very active and introspective deck. It is filled with beautiful symbolism and lovely pictures of scenes of Prague, which I hope to see taking a side trip next year. But it is a wonderful deck and I have been doing quite a few readings here with it. Oh yes, please do read the book that comes with it. The history alone (I am a history buff) about the city and statues and the legends are just wonderful.

Thanks Baba-Prague

Baroli

[Bat Chicken]

I have the Tarot of Prague, first edition - just got it this spring direct from the source. I love it (and the Fantastic Managerie)! I really treasure it.... It is a work of art.

This thread had me look at the Tarot de Paris which I had not seen before and it's beautiful and appeals for the same reasons....

On Amazon.ca it does not say if it is a book and cards edition - do you know QofP?

[weaver]

In old posts on the Tarot of Paris, several people indicate the the cardstock of the Tarot of Paris is very thin. At the time, the deck's creator stated that the quality of the deck's cardstock would be improved in subsequent printings.

If anyone reading this has purchased the Tarot of Paris fairly recently, I would truly appreciate if you could share your thoughts on the deck's cardstock. Is it still really thin?

Thanks in advance for any and all insights on how the deck may have changed since its initial printing.

weaver

[jackdaw*]

On the Aeclectic link to amazon.ca:

http://www.aeclectic.net/cgi/buyframe.cgi?type=deck&id=4702

This is for the first edition book and deck set.

As for the Paris, I didn't find the stock exceptionally skimpy, just that the cards were so big that it seemed flimsier than it is.

[Bat Chicken]

I meant the Tarot of Paris - is it book and cards??:)

[jackdaw*]

Oh sorry - the Paris only comes as a set.

[JPT]

Hi to All,

Haven't posted anything in ages and thought I might provide a bit of an update...

Re: Card qualities - The decks sold in the small tuck box by Connections Publishing (UK) are the reissues printed on the same stock as the Crowley Thoth Deck = 335gram weight. But those reissues include no book, booklet or scarf.

The original box set was printed on lesser 200gram stock (against my instructions) and due to the larger size of the cards many people perceived it as 'flimsy'. I think you will find both versions on Amazon.

In all fairness, if one looks through the hundreds of decks on the market many are printed not on paper but on a plasticized stock used for playing cards. That has become the Standard because thats what printers like to run through their presses. You will also discover that there is a wide gamut between the fine art decks (mostly printed in Europe but not entirely) and the not-so-fine decks that some US publishers have made (at a price) in Asia. After all its a market-driven buisness and it is true that publisher's margins are thin these days. business.

In the case of the TDP, the publishers were actually in London. They attempted to print a quality deck at-a-price in China but it didn't work because the printers in China did not abide by the specifications (instead used a cheaper card stock) and because the London publisher didn't check the production as it was done. Ho Hum - what to do?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I sincerely hope that this new deck will uphold the expectations of everyone who bought the TDP and were disappointed with the packaging.

lots of Aloha from Maui,
*jpt

[room]

I will revive this again, since I recently bought the Tarot of Prague first edition at amazon.ca. I am enjoying the book and liked the cards and sensibility so much that while browsing, I decided to order the Tarot de Paris set.

It seems that it will be the edition with the flimsier card stock, which is okay since I don't plan on shuffling it much. I like the faded colouring and the large card size as well.

I also imagine that Philip Thomas's book is slightly more ethereal/esoteric than Karen's for the Prague Tarot? I'm not sure what to expect with the writing.

Oh, and I too will be very keen on his deck about Florence.