Got My First Marseilles Deck...question?

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 04 Oct 2002, and now archived in the Forum Library.

ChrisTheObscure	04 Oct 2002
And I love it! I picked it up in a used bookstore for $5.00. It's pretty old (1963) but the cards are all in mint condition...in fact, they're so unused that they're still very stiff and near impossible to shuffle! I can't wait to learn about this deck, it's got a different energy than the other decks I own. One question: how do you read reversals? The swords and club suits have many cards that appear to be completely symmetrical, and therefore, very hard to read reversals. Chris

Diana	04 Oct 2002
edited

ChrisTheObscure	04 Oct 2002
Diana: Thanks, that's actually what I was wondering...I do intend to try to read them without reversals, especially since I did a new deck spread and got such positive results :) (which of course I will be posting). I really love the images...how they seem simple on the surface but then have so many subtle details...ie the diversity of the bricks on the lovers card, the facial expressions, the colouring, etc.

Maan	04 Oct 2002
Hi Chris I got a marseille not to long ago! It is still getting to know me ;) But its a great deck to get to a different level of tarot. I never use reversals myself so i don't miss it with the marseille :)

ihcoyc	04 Oct 2002
One of the interesting things about Marseilles decks is that, for readers of reversed cards, the Marseilles decks introduce a concept of degrees of reversibility. This gives you nuances that are in fact similar to what you get if you use a round deck like Cloisters or Motherpeace. I generally use these rules of thumb: Trumps and court cards are of course fully reversible. All the Aces reverse except Coins. All the Cups reverse, fairly strongly. Clubs do not reverse at all, or only mildly, depending on the configuration of the foliage decorations. These reversals are "mild" because the direction doesn't really impact the physical appearance of the card. Swords: the odd numbered Sword cards reverse. I usually take blade up / handle down as upright, and blade down as reversed. These reversals are also "mild," again depending on whether it really makes a large difference or not. Coins: the higher odd Coins reverse depending on whether the extra pip is in the upper half (upright) or the lower half (reversed). Otherwise, just follow the foliage, or let it be. I am so accustomed to this system that I find fully reversing decks to be somewhat negative and harder to read. I often end up mapping reversed cards in other deck into "real" Marseilles to wonder if this card is truly reversible or not. Spanish-suited decks like the Ancient Lombardy follow a similar system.

ChrisTheObscure	04 Oct 2002
Another thing I've noticed is that the swords and wands have some cards where neither a sword, nor a wand, appear; just a bunch of either straight or curved bars that are interwoven with each other. From looking at the rest of the cards, I am guessing that the curved bars are swords and the straight bars are wands. Is this correct? C.

Diana	04 Oct 2002
edited

Lee	04 Oct 2002
Quote: Originally posted by ChrisTheObscure From looking at the rest of the cards, I am guessing that the curved bars are swords and the straight bars are wands. Is this correct? Yup... curved are swords, straight are wands. -- Lee

jmd	06 Oct 2002
I tend to read with reversals included... and as I posted in another thread, even for most pips, the upright is clearly differentiated from its reversal on most cards by simply looking at the adornments. I'll see if I can find that thread and edit this post to link it. [edited text: the thread is in using tarot cards, called: [url="http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3440"]Non-illustrated pips[/url].] With regards to the curved swords and straight 'wands', this is a characteristic which distinguishes the Marseilles from other similar looking decks which may have straight swords. The sabre-like aspect of the swords certainly makes for instant recognition as to whether the card is depicting swords or wands.

The Got My First Marseilles Deck...question? thread was originally posted on 04 Oct 2002 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.