Lo Scarabeo: Tarot Deck Releases for 2005

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 05 Jul 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Rusty Neon	05 Jul 2004
Does anyone have any scoop on what Lo Scarabeo releases are scheduled for 2005? (Including scans :)) Thanks.

Umbrae	05 Jul 2004
Hey Rusty... There is this other tarot site, called Tarot for Life. Every couple of months they do a newsletter (Seeker's Journey), that they have online (PDF format). Somewhere in there is a column where various deck news is discussed. I hear it's being updated as we speak (the July issue is imminent).

RiccardoLS	06 Jul 2004
As soon as I can, I'll try to slip a few indiscrections... :) Best, Ric

SongDeva	07 Jul 2004
Why don't we all go to Italy, and "convince" Riccardo to tell us, if you know what I mean.

dolphingirl	08 Jul 2004
Tarot Garden has a list of items that are up and comming for the year or what I do to have a list is do an advanced search on Amazon.com where you can specify all tarot items for the year 2004 or all items from a specifi publisher for 2004. I really love doing searches on Amazon and using the wish list function to keep track of them all.

Aerin	08 Jul 2004
I want the LS Dragons Tarot when it comes out, but I haven't seen any news on the deck for ages. Could be because I am not looking in the right places. I want that deck, whether it is 2004 or 2005. Aerin

RiccardoLS	08 Jul 2004
The Dragons Tarot is still consider 2004. It will be published around September. For the 2005 we still don't have a detailed publishing schedule, so all the info here is just a disorganized mess of the most - near completition decks. I should be able to give a much more focused information I think on September. Here is anyway an "appetizer" - titles are working title only, and not yet definitive. Tarot of Jane Austen -- by Diane Wilkes. This will be a set edition, but will be published probably in the second half of the year. Tarot of the Spirit of Nature This is one of my favourites. It has a breathtaking art and a very evocative style. We have turned it to an experimental Tarot as the cards will be in color on one side, and in black and white on the other side. We are trying to develop a few methods to use a deck this way. Tarot of Reflections A Tarot based on the concept of mirrors, visual echos and reflections Oracle of Dreams It says it all... oniric, surrealistic, based on dream associations, experiences and interpretations. Tarot of the White Cat An easy fun deck... a divertissment. Klimt Tarot This should be the first "modern" golden deck. We will try to get away from the luxury of the Estensi deck, to try a more subtle intervention. Not quantity of gold, but quality. As for Klimt, it will be very interesting Tarot of Portals A deck conceived on the concept of portal, both phisical and methaporichal. Portals, links, gates, in the space, in the mind, in time, and in spirit. Tarot of Metamorphosis A very cultured deck, created by a Massimiliano Filodoro (with the art of Luigi di Gianmarino), that works around the concept, and meaning of change and transformation. This is another deck I'm looking forward with some anticipation. Best, Riccardo

Rusty Neon	08 Jul 2004
Thanks Riccardo for the 'scoop' on the scheduled LS 2005 releases. It sounds like there will be quite a few interesting contemporary or avant-garde tarot decks coming up! Looking forward to card scans when they become available! Thanks again.

Diana	08 Jul 2004
Riccardo: Will the custom of having the card titles in four languages be continued? Many people find this irritating. And if so, will the English translation of the Cups, still be called "Chalices"? (I wish you would change this.... it sounds so Arthurian.)

RiccardoLS	08 Jul 2004
Hello Diane, I'll try to get an answer... hoping it shall make sense. It is true there is some people that find the writings on the cards irritating, expecially if in six languages that get a card quite cluttered. But there are many others who like it that way. Expecially non-english speaking people do definitely like to be able to read what card it is on the card itself. Again, this is expecially true for non-expert people. So it's not that easy. We did an experiment on the gothic tarot of vampires, but to try a more aggressive graphic (one without words) an a less aggressive deck does scare us. Expecially when the deck are not "conventional", so to speak. As for the Cup/Chalices, it is again a long debated question. And I dn't have a true idea. We have discovered - strange as it may seem - that Tarotist are as conservative as any other group... They like things to be predictable. And to many, simply, Cups is not the proper name. You would be amazed at the number of people writing here saying that their deck is foulty, because Justice is VIII and Strength is XI. In the end, the choice was to take a standard of our own... and stick to it, even to the sacrifice of some decks. Maybe you're right, it could be time to change. As we change the suit name to something stranger... we may well use Cups instead of Chalices, and Coins instead of Pentacles... But I really don't know when and on what deck... :( I hope to have answered... and maybe even began a discussion. Best, Ric

Umbrae	08 Jul 2004
I have to agree with Diana. Some wonderful decks are ‘ruined’ by the multi-lingual indices. They don’t ‘look’ good, and detract from the cards. Take for example the Etruscan. A good deck. But the indices detract. Remove the indices, and it becomes a great deck. Here’s a thought. Replace the indices with a simple mono-linguistic label (as other publisher do). But make the label in Latin. Ora che è un tarot meraviglioso! Chalices…to us it sounds very ‘cute’.

Gerbear	08 Jul 2004
Riccardo, Keep to your chosen path. Everyone in tarot is supposedly a seeker, and if they get sidetracked by issues of surface importance, then perhaps they are in a rut, unwilling to expand their horizons. The human mind is an amazingly adaptable device that should be pushed to its limits. Don't make your decks cater to mental 'couch potatoes', just put them out and let the ones who are ready use them. There are plenty of decks for those who seek comfort over discovery.

tao51	08 Jul 2004
Ricardo, I love decks that deviate from the norms. The chalices/cups is not a serious differences. Actually, the name chalices may more accurately describe the pictures. I love the words not on the pictures. Thank you for sharing the many projects for 2005! --Tao

Centaur	08 Jul 2004
I agree with Gerbear, and Tao. I like the different languages, and I have no problem with use of the word 'Chalice'. I am looking forward to seeing what Lo Scarabeo come up with in 2005! Keep up the good work! LMAO re. 'Mental Couch-Potatoes'. Indeed!

lionette	08 Jul 2004
I'm with Diana and Umbrae. Less type and more image on cards, please. It's a shame to see so many decks shrink down beautiful images in the name of "accessibility". By adding the keywords and cluttering the cards with so much type, the cards lose the intuitive, visual nature. One language on the cards will suffice, so long as some translation of what the artist had in mind is made in the booklet. Card size could be a little wider, too :) LoScarebo has some of the lovliest decks, but I've been disappointed in card design/layout once I open the boxes.

seneris	09 Jul 2004
I would have to agree with Centaur, Gerbear and Tao. I like the lay-out of the cards, and the different languages. And I really like the word 'chalice' :)

Aerin	09 Jul 2004
I really like the word 'Chalice' as well. It doesn't sound Arthurian to me, what it does sound is rather special. Cups just remind me of having tea, for some reason. 'The 7 cuppas' I don't tend to even register the border, e.g. on the Fey it fades into the background in contrast to the pictures. Thanks so much for the info on the Dragons. I really like what I have seen of the deck so far. Aerin

RiccardoLS	09 Jul 2004
I think this just give an impression on how many opinions there may be on such a simple subject. :) Nothing is as easy as it seem, I suppose. Ric

tao51	09 Jul 2004
We tarotholics enjoy the wide array of cards produced by Lo Scarabeo! My Golden Tarot of the Renaissance is among the best ever produced anywhere!--Tao

WolfSpirit	09 Jul 2004
The Tarot of the Spirit of Nature sounds interesting - hope we can soon get a peek at that. Also looking forward to seeing the Klimt. Thanks for keeping us informed, Riccardo. P.S. don't have strong feelings about the borders either way - don't really notice them anymore.

The Lo Scarabeo: Tarot Deck Releases for 2005 thread was originally posted on 05 Jul 2004 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.