To all Marseille lovers

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 03 Mar 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Nina*	03 Mar 2005
I know this has been asked before, but I believe it's some time ago (and peoples taste changes :)) -Which Marseille deck is your favorite? -Why do you love it (colours, drawings, size, symbols, tradition etc)? I can start for myself... I have only got the Camoin-Jodorowsky and the Hadar and so far I love the Camoin the most. I admit that the Hadar is very beautiful but somehow it just works better with the Camoin (perhaps because it was my first :confused: ). xxx Nina

Little Baron	03 Mar 2005
I really like my Ancient LoS deck the most; I love the acidy greens and yellows; find it quite cheery. Love my Hadar and also my Grimaud, but don't use them as much as my Ancient. LB

fyreflye	03 Mar 2005
THere's already an active thread on this subject: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=37777

Nina*	03 Mar 2005
I know (although it's not quite the same - I, for instance, haven't got 5 Marseille decks so I can't really vote). I just wanted to post the question in a place where everybody looks. I think that not everybody looks in the Marseille forum (and then some new ones would join :) perhaps!!!). xxx Nina

Moongold	03 Mar 2005
Nina ~ I use the Fournier most. I did have the Hadar but gave it to a friend who fell in love with it absolutely and completely. I also have the Lo Scarabeo Conver and have just ordered the Heron Conver from Alida Store. I am very much looking forward to the arrival of the Heron Conver, having seen scans. I would absolutely love a Grimaud but I believe that is out of print now. The Fournier is good. Some of the cards - La Lune and L'Etoile - have a darker blue background than I like now which is one of the reasons why I ordered the Heron. I can't believe that I will soon have three copies of the one Tarot :). They are all different in their way, however. Just read your question again. I got the Fournier because of the vibrancy and the colours, and they are the characteristics that I still love. The cards have a dynamism about them that I felt the other decks lacked. I think that is particularly important for those of us who are relatively new to the Marseille. When you lay all the Court cards out on the floor they literally chatter at you, the energy is so great. The same applies to the Majors. Another important thing for me is that Fournier seemed robust - the common man's Tarot. I mean robust in nature more than a physical sense. However, the cards are lovely for small hands to hold. and shuffle easily. Good luck in your selection for your self. :)

Rosanne	03 Mar 2005
I keep seeing these threads, and I don't own a Marseilles .. yet!! It is not by lack of trying. On another thread I was reading a poem by Eliot and a line reads...'and what you own is what you do not own' so here is my wish list from all you devotees I wish to have in order of preference and circumstance - a Fournier, a Convos, a France Cartes Grimaud, Noblet by Flornoy and Oswald Wirth 22 Majors ONLY. Everyone seems to love their Hadars but the scans so far have not attracted me. So things might change once I get a 'Hands on" feeling ~ Rosanne

Dark Inquisitor	03 Mar 2005
My favorite is this one , because it's old looking: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/heron-marseilles/ I really don't like bright primary color decks. I also like this one, which some would say is not a real Marseilles at all. It is a redrawing of the Marseilles that uses more earthy colors. Although I was disappointed when I got it that the colors are not as nice and deep as the scans in this review: http://www.tarotpassages.com/bursten22.htm

Nina*	04 Mar 2005
Hi everybody and thanks for your replies :) Moongold wrote: Just read your question again. I got the Fournier because of the vibrancy and the colours, and they are the characteristics that I still love. The cards have a dynamism about them that I felt the other decks lacked. I think that is particularly important for those of us who are relatively new to the Marseille. When you lay all the Court cards out on the floor they literally chatter at you, the energy is so great. The same applies to the Majors. For exactly this reason I just ordered the Tarot de Marsella (Rodes-Sanchez) yesterday. From what I have read and as far as I can see the colours are very beautiful and vibrant. I know this is not everybodys taste but it is very different than my Jodo-Camoin and my Hadar and I would like to explore how that difference works for me. Moongold wrote: I can't believe that I will soon have three copies of the one Tarot So will I :D soooooon... xxx Nina Edited to add: well in some way I do have three copies; I keep forgetting the 'Tarot de Marseille - Piatnik' - not sure if it is a 'true' Marseille :confused:

WolfSpirit	04 Mar 2005
LittleBuddha wrote: I really like my Ancient LoS deck the most; I love the acidy greens and yellows; find it quite cheery. That is my choice too :) Apart from looking cheery, it also makes me feel I have an old deck in my hands.

Nina*	04 Mar 2005
Ancient LoS :confused: I don't think I know this one. Could you tell me where I could have a look at it :)

WolfSpirit	04 Mar 2005
It's full name is the Ancient Tarot of Marseilles. You can see some cards here: http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/ancient-marseilles/

Eco74	04 Mar 2005
I only have two sofar (plan on getting more further on but I'm still deciding which). My Héron Conver is used most so I suppose that's the one I appreciate more. However, I also have a deep facination for my Ignaz Krebs which is what is keeping me from getting another deck at the moment. I feel I should get more time put in with thisone before I start looking around more.

Nina*	04 Mar 2005
WolfSpirit: Thank you, I like them :) But as I ordered a new deck only yesterday I'd better control myself a bit :D

Moonbow*	04 Mar 2005
I have treated myself to a few new Marseilles decks lately and haven't yet got to know them all well these are my favourites at the moment: Camoin-Jodorowsky Dodal Dusserre Heron Conver But not necessarily in that order. Eco I have looked at the Ignaz Krebs a few times and I can see the facination with it, I'm sure one day it will suddenly appear on my list ;). I just remembered also the Italian 'Marseilles' type decks like the Bologna and Liguria Piedmont. I've been spending some time with these too, mainly in a comparison study way. A girl can never have too many Marseille's :)

Rachel Nguyen	04 Mar 2005
My favorite is the Bicentennial edition of the Tarot de Marseille of Nicolas Conver. It was printed using the actual woodblocks from the 1760 deck... definately shows the age of the blocks, with little pieces missing, etc. It is a modified color scheme because it was using mechanical rather than hand stenciled colors. I bought my copy directly from the Camoin website. Not sure if there are any left. It was printed in 1960 and then, I believe, released for sale in 2000. It is a great, clunky, charming deck! Love, Rachel

NightWing	10 Mar 2005
For me, the hands-down favourite is "Le Veritable Tarot de Marseille" by Hadar, with the delightfully recoloured Fournier deck as #2 ! I'd happily suggest either to someone wanting to start with a Marseille-style tarot deck.

The To all Marseille lovers thread was originally posted on 03 Mar 2005 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.