Please suggest a deck...
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 26 Jun 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| HearthCricket |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Okay, a little role-playing here, first. Imagine you are a young widow. It is the 21st century, but you have major tendencies towards the mid 19th century-even to the point of how you dress. You are alone, with your cat, your books, your backyard birds, living in a thatched cottage, in the countryside. You are often heard at your spinning wheel, you are reclusive, an avid book reader, keep a little herb garden, pop into church on occasion, and are a kindly soul. The villagers have begun to call you a witch, and the idea stuck in your head. Why not tell fortunes with tarot cards to help bring in some money? Word spreads, and the few and bold, the old and superstitious are beginning to sneak up to your front door, when no one is looking. They ask for readings. Gladly, you put your spinning aside. While the fire crackles and the cat curls up on the rocking chair, you sit down at the table and by candlelight start shuffling cards to prepare for a reading. What deck do you see this young woman pulling out? Thanks!
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| PlatinumDove |
26 Jun 2005 |
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*sighs* I wish I had a life like that, instead of always worrying about money, and trying to get second jobs, and all that hustle and bustle!
Anyways, I could see her taking out an older deck, maybe a Marseilles? Or maybe the Visconti Sforza.
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| Nina* |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Yes it does indeed sound like a wonderful and relaxing life :)
Perhaps she would use The Golden or The Crystal Tarot....
xxx
Nina
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| Dakini |
26 Jun 2005 |
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That would be a dream life.
I'd say the deck would be the Morgan Greer.
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| pastpass |
26 Jun 2005 |
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If my deck tells the right numbers for lottery, maybe I can live a life like that......
Agree with PlatinumDove,Visconti Sforza fits the atmosphere.
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| Cerulean |
26 Jun 2005 |
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although Harmonious Tarot might work. I haven't heard when the Jane Austen tarot will come out.
How would a herbal tarot appeal to her? Or flower fairies...
Is she a cat person? My mother in law has some old fashioned prints that have kittens dressed in human clothes...kind of the humor of dogs playing poker. There's many cat tarots...
If she had a tendency toward humor and old newsprint, Victoria Regina might be interesting, although the cards are big.
I'm not certain if she likes true European historical decks. No pictures in the minors. That's one idea...if she likes true old-fashioned decks with very quaint pictures, she might want to look at sibilla or old-fashioned cartomancy decks.
Best regards,
Cerulean
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| HearthCricket |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Well, for the higher ranking ladies of the village she tends to pull out gentle decks, like The Old English Tarot, Art Nouveau or Nigel Jackson. She has her eye on the Harmonious. She seems to need a slightly darker deck, to accent those witch rumours...Visconti is a good idea. She needs something else...something that will makes the women of the village gossip gently of the witch of "Briar Rose Cottage." And yes, she has been known to converse with the fairies, too. But, there is that broom by the hearth, which the man whom chops the wood noticed, and told his wife about. Rumours really began to "fly" after that!
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| Citrin |
26 Jun 2005 |
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What a nice picture you painted there... :)
Hmmmmm... I think I would say... Either the Old English Tarot or Tarot de Marseille.
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| Ace |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Maybe a 19th century deck like the Wirth tarot?
Ace
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| Little Baron |
26 Jun 2005 |
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I see the lovely Visconti pips at her table, but also I wonder if she would be a playing card reader - a deck with little drawings that childen, now long moved on had doodled amongst the suit signs as they played in the garden. Nobody can remember these children now but their little drawings, faded somewhat, help her find the meanings she needs in her old and worn out trusty deck.
LB
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| HearthCricket |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Ah, but she is a young widow. Her husband was recently made captain and was lost at sea, though the body was never found. Neither was the ship! There is some mystique about this young woman. She has no children, and seems rather content in her quiet life, though often their is a sadness behind her lovely smile. She is very kind to the children of the neighbourhood and they often wish to play with her cat and in her lovely garden, while she tells them tales of fairies and lands afar, but sometimes the mothers of the village whisk the children away, for fear she might have some true magick about her, and possible charm them away! Odd, though....this young widow took to the cards so easily and learned her trade quickly. Yet a Bible, prayerbook and a tattered copy of The Pilgrim's Progress sit high on the mantle, like beloved treasures. But, what is that tooled leather-bound book tucked under the wingchair cushion? And what deck does that carved mahoghany box hold? There are other decks on the shelf of the corner desk hidden half in shadow. But that box, so carefully placed by the chamberstick, that looks used often; what deck...what deck?
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| Little Baron |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Sorry ... I misread the 'young widow' bit and went off into my own little world, lol.
Lovely story that you are painting Hearthcricket ... i really want to know what is in that box now ... let me know when you find out.
Best,
LB
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| Rosanne |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Some months before her Husband took up his command he purchased for her Brian Williams's Ship of Fools tarot. This lovely young widow has not unwrapped it yet because it makes her sad, but she keeps it in the wooden box with her husbands cuff links and such. Until she finds the strength to use the Deck that reminded her Husband of her love for the Pilgrims Progress she uses her faithful Rider Waite Smith (the Large version)~Rosanne
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| autumn star |
26 Jun 2005 |
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Yes, I can imagine the young widow reading with the Spiral deck - it has such ethereal imagery.
I can also imagine her reading with the Morgan Greer - as someone else has already suggested.
For some reason, the first deck that entered my mind, was that she would read with a rider waite variant of some kind. I do not know why - it just entered into my head.
I love the image that you have painted of the young widow and her life - I have a big imagination so I could imagine the scene clearly :)
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| WolfyJames |
26 Jun 2005 |
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How about the victorian Enchanted Tarot (Zerner-Farber)? Or maybe the Golden Tarot of the Renaissance; some cards are disturbing in it so it could scare the neighboors a little. Maybe a touch of the Halloween Tarot, dark and funny, and perfect for kids. Or about the Bosch Tarot, freaky deck but with class and Bosch was a devoted Christians, so she could use that excuse to keep using it when her neighboors bother her. What about the Legend - The Arthurian Tarot, to go along her arthurian books? Maybe she could check out the Buckland Romani Tarot.
And I agree with Cerulean, she would love a sibilla.
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| HearthCricket |
26 Jun 2005 |
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There is a knock on the door. The young widow stops her spinning and you see a shadow moving in the firelight as she approaches. Quietly the door opens and you are greeted by a gentle face with bright golden-brown eyes, and a winning smile. You ask for a reading for the week ahead. Thoughts and ideas have been whirling in your brain and you cannot settle through them. "Go to the witch" your younger sister suggested. "Surely she will see the future and guide you." It seemed like such a foolish idea that it grew into a wise one, with reflection. With a humble nod she invites you in. Inside the cottage the fire crackles as you nervously stand by the hearth, warming yourself as the young lady lights a candle and brings it to the table. You glance at the books on the mantle so many have spoken of. You read the titles of the tarot decks, neatly arranged on the back of the desk in the corner, with squinting eyes...Golden, Enchanted, Old English, Soprafino, Art Nouveau, Crystal. You see a few from far off places; Russia, Italy, France. These must have been gifts from her husband. Which one will she choose, you wonder? Quietly she steps across the oriental rug that covers the wide oak floors. She gracefully lifts a mahogany box, intricately carved, smelling of sandalwood and rosemary. She places it on the gleaming oak table and beckons you to come and sit. You wonder at this mysterious lady. She openly wears a small pearl cross from a golden chain, around her neck. Yet, here she is readying herself to read tarot cards. She is young, yet seems wise beyond her years. She is some mystical mix of the old religions and the new. She opens the box. A deck is wrapped carefully in a silk paisley cloth-surely something old and beloved. You lean over to see the deck. Soft colours of blue, gold, soft and regal purples shine forth with familiar images of a time before, but not forgotten-not entirely. It is the Arthurian Legend Deck. She begins to shuffle...your fortune will be told.
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| PlatinumDove |
26 Jun 2005 |
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What a beautiful deck!
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| lunalafey |
27 Jun 2005 |
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Legends is such a wonderful and romantic deck.
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| wizzle |
27 Jun 2005 |
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She can't be too "odd" poor frail young thing. Nor can she read "nasty" cards. Baroque Bohemian Cats to the rescue. She got them because they are so cute. Isn't it amazing that they like to tell stories to people? <> And such good stories. Not aweful fortune thingys that could get a person in trouble.
If this goes over well with the villagers, maybe she can get some pretty Gilded cards...just because they are so pretty, mind.
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| Kittaine |
28 Jun 2005 |
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Why not just take the direct approach and go for the Witches Tarot by Ellen Reed or Pagan Tarot?
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| Emily |
29 Jun 2005 |
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I think for me it would be either the Morgan Greer, Spiral or the Gilded.
The Spiral or the Gilded because they are so bright and vibrant, but very readable or the Morgan Greer because its a solid and dependable deck.
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The Please suggest a deck... thread was originally posted on 26 Jun 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.
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