From Backs to Boxes
Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 25 Apr 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.
| Little Baron |
25 Apr 2005 |
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I don't think I have seen a thread about this before, but after reading a thread just now about the backs of a RWS and the box it came in, I thought I would ask the question -
Forgetting the images on the front of the cards and from which system they come from, which are your favourite 'card backs' and which are your favourite boxes - the box that grabbed your attention in the shop or online - Kat Black's Golden Tarot comes in a beautiful packaging, for example. Are there any that do not do the deck inside justice? Is there a card back that just doesn't work with the images of the cards on the front?
I have always hated the box to the Morgan Greer - The Chariot is one of my least favourite cards in the deck, and whenever it comes up, I think of the box cover, rather than the card in it's own right.
The Arista tarot (from which my avatar comes) is a deck I do not use and from which I was very disappointed. However, I love the box!!! It is one of the most symplistic boxes I have and offers a 'line drawing' (Marseille-style) on the front - it is not a 'true Marseille deck'. It is just a shame that the picture on the front is not represented inside - it is simpler than the style in the actual deck, the minors are not Marseille based and the picture is small in the centre of the card, as apose to filling it edge to edge. If all of the cards had these little simple drawrings filling the card from top to bottom, then I would definitely use it. Such a shame.
On the other hand, the Soprafino has a lovely hardback book cover with a small tied ribbon. Beautifully put together, even if the cards do fall out all over the place when you pick it up, on occasion.
As for backs, I do like the Rohrig and also, the Hadar. I found the Cary Yale Visconti back to be very disappointing - just beige with nothing on.
Have included the Arista cover - I think it is lovely. As you can see, even though the little animal on my avatar is simplistic, it is still not as simplistic as the cover drawing.
LB
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| Imagemaker |
25 Apr 2005 |
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Here's a website that shows the backs of many decks. backs
I love the Osho Zen for its cheerful orange abstraction, the Rohrig for its blue swirling cosmos and that one red star, and the Haindl for its cat eye (among others).
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| WolfSpirit |
25 Apr 2005 |
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From the top of my head:
Boxes:
I really like: the box of the Margarete Petersen Tarot. It is strong, handy and a lovely dark purple. The book fits into this box too.
Also the Tarot of Prague lmt.ed. (a "book cover" like the Soprafino)
In general, I am happy with most standard boxes (like those used by the bigger publishers of decks)
Dislike: the box for the Ananda. The book + deck came in a box that looked like the ones used for videos, and was of poor quality as well. But I did not want to use it anyway, and gave the Ananda a bag.
Backs:
Like the back of the Forest Folklore, a simple pattern in differen shades of green. I really like the darker green that is also used for the borders.
The back of the Archeon, a pattern in rich colours that match the front of the cards.
Dislike:
The Merryday. The cards are bright and multi-coloured, and the back is black and white, with "MERRYDAY" in big letters, and a few doodles around that.
Really does not match the cards.
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| IDN |
25 Apr 2005 |
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The backs and the box for the Cosmic.....
The High Priestess hass a very hypnotic gaze!
It sets the tone for the whole deck.
Regards,
Ian
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| ncefafn |
25 Apr 2005 |
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I love the backs of the Hadar Marseilles. So classic and rich in color. As for boxes, once I decide I love a deck, I transfer it to a bag, and put the boxes up in the closet.
Kim
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| Mesara |
25 Apr 2005 |
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I really like the backs to the Halloween Tarot (I like the backs better than the front). Very contrasting black and orange with two black cats in mirror images of each other, framed by bats, vines, and skulls. It looks very gypsy-ish with a halloween twist.
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| Citrin |
25 Apr 2005 |
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Hmmm... I was actually in the "new age store" today, looking at the tarot they have. :) One box that caught my eye was the Marroccan Fez or something? It has such a bright, ORANGE box. Totally turned me off instantly.
I love the box to The Goddess Tarot. It's just soft and pretty. I also really like the backs of it. The Tarot of a Moon Garden also has nice backs, but I honestly find them a little bit too much. Since the cards are pretty "cluttered" the backs could've been kept simple.
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| gollog |
26 Apr 2005 |
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Wauw! I never knew backs could be so beautiful! I 'only' have 7 decks, and most of them don't have a nice or special back. Only the Tarot Nova has and the Medieval Scapini.
I hate the back of the special edition Dali since it has his name written all over it, and the back of the tarot of the witches is awful as well, sort of pink and white striped/crossed patern, hideous!
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| jmd |
26 Apr 2005 |
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My favourite back is without any doubt the one on the Dodal Marseille: it reminds me of two things simultaneously, on the one hand ermine, on the other geese marks (in French, the Oi is also the old language of the north, in the south of which is the Oc).
As a beautifully crafted back, the Hadar Marseille is stunning. To see it, go to Kris Hadar's site, and on the left-hand side click the 'A good Tarot deck' option under the 'Tarology' header.
With regards to packaging, I personally have found, again, the simplicity of Flornoy's reproductions simply superb.
In terms of beauty, elegance and durability, both the Tarot of Prague and the Golden Tarot are each, in their different ways, outstanding.
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| Emeraldgirl |
03 May 2005 |
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I love the backs of the Gilded Tarot. But at the moment I am just loving the whole deck.
I also really like the way the Golden Tarot was packaged it shows a lot of effort. Also the packaging on the Housewives tarot the Box is so cute.
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| muteswan |
03 May 2005 |
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The Visconti published by La Scarebo, for sure.
Card Backs
Bad Photo of Box
The gold printing on classic black, like all La Scarebo boxes, is gorgeous, and makes the cards feel like a thing of great value. And the card backs is a simple, non-distracting, yet intricate and lovely pattern that matches the cards perfectly.
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| Ankou |
03 May 2005 |
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The Chinese Tarot deck by Jui Guoliang is at the top of my favorite backs list.
It's very simple gold background with red figures dancing their silks flowing around them, absolutly stuning. I'm forever tempted to turn them into somekind of montage- but then I wouldn't have the deck!
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| Tarot Sparrow |
04 May 2005 |
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I'd have to say my favourite card back is on my first deck, the Hudes Tarot. It's just beautiful and not plain at all, not too much either. It's in the first row of the first page of the site that was posted: http://www.shakti-b.jp/about/gallery/
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The From Backs to Boxes thread was originally posted on 25 Apr 2005 in the Talking Tarot board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Talking Tarot, or read more archived threads.
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