Opinions on Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling Cards?

WonderGuy

i searched through a few older threads and wanted any opinions on these cards.
thanks,
:)
 

WonderGuy

Do people use them for a laugh or actual divination?
 

Debra

I dunno, WonderGuy. I've got the Military FortuneTellers cards and they're only good for a laugh.
 

Manda

I have a friend who uses them to great effect for divination. I am more of a tarot girl myself. And not much for divination.

The spreads for most playing card divination seem large and complicated to me, given that the meanings seem to depend almost entirely on the relationship between the cards and where they fall in the large spread. These cards seemed like a fancy version of regular playing cards, with words printed on them to jog the memory.

I sent a pack of them in my Halloween exchange package and I play around with them every now and then. They are inexpensive and surely no harm no foul from trying them out.
 

sistermoon

I have two decks, a very old one and a newer one...they both live in my sewing box :) I just can't seem to get a good, solid "feel" with them, but they're with me still!
 

BeTo1984

I know I'm pulling up a lot of old threads, but I think it'd be more appropriate if I continued from a previous thread than post a brand new one. ;) I bought this deck a while ago (about 6-7 months ago, I believe) because I wanted a Lenormand deck. While I knew this deck was NOT based on the Lenormand beforehand, I read some interesting reviews from Amazon about their supposed accuracy. Plus, I was sold on how cheap they were and were plenty easy to find.

I'm more of a Tarot reader than I am a cartomancy/Oracle reader (despite owning several different Oracle decks), so these were kinda hard to get used to. I tried different ways of reading the deck (using the LWB spreads/interpretations, looking up Lenormand spreads, reading about others' experiences, etc) and found that the best readings I got were when I "improvised" my own spreads...as in, followed my intuition. I don't really use the large-scale, encircling spreads that is typical when reading the Lenormand (I found it to be too complicated when reading); rather, I did very basic 5 card spreads (using the significator(s) provided in the deck), which has worked wonderfully. A while back I did a reading for a friend of mine and with just a few cards I was able to pick up her money situation with her older male relative (which she never told me about; the cards revealed it for me :D).

What I like about this deck is that it forces me to use my intuition more. The images on the cards only show a small but crucial snippet about the querent's situation. Some of the messages of the cards can be dreary (ie, presaging death), but I don't take what is being said too literally.

What I don't like about this deck is that the "glossiness" of the cards make them hard to handle, especially when shuffling. The deck that I own is manufactured by US Games and was made in Italy (much like my recently purchased Rider-Waite Tarot deck); fortunately it did not have a gross smell when I first bought them (otherwise I'd remember that and mention it here). I also dislike the backs of the cards, which shows the silhouette of a slender witch tending her cauldron with her kitty behind her (all in a purple gradient)...the older decks had a nice, stream background; the backs of the new decks look cheesy...and I hate to say this, but a little...childish (to me at least).

I know this deck isn't very popular, especially amongst all the Tarots/Oracles out there, but based on my experience with them, I think they're underrated. If you use them the way you want and what you think is right, they can be really accurate and straight to the point.
 

Chiska

If you don't like the glossy, look on eBay to find an old copy. I have a Really Old copy (early 1900's) and they are not glossy and very very satiny. I didn't pay very much for it at all, and I see them there quite often.
 

moderndayruth

Is it this one?
http://i.ebayimg.com/15/!BsknsVw!mk~$(KGrHqIOKkIEvOEh1-4hBL4,1)VMjg~~_35.JPG

I have Gipsy Fortunes from the same family:
http://www.tarotgoddess.net/book.htm

You'd be surprised what readings you get, very accurate if judging from the feedbacks i get.
That system had been around forever, it wouldn't have made it wasn't it good i think.
 

Emily

You've just sent me on a mad deck hunt LOL - I got interested in Lenormands a few years ago and ended up with about 6 different versions, I was sure that I also bought the Gypsy Witch Fortune Telling cards although I knew it wasn't strictly Lenormand.

I've searched high and low for this deck and can't find it in storage with all my other decks, I also found all the Lenormands. I must have had it at some stage because the deck is listed in my profile - I read playing cards before tarot and this deck really appealed to me.

I've also just done a couple of tarot readings regarding this deck and hit a complete stonewall. The only problem is, I can't even really remember using this deck but I haven't read with a couple of the Lenormands either.

Oh well, its still cheap to get a hold of. :)

Edit

Found it LOL - it had got left behind in one of the cupboards I used to store my decks in.
 

Emily

Well I've been playing around with these for about an hour now and I think I know why they got left behind. I find them so limiting, its like going back in time to when I first learned to read playing cards - the meanings are very basic and so hard to relate to. I haven't been able to make sense of any of the readings I've done and I don't think its because I'm in denial. I also found them quite negative and not keen on the artwork either now I can see it up close.

I also hope that this post doesn't come back and bite me in the butt, because usually when I post my dislike of a deck, in a couple of years time it will turn out to be a favourite and much loved!