Regular RWS Readers: What Is Your Favorite Version?

KafkasGhost

I'm not so much interested in the actual differences b/t the RWS decks, I'd like to know your personal preference for which decks and why (which may include the actual differences)...
 

Le Fanu

Tough one. U.S Games do all they can, I fear, not to have the perfect, well done "as-it-was-intended" RWS. So we have to have half a dozen mostly OK ones but with one or more aspects not quite right. And on tenterhooks that one day they might just do it. :(

I love the lines of the drawings on the PCS Commemorative set deck. So sharp and clear. But not the backs and the fake ageing. The cardstock of a Pam A, B or C &c doesn't age like that. It's purely cosmetic.

I love the backs of the Original RWS. But not the very blotched High Priestess, King of Pentacles and a few other cards

I love the Colouring - and box - of the Rider & Co "Blue Box" edition. But not the backs.

I love the lack of lamination in the Rider & Co Blue Box and also the older early versions. And also the lack of a brazen "copyright" symbol branded on the front of the card

Overall, I would say my favourite is either an old Rider & Co from the 60s/70s (no copyright, and I overlook the backs) for sentimental value. Or a first edition Original RWS from 1993 (?) which has the nice Belgian cardstock. That's the one I tend to use more, but I like both of these two they're so well used too.

Of course I love my Pam B but that's a case apart. I'm sure my favourite version if I could have one would be the Lily & Rose backed Pamela A because I prefer that back to the crackle backed version.
 

Carla

I only have one version but I am quite happy with it: Universal Waite. I love the deck.
 

gregory

Do you include things like the Radiant ? I love that one. I like the Commemorative - it's clear and the ageing doesn't bother me - and also the Lo Scarabeo commemorative one, even with the titles, and the Blue box, for the feel of it.
And University Books for the WOW colouring :bugeyed:

I'm not being much help... :)
 

knitknit

PCS commemorative is my favorite. The more you work with it the softer it gets. Unlike LeFanu I love the muted aging affect. Its the only version I use these days.
 

Dusk Till Dawn

The PCS is really nice it shuffles like a Dream, and my J.K. Waite, love the colors.
Number one though is still my Illuminated.The Deck is a personal favourite, the colors are just amazing. And the Glitter..
 

Cerulean

I like the smaller ones

I like the minature RWS with the old font for every day, the smallest Albano one can find for the summer...(not common to find a really small one nowadays), and have been known to be attached to the keychain Universal Waite for fun.

I am intrigued to hear the Centennial has a softness if given a chance to mellow its lacquered smoothness. If I remember right, that one spills like a waterfall of silky slip-slidy-or maybe it's the new Original...

I don't mind the Printed in Belgium "Original" boxed with Temperance on the cover, because I saw it next to a Pam B and fell into delight. The reds are gorgeous, the yellow and greens seem like antique jewelry where the gold and turquoise and jade that are somewhat faded, but loved...

I know two people who have a Pam B, but as long as I have a copy of my Belgium Original, I can return to an 'old-feeling' of an antique around the beginning of Spring and feel like I'm enjoying my own renewal of something old and something new.

I'm using the Albano for my summer pick.

Cerulean
 

jaj

gregory said:
Do you include things like the Radiant ? I love that one...
I like the Radiant too. Easier to see the details. The facial expressions are a little different from the more standard Rider-Waite, so I keep a regular RWS nearby in case I want to see the original faces or other original details.
 

Sulis

Favourite RWS - the Rider Blue box version closely followed by the PCS deck.
Favourite recolouring - Albano Waite - 1968 Tarot Productions Inc edition.
Favourite slight redrawing - Hoi Polloi (although it's more of a clone really since some of the symbolism is removed).
 

Le Fanu

I was thinking that we were talking RWS as in ones which aspire to be authentic editions of the Rider Waite Smith deck.

I don't even include the Universal Waite in this. Certainly not the Radiant, but since we 're going in that direction...

I think the Edith Waite Tarot Universal de Waite goes relatively unmentioned. It is what I thought the Radiant would be like (and when I opened it up I was disppointed to discover it wasn't). I love the technicolor and kitschly airbrushed feel this one has has. I don't find the Radiant at all radiant.