The voyager tarot (what I call the original).

[intuitiveinsight]

Hi everyone,
I was wondering who all uses the Voyager tarot by James Wanless, what I call the original, large size, not the smaller size out nowadays?
I have the one in the purple box!
I love the cards, they are a great tool.
I'd like to start a study group of this deck, anyone interested?
Anyway sorry I got off my topic.
Does anyone like the original deck, the large size?
Blessings,
Intuitiveinsight

[collielin]

Originally Posted by intuitiveinsight

Hi everyone,
I was wondering who all uses the Voyager tarot by James Wanless, what I call the original, large size, not the smaller size out nowadays?
I have the one in the purple box!
I love the cards, they are a great tool.
I'd like to start a study group of this deck, anyone interested?
Anyway sorry I got off my topic.
Does anyone like the original deck, the large size?
Blessings,
Intuitiveinsight

I have it. I still like it. I have the original, big cards. I even have the whole set of instructional cassette tapes. I keep the deck in a nice wooden box.
I no longer read (per se) with it, but every once in a while I take them out and glance through them. They seem rather primitive compared to todays standard, but I still like them.

[rwcarter]

see this thread for more info on the various editions of the deck and the differences between them. The purple boxed Fair Winds printing is actually the second edition of the deck. Merrill-West printed the original (first) edition of the deck.

There is an existing Voyager Tarot Study Group, although not many cards were covered. But folks are always welcome to revive dormant study groups.

[intuitiveinsight]

Hi everyone,
I was not aware that the one in the purple box was the second adition (a reprint) of the original.
Blessings,
Intuitiveinsight

[missy]

Hi intuitiveinsight,

Welcome to AT!

I have a Merrill-West version of the Voyager and really enjoyed doing readings with it here awhile back.

I haven't used it in some time, but I do remember at the time that I was surprised at the depth of the readings.

[Chiriku]

I have the purple box version, which I purchased in the late 90s. I wasn't aware that any reprints had smaller-sized cards; that's a real shame. Cards with a lot of detail and imagery, such as these, are ill-served by smaller card size.

I liked it in the 90s, but I didn't use it the way I did my other decks--that is, multiple cards laid out in a spread. I used it only for 1-card draws.

I went on a multiple-year tarot hiatus. When I came back, I got reacquainted with some of my old decks, and Voyager was one that I liked even better the second time around. I still limit it to one-card draws in order to give the brain time to focus on any of the dozens of images on each card, to pick that out as the main thrust of the message for that reading.

Many people decry the collage decks of the 80s and 90s as clunky dinosaurs that pale in comparison to the smooth, glossy computer-generated art and collage of today's analogous decks. The Voyager is one of the ones they cite in support of their view. In my opinion, it's the other way round: the Voyager's careful photographic collage work makes many of these computer-generated decks seem distant and alien in their airbrushed slickness.

Hand-made collage just works for me in tarot where other sorts of art--singular photographs, or CGI for instance-- do not.

[crystal dawn]

Hi
Yes I have the purple box version with the large cards. Think I got it in the late 90s. I had read about it in Rachel pollacks the new tarot in the early 90s and then I came across it at a local (now defunct) borders book shop - so grabbed it with both hands as I had not seen it for sale anywhere else at that point, so thought that it could be quite a rare tarot deck as well as being a lovely deck too.

blessings

crystal

[Maskelyne]

Just got a Merrill-West edition. When I'd looked at scans of it before, I'd thought the 1984 photo-collage technique looked kindergartenishly crude. But when offered one in trade it occurred to me that some decks only reveal themselves in person.

I like the large format and kaleidoscope-mandala backs. Card numbers and titles are printed in low contrast so the words don't intrude but are still easily readable. The cards have a glossy finish and a slight bow. The cardstock feels strong and supple. The cards fan fairly well, though not as nicely as Belgian cards.

The imagery is very engaging. Forget the dated graphic-arts technology, these are brilliant. I think I like this deck.

(edited to correct date)

[Le Fanu]

Originally Posted by Chiriku

Many people decry the collage decks of the 80s and 90s as clunky dinosaurs that pale in comparison to the smooth, glossy computer-generated art and collage of today's analogous decks. The Voyager is one of the ones they cite in support of their view. In my opinion, it's the other way round: the Voyager's careful photographic collage work makes many of these computer-generated decks seem distant and alien in their airbrushed slickness.

Gosh, yes.

This is one of those classics that I don't have and never know why. I think perhaps all the talk of different editions confused and paralysed me and I never got round to buying it!

[Nica]

This is the deck that started it all for me many years ago. I have the purple box version and the cards are very, very worn. This deck opened my eyes to the world of tarot and of visual symbols. It was my compass through college.

Something that I like about it is the shamanic mood that lingers throughout the cards. They are new age and divine. I love it still.