1971 RWS - AG Muller

Abrac

Mine also have blue tartan backs and one of the extra cards is blank, the other printed.

I think it depends on how you define "laminated." People mean different things when they say laminated. All the Waite-Smith decks I've seen from the early 80s, with the exception of the one I mentioned in my previous post (it looks and feels completely unfinished) seem to have a finish though I would stop short of calling it lamination. It's more of a waxy feel than plastic. Moving into the 90s the finish starts looking and feeling more like plastic.
 

Nerys

I haven't seen or felt any other printings, so I have no basis for comparison, but yes, there is a slight waxy feel to my cards when I rub them. They are not shiny or glossy at all but they do feel as though they've been treated with something.

I do wonder though at yours which have no finish at all! Do you know why they might be unfinished?
 

tarotcardrose

HI Fluffy, I read with the 1971 version. I threw away the box but I believe it had the Magician on the front. The only real reason I am picky about the years is because I HATE the lamination on the new decks. I think there are a few people on eBay this week selling the 1971 version. I wish they would stop this glossy lamination.
 

Abrac

These ones I have might have something on them but it's hard to tell. I can usually tell but with these I can't say for sure.

There's a lot of fluctuation in some of US Games' decks. Part of it might be from experimentation with different techniques or it could simply be normal shifts in quality. I used to work at a factory that printed paperboard boxes for different products and there was always something going wrong with the presses. When you're printing on large commercial presses in high quantities it's a lot harder to maintain quality control than one might imagine. Most of US Games' print jobs are contracted out and I'm sure they have standards but there are usually tolerances. I don't know about the finishing process but I would guess it's also a mass production type of setup and prone to variations. :)
 

Kissa

Le Fanu said:
yes - as far as I know - they do all have the calligraphy. The typeset titles are relatively recent. I'm curious, though, why you stipulate 1987 as a date for the deck. I'm not sure Rider & Co were still producing the RWS deck then...

Most of them tend to be 70s and early 80s, but maybe you're right, they produced them that late

Thanks for the answer LeFanu :)

Reviving the thread as my interest has been revived...

Re: copyright 1987 and why I was after that one:
Mary "Teheuti" on page "Royal blue with World and Fool on lift-off box. Rider & Co. (Random House). UK distribution only, March 1987. ISBN 0091093406"

Looking for a blue-box with crispy lines :)