Fantastic Menagarie

Helvetica said:

Oh, poor sad Baroli! I'm glad replacement cards are on their way - you can always trust baba-prague for great customer service

And thank you for the compliments

But the missing cards and the doubles...interesting, no?

Two Tens of Coins: I predict lots of home comforts and lots of magic at the gate

Two 3 of Swords and no 5 of Swords - just as well you'll have a double dose of home comforts, because you'll also have a double dose of grievances, though they won't let you feel defeated or disadvantaged and you will rise above them. Or maybe you'll find a new love and give someone else a dose of pain...

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Oh My!! I thought the same thing a dbl dose of goodness and and dbl dose of anquish. This is truly a magical deck. I knew it would be the minute I saw the magician card courtesy of KoW

baba-Prague said:

Send me your address! I'll get them in the post

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I will PM you with my address and all I really need is the 5 of swords. The two extras are just that extras. There was also a card that was reversed and in the wrong suit (cups) I believe it was one of the 3 of swords. I should have made note of where I found it in regard to the cards around it, but I was too busy marveling over the illustrations and details of each card.

This is a book worth reading. People today are too much audio-visual oriented and are forgetting the delicate and wondrous art of reading a book. What I like is it is thoughtfully written, so as to not go over anyone's head, whether they are a novice or a seasoned veteran. The same goes for ToP book. Just lovely.

Baroli

Baroli


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Oh, I'm glad I finally found this thread to post!

I finally got my hands on the Fantastic Menagerie, which I must confess did not intrigue me as much as some other baba decks, when I first heard of it...
BUT, hey! Tradition of Quality is something that Baba has already established, and this deck holds wonders!

First of all i love that wired humor it holds, and I also like that the image does not show the element-subject directly , let's say for example--there are no four swords in the 4 of Swords... but the scene tells the story...
This shows a nice, deep understanding of the Tarot, and I guess you have to do quite a few decks to get to this point of release and confidence... and do it so well!

And, he.. he.. of course I love the work of Sophie Nussle, who wrote the book! Nice job, really nice! Easy to read, interesting, insighful! It's not easy to have such fruitful collaborations, but this one here is definitely inspiring!

I truly feel so lucky that through this interest of mine in tarot, I manage in this crazy times we live in, to get to some raw wisdom that comes from animals, fairy tales and magical worlds... What a gift you guys give to the world with such deck! Thank you!

Just found this thread and had to add to it, as I received this deck and book about a week ago and am SO in love with it!! I love everything about it...the artwork, size of the cards, the book....even the smell of it! (yeah, ok I'm a bit strange....??)

As a tarot novice, I was delighted to find that I started getting a flow of thoughts and feelings as soon as I started looking at the first card! And what's more, when I referred to the book, I was even on the right track....even better!!

I was so impressed with this set that the very next day and went and ordered the Baroque Bohemian Cats Tarot, which I have been advised is now in the post. So I'll be camped out by my letterbox waiting for it....with my Fantastic Menagerie clutched in my hand of course!!

I'm delighted and only wish my book were signed!
Maybe~ "To the most frustratingly ambiguous You!"

Cheers!

Fulgour said:

I'm delighted and only wish my book were signed!
Maybe~ "To the most frustratingly ambiguous You!"

Cheers!

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Ack! If only you'd told us we would have been delighted to have signed in that way. And added more in Russian too

baba-prague said:

And added more in Russian too

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K sozhaleniyu, ya poka ne govoryu po russki.

I recently received my Fantastic Menagerie, so I thought I would resurrect this thread.

I have only just started reading the Majors portion of the book. Helvetica what a wonderful introduction to Grandville, the times, the history. It really puts everything into context and sets the stage of what is to come ... the cards. I also love the stories (mind you I have only read the Fool and Magician so far) that go along with each card. It adds some really neat insight and depth to the meaning of the card.

I have not done any readings with the deck, but just flipping through it the facial expressions and body language seem to speak volumes. I have to admit that I did not think I was going to want this deck, the scans really did nothing for me at all. Once I got the deck, the first thing I realized was that the scans just did not do the deck justice. Sort of like when you see a piece of clothing and don't care for it, but then you go try it on and it looks so good on you that you can't believe it is the same outfit you saw on the haneger. Well that is my reaction to the FM. I have noticed that the more I look at it and pull it out the more I like it, it really "grows" on you.

Although the Majors are not numbered on the deck, I did notice in the book that Justice is at VIII and Strength at XI, which is my favorite positioning of those two majors. I also love that, like the Fairytale, the images of minors show the meaning of the card without needing to inlcude the suit emblem within the picture. That is one of things I always loved about my Fey tarot.

I look forward to exploring this deck further, but I am going to take my time with it. There is so much there to be seen ...

This deck is one of my favorites. I read with it exclusively for about three months, and still feel like there is much more to get to know. It has recently been replaced by the Victorian Romantic, but I'm beginning to think that is only temporary. As much as I like the VRT, I really miss my Fantastic Menagerie.

Cocobird55 said:

It has recently been replaced by the Victorian Romantic, but I'm beginning to think that is only temporary.

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I am getting my VR for X-mas so I will probably be exploring it next. To be honest I have yet to hold a Magic Realist deck in my hands that I do not love. There is something new to learn in each deck, and the varied perspectives are really expanding my overall knowledge of tarot.

What is captivating me the most about the FM is how clearly body language and facial expressions tell the story of the card. The Tower has to be one of favorites. It has given me a whole new perspective and added meanings to that card. I am beginning to understand why people love this deck so much.

I absolutely adore this set. It's so beautiful, and the humour is wonderfully subversive.

I've read this whole thread and I just wanted to add that I am so glad Baba Prague et al didn't sugar coat these cards. I've been studying them today and I keep thinking of the Queen of Swords. This set seems to epitomise for me all she represents : insight; recognition of human folly, variety and potential; clarity combined with humour and generosity. Cards which emphasise too heavily either the positives or the negatives lack balance and honesty. Like the Queen of Swords this pack acknowledges the negatives, but tempers them with a wittiness that is not cruel.

A wonderful, wonderful set.