Original colours?

I'm pretty sure this topic is already discussed in some previous thread, but I'm too lazy to browse them through, so: Does anyone have any idea about the original RWS colours? I have the impression that U.S.Games did some "re-working" with the colours and the result was something like neon...and then there's the "Original Rider Tarot" by a belgian company (if I remember right?) that came up with the "we changed all the blue into green!" thing. Currently I'm using this deck with my readings. And I like it a lot better than the U.S. version because it has a softer colour tone. But I suppose they're not identical to original colours by "Pixie"? So...anybody? Help me out here, thank you please *;-)

Hello Ukkonen

Blue Red and Yellow are the 3 primary colours.
Secondary colours come from:
Blue & Red make Violet
Blue & Yellow make Green
Red & Yellow make Orange
Black is a shade, and White is a tint.
Combined, these give you the complete spectrum.

Pamela Colman Smith was an educated and able
artist and for her Tarot she chose Gouache and ink.
Gouache is white pigment mixed with water colours,
and the ink she used was black and done with a pen.

For the 'truest' colours in an edition of Smith's cards,
try and get a copy that doesn't have the copyright,
or at least a soft matte version, with a light laminate.
Still, beauty is (happily) in the eye of the beholder.

Very Very Nice!

I wanted to add... editions without the copyright
are rare, and the soft matte finish version is the
same in every other regard. These are "out there"
and if you know what to look for, easy to find.

Laminated decks with the original script are nice,
easily better than the typeset copies. Good luck!

Fulgour said:

I wanted to add... editions without the copyright
are rare, and the soft matte finish version is the
same in every other regard. These are "out there"
and if you know what to look for, easy to find.

Laminated decks with the original script are nice,
easily better than the typeset copies. Good luck!

Click to expand...

This is so right, and for some reason they read much better too!!! ~Rosanne

Where would you start to look for an uncopywrited deck? Aside from Ebay as I don't know enough about the backs etc to know what I am buying

Emeraldgirl said:

Where would you start to look for an uncopywrited deck? Aside from Ebay as I don't know enough about the backs etc to know what I am buying

Click to expand...

USA Canada and UK

*

The decks from around 1971 and thereafter with no copyright
were printed for Rider by Muller & Cie., then later U.S.Games.
It's funny about them, because when they do come up for sale
the seller either knows (high price) or doesn't (very low price)
about the real value... because it's only valuable if you want it.

There are cards with the copyright that are exactly the same,
meaning they have a soft matte finish (feels like tallow soap),
and the card stock is resilient, paperlike, not kind of plasticky.

These are often referred to as the "Accurate Color Tones" decks,
because there is a note on the bottom of the pack saying that.
They have a New York zip code, too. N.Y. 10016. But this isn't
always the case, as there are overlaps to the laminated decks.

Laminated decks with script are much easier to find, and the rule
is usually NO bold Pamela Colman Smith name on the box back.
The colors are lovely, the lamination is actually quite acceptable,
and there you are ~ so just try and get an old deck with script,
and who knows... it might have a soft matte finish, or even...

You can learn a lot by studying a few dozen boxes.

"Accurate Color Tones" decks with the
soft matte finish (and the copyright)
will almost always have the NY 10016
zip code... this takes some know how,
figuring it all out, but the decks exist.

No copyright.
On the box, or on the edges of the cards, or both.

I hate the copyright things on the edges of the cards.