5 Positives about Lo Scarabeo decks

I feel I have to add something as well. Please don't feel demotivated.

I know I mentioned the card stock etc, but they were just general comments as I interpreted the thread as being about LS decks as a whole rather than individually.

I agree with Lillie- I've bought a fair few LS decks, have only been disappointed with my choice once but that is bound to happen occaisionally, and the quality is always good. I buy the decks I like the look of knowing that and it is a bonus

I second Lillie on this.

For me one of the major factors of buying a deck is the cardstock. I have some of the loveliest decks in the world, let down by bad cardstock, cards that bend or warp when you try to use them or cards so thick it's like trying to shuffle beermats.

LS decks always use the same cardstock, always use the same lamination, not like that thick varnish USGames have started to use, and most of the LS are the same size. So when I buy a LS deck, I know what I'm getting - nice size, good quality card and they won't stick together like a brick when I take them out.

You have a huge range of different themes - from traditional, modern, classic, futuristic, animals, fey, mermaids, the list goes on - no other publisher has such a range - and you bring decks out each year and never seem to run out of ideas. There is a deck to suit everyone.

Praise for LS

I agree with the initiating post; I have not been an enthused about LS, but credit is due. They have made some truely interesting decks (Pinter's Immagination, III Millenium, etc.). They have invested rather significnatly in recreating historical decks which I find admirable and respectful of the tradition and life-blood of tarot (though one, in particular, really p&%$ed me off, the Gringonneur / Estensi deck, of which there are only 17 extant cards, yet one of these few, original cards was not imaged in the LS deck because the artist thought the original, circa 1491, Fante di Spade, wasn't interesting enough).

In fact, with the Estensi Deck I bought from LS, I am conflicted about cutting their boarder off of every card. I am a fuss-budget about respecting the design of a deck regardless of what I think of it, but their boarders are kind of disgusting. I am even more tempted to take a photocopy from my Kaplan's of the Fante and glue it on top of that card in the LS deck; gosh, that would feel good! US Games and Kaplan will fabricate a missing card and explain the historical rationale for their choices; they wont add their own boarders, and make an attempt to give you the idea of what the original backing looked like. Better still, when Piatnik makes a reproduction deck, wherein an origianal card is simply missing, your deck has a missing card. I'd rather cut a piece of cardboard to-size and label it 10 Acorns, if I must have a card, rather than have someone else's guess. [Your honest opinion folks, am I stuck up?]

To their credit, if you take a look at "Trident" web site (an off-shoot of the House of Tarot site), you can view some of the very interesting decks LS has published, I mean, decks of cards OTHER THAN TAROT, some vulgar, many hoy-piloy, but some very worth while historical decks. Also, reading Riccardo's most recent post, announcing their "20th Anniversary" book, sounds very interesting and I am intrigued. I will definately check out the book and certainly buy it if it's as good as it sounds.

ric, un artista è capito raramente. sia prego paziente con noi -- che la maggior parte di noi qui amano il vostro lavoro.

I think it's too late for "sia prego paziente con noi"

now, we are being punished

I know all of this has already been said, but I have to get my own thoughts off my chest. When I first read Ric's post (I'm going to assume that he's not even going to read these responses), I kind of understood why he feels the way he does, and I felt absolutely terrible because my post emphasized the card stock. But then I gave it more thought and actually got upset. Of all the "hate LS" threads that go one around here, THIS is the one that sends him packing? Then I thought, well maybe he just misinterpreted the intent of the thread? (Or at least my interpretation of it.)

If I'm asked to list 5 things I love about any one particular deck, that can be done easily enough, and the publisher of the deck wouldn't even matter. But if I'm asked to list 5 things I love about a Lo Scarabeo deck, I'm going to start with what I love about LS in general. And, well, the ONE thing that ALL LS decks have in common is the consistency of card stock, size, and packaging, and that cannot be underestimated. It can make the difference between whether a deck is used, or whether it sits in a drawer, gets traded, or gets relegated to "meditation deck because I can't shuffle it." It can even make the difference as to whether a deck is even purchased, as was mentioned about the poorer quality of Llewellyn decks as of late, or the new shiny, sticky, and stinky lamination of some of the new US Games decks.

All you have to do is read some of the threads around here to know how important card stock is to some people. And although diversity is a feature of LS that I think is wonderful, other people believe it's taking the art of Tarot into the bowels of hell; too much commercialism and getting too far away from the true symbolism of the traditional images.

I can only hope Riccardo WILL come back to this thread, and the forum, and realize the true nature and intent of what we were trying to convey. I, for one, really appreciate the fact that Ric contributes to the LS threads and explains the process and reasoning behind certain decks. In more than one case, those posts have helped me understand the intention and then sent me running to my local Borders. And I honor the fact that he chooses to defend LS and some of their decks and doesn't seem to get offended by other people opinions. Which makes his post here so puzzling to me. It actually makes me very sad...

SittingIdiot said:

I agree with the initiating post; I have not been an enthused about LS, but credit is due. They have made some truely interesting decks (Pinter's Immagination, III Millenium, etc.). They have invested rather significnatly in recreating historical decks which I find admirable and respectful of the tradition and life-blood of tarot (though one, in particular, really p&%$ed me off, the Gringonneur / Estensi deck, of which there are only 17 extant cards, yet one of these few, original cards was not imaged in the LS deck because the artist thought the original, circa 1491, Fante di Spade, wasn't interesting enough).

In fact, with the Estensi Deck I bought from LS, I am conflicted about cutting their boarder off of every card. I am a fuss-budget about respecting the design of a deck regardless of what I think of it, but their boarders are kind of disgusting. I am even more tempted to take a photocopy from my Kaplan's of the Fante and glue it on top of that card in the LS deck; gosh, that would feel good! US Games and Kaplan will fabricate a missing card and explain the historical rationale for their choices; they wont add their own boarders, and make an attempt to give you the idea of what the original backing looked like. Better still, when Piatnik makes a reproduction deck, wherein an origianal card is simply missing, your deck has a missing card. I'd rather cut a piece of cardboard to-size and label it 10 Acorns, if I must have a card, rather than have someone else's guess. [Your honest opinion folks, am I stuck up?]

To their credit, if you take a look at "Trident" web site (an off-shoot of the House of Tarot site), you can view some of the very interesting decks LS has published, I mean, decks of cards OTHER THAN TAROT, some vulgar, many hoy-piloy, but some very worth while historical decks. Also, reading Riccardo's most recent post, announcing their "20th Anniversary" book, sounds very interesting and I am intrigued. I will definately check out the book and certainly buy it if it's as good as it sounds.

Click to expand...

Excuse me, but the point of this thread is to say 5 good things about LS Tarot decks, not creak on about what you don't like and how you would have done it differently and end up with the possibility that you might buy an upcoming book, if you think it's as good as it sounds.
You're in the wrong thread, Sitting Idiot. And with the post Riccardo just wrote, you are also being very insensitive, in my opinion.

Generally, I like Lo Scarabeo Tarot decks for the following reasons:

1. Artwork.

2. Wide range of subjects or themes--from the historical, to the classical, to the modern, to the mythological, to the manga. The special editions & the mini editions.

3. Offers decks reflective of subjects or themes of personal interest: Atlantis, Mermaids, Klimt, Dragons, the Fey; several classical & historical decks.

4. Inspire a deeper appreciation of a particular subject & learning more about it (as Solitaire* mentions).

5. Consistent quality.

6. Multi-lingual titles & LWBs.

As a publishing house, Lo Scarabeo's decks evince an interest in the unusual & the less-beaten path. That speaks of both an artistic integrity & courage in addressing a market segment not generally recognized by the more commercial venues. & a more global sensibility as represented by the use of the multi-lingual.

(Of note, their themed playing cards also characterized by superb artwork & high quality. Available direct from Lo Scarabeo; or House of Tarot.)

Lastly: I have no vested interest in any deck publisher nor deck supplier. My comments strictly as a Tarot enthusiast.

I am not going to list five things, mainly because there are more than five reasons that I like Lo Scarabeo cards. What I will say is that of the seven decks I use the most for readings, five of those are published by LoScarabeo. I can't think of any higher praise than that.

I was recently gifted a Lo Scarabeo deck and a week and a bit later I have got another and have two more on order. And this after I said I cannot afford any more decks!

What I like most is the intresting subject manner that allows my muse and intuition to speak rather than having to use books on every card in every reading.