Gilded Tarot Royale

[Chiriku]

I plan to come back at a later time and offer my opinion on the art and content of the Gilded Tarot Royale. However, I would like to up front address my only real beef with the deck. It's with something that may seem trivial (and for most of my tarot life, has been something I've dismissed as of utterly negligible importance when compared to the artwork in a deck): the card stock.

It's not even the thickness/thinness, flexibility, lamination, or corners--the usual suspects in decks--that are giving me trouble. All of those are fine.

I have a problem rather with the texture on the fronts of the cards. They have a slightly raised, roughened "nub" to them not unlike fine sandpaper. It rouses a sort of "nails on chalkboard" apprehension in me. I don't like feeling this when I go to touch a card and I'm shocking myself now when I say it's actually slightly putting me off using the deck--a deck that I otherwise like and want to use.

This is not the first deck I've owned with that issue. I don't use Nathalie Hertz's Faerie Tarot anyway because the theme and art are not to my tastes but even if I loved them, I still wouldn't use the deck that much because I don't like handling those sandpapery card faces.

Now that I think of it, my mass-market Legacy of the Divine is somewhat sandpapery, too. Again--this bothers me more in a deck I'd otherwise want to use, and LotD has turned out to be one such deck.

Besides the aforementioned three, I can't think of any other decks I have with that sandpapery feel to them. I don't know what to call it or what others would classify it as when comparing the card stock to that of other decks.

I wonder if this bothers anyone else in the Gilded Royale and, if so, if you've figured out a way around this. Perhaps rubbing the cards face down on a specific surface would do the trick? Hopefully just frequent use?

[lyssac]

I went back and forth, wondering if I should get the royale version instead of the original one. In the end, I ordered the original, because I got a good deal from Amazon. Now, I am wondering if I shouldn't get this one as well.

[Le Fanu]

Originally Posted by lyssac

I went back and forth, wondering if I should get the royale version instead of the original one. In the end, I ordered the original, because I got a good deal from Amazon. Now, I am wondering if I shouldn't get this one as well.

Completely different decks. The Gilded Royale is the apotheosis tarot vision of Ciro's art. It's (honestly) the best thing he has ever done and what makes it so special is that he comes full circle and sort of poetically reworks the very first deck. Yet to compare the two - to me - doesn't weirdly make that much sense in that I never liked the original much and still can't get much from it. I got the original out again this weekend just to double check. Nope. And yet the Royale has been fast-tracked to top ever decks for me and it reads like a dream. I love it and still can't stop looking at it.

Good deal or not from amazon, it's a completely different deck (sorry to have to say so). Of course, come people love the traditional Gilded, but it's not the Royale.

(oh and just for the record I that texture that Chiriku writes of)

[Chiriku]

Well, I'm glad the texture is working for someone.

Originally Posted by Le Fanu

Completely different decks. The Gilded Royale is the apotheosis tarot vision of Ciro's art. It's (honestly) the best thing he has ever done and what makes it so special is that he comes full circle and sort of poetically reworks the very first deck. Yet to compare the two - to me - doesn't weirdly make that much sense in that I never liked the original much and still can't get much from it.

You should heed this, lyssac. I can take it even further than that: the original Gilded is the only deck I was so certain I would never use or even look at again that it remains the only deck that has ever left my collection (whether through sale, trade, or gift).

The Gilded Royale is very different to the Gilded. If I thought they were more the same than different, I can assure you that I never would have dreamed of purchasing the former.

If you are looking for a mass-market Ciro Marchetti deck, why not try Legacy of the Divine? These days, mass-markets will never be up to the standards of most creator/self-produced decks, but they serve their place. The Legacy was the deck that paved the way for me to buy Gilded Royale, because it taught me to appreciate certain aspects of digital art that are not present in traditional media. In fact, the Legacy displays these particular element more than either of the Gilded-family ones.

Of course, a great many people love the original Gilded--it is one of the bestselling decks of the past few decades---and you might be one of them, too. Just don't expect it to be a more affordable version of the Gilded Royale.

[cirom]

Originally Posted by Chiriku

Just don't expect it to be a more affordable version of the Gilded Royale.

Exactly......

I'm not trying to persuade anyone to buy either of these versions (or any other deck for that matter) All I would ask is that each is judged in context. If I could use an analogy of the Star Trek franchise. The original series was without question popular and had its merits relative to the times, but looking back the acting, the set designs and the special effects now look cheesy, certainly to my eyes. And so I wanted to remake it. And while there is a common theme and story line concept shared between the two, the Royale has a new cast, new sets and with special effects that are current and credible to the eyes of todays audience. People can judge both Gildeds in whichever way they wish, but the original will certainly fall short if the criterea is just for a cheaper version of the two.

[Elendil]

So will an app version for the Kindle Fire be available for this deck...?

[cirom]

Yes, Its almost complete, and then just has to go through the submission and approval process.

[Mallah]

Ok, so if I get it (I'm getting ready to order, Thursday) am i gonna want 2? I read quite a bit professionally, sometimes about 50 readings a month...am I gonna wear it out and want a backup? 3 maybe? How is everyone's holding up? I like big cards, love the Guilded and the Legacy. Won't mind the size, but might mind if they get all junked up and I can't replace them later.

by the way, hi, everybody. I'm back now...I've been away for a long time
Mallah

[VGimlet]

Well...you might.

I have 2 copies of the Gilded, which I use for clients - it's one of the favorites for all of them. My second copy is still shrink-wrapped, BUT I know that if my other gilded, which goes everywhere with me gets mucked up in my bag, or wine gets spilled or something... I don't even have to worry about going to a store, because I have one right there. Safe and sound.

I have 3 copies of the Mary-el, which I use for myself alone.

I have thought about getting a couple extra copies of the Royale, too. Which says a lot because I do not, in general, buy back up copies of anything. It's like the Gilded was the caterpiller, and the Royale is the butterfly. IMO.

Originally Posted by Mallah

Ok, so if I get it (I'm getting ready to order, Thursday) am i gonna want 2? I read quite a bit professionally, sometimes about 50 readings a month...am I gonna wear it out and want a backup? 3 maybe? How is everyone's holding up? I like big cards, love the Guilded and the Legacy. Won't mind the size, but might mind if they get all junked up and I can't replace them later.

by the way, hi, everybody. I'm back now...I've been away for a long time
Mallah

[Calcifer]

I keep forgetting to mention this in a post...

The Royale is listed as "reversible", but it actually isn't... quite..

If you look closely at the back of the cards, in the center circle are five small colored "dots" - so ONE is always either pointing "up", or "down" as the case may be. Not that I really give a whit - this deck is a showstopper and the highest possibly quality too :-). Thanks again Ciro !

Michael