Best Rider-Waite Issue

beatles1318

Being such a popular deck, there are many different versions of the Rider-Waite deck. But what is the best issue? I already know for sure the current US games version sucks. What version(s) do you like the most? If you could write out the name or give a link, that'd be great. Thanks!
 

Le Fanu

this thread will get loooooong.....

But for anyone who - in the future - can't be bothered to read all pages, most people will probably say the US Games Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative set deck

(you wanted links; here )

I don't really go for that one. I have it and sort of like it but there are little things that irritate me about it.

I personally like the old copyright-free Blue Box Rider & Co set. Nasty backs but the lovely unlaminated fronts with colouring that is very like the proper antique Pam Bs, more than make up for it.

Link? I can't find a non-ebay link but I have included in the attachments below a photo I did of three Star cards from my decks; left to right, my gorgeously battered and stained blue box Rider & Co deck. Middle; a brand new, unused blue box Rider & Co one just to show the extent of the filth in the other one. Then last and very much least, the fakely stained Commemorative set deck. You see, no cards ever go that colour when they're old.

I also love the colours of the LoS 2009 edition of the Rider Waite Smith deck (see 2nd attachment). It has borders which nobody much likes but close up, it's very nicely coloured and sharply reproduced, comfortable size and has very nice rose & lilies backs. The edition put out for the U.S market can be seen in attachment 3.

Those are my favourites. I also like the Original Rider Waite Smith US Games deck as long as it is printed in Belgium but can't be bothered finding a link :D
 

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Emily

As someone who will probably never get her hands on a vintage Rider Waite, I'm very happy with the Centennial RWS, I've learned how to ignore the copyright on the fronts, and I'm also very keen on the LoS PCS. Both are my favourites. :)

EDIT
In early 2016, Lo Scarabeo changed the artwork of the LoS PCS so I would not recommend the second version/edition.
 

Richard

Smith-Waite Centennial (PCS Commemorative)
 

beatles1318

this thread will get loooooong.....

But for anyone who - in the future - can't be bothered to read all pages, most people will probably say the US Games Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative set deck

(you wanted links; here )

I don't really go for that one. I have it and sort of like it but there are little things that irritate me about it.

I personally like the old copyright-free Blue Box Rider & Co set. Nasty backs but the lovely unlaminated fronts with colouring that is very like the proper antique Pam Bs, more than make up for it.

Link? I can't find a non-ebay link but I have included in the attachments below a photo I did of three Star cards from my decks; left to right, my gorgeously battered and stained blue box Rider & Co deck. Middle; a brand new, unused blue box Rider & Co one just to show the extent of the filth in the other one. Then last and very much least, the fakely stained Commemorative set deck. You see, no cards ever go that colour when they're old.

I also love the colours of the LoS 2009 edition of the Rider Waite Smith deck (see 2nd attachment). It has borders which nobody much likes but close up, it's very nicely coloured and sharply reproduced, comfortable size and has very nice rose & lilies backs. The edition put out for the U.S market can be seen in attachment 3.

Those are my favourites. I also like the Original Rider Waite Smith US Games deck as long as it is printed in Belgium but can't be bothered finding a link :D


Is this the one you're talking about?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-RELEASE...425?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item33827bb4f1
 

Aeric

The Original Rider-Waite is currently the only version on the market which is historically accurate on both front and back.

The front is a facsimile of the Pam "C" third image printing, with murkier colours. The back features the blue-and-white Tudor Rose & Lilies back that was part of some of the earliest printings of the deck.

All other Waite decks on the market feature as backs either the crosshatched blue tarotee replaced by U.S. Games, or a new design by the person who recoloured the front, such as the Albano-Waite's gold sun, the Universal Waite's starry night, and the Smith-Waite Centennial's Rose and signatures.
 

Debra

But for anyone who - in the future - can't be bothered to read all pages, most people will probably say the US Games Pamela Colman Smith Commemorative set deck

(you wanted links; here )

I don't really go for that one. I have it and sort of like it but there are little things that irritate me about it..... the fakely stained Commemorative set deck. You see, no cards ever go that colour when they're old.

Interestingly, truelighth, a member here, says the US Games Commemorative is quite true to the oldest-known original first-printing deck, called the Roses & Lillies Pam A. Stuart Kaplan of US Games has one and used it as the source for the Commemorative, and truelighth has one, and as far as I recall there are two others known to exist. Here's where she talks about it: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=197968
 

Freddie

I like Albano-Waite the best.



Freddie
 

Le Fanu