"Paper" or "Plastic"?

I vastly prefer the "feel" of non-laminated, matte finish decks (such as those that De Vecchi and Il Meneghello issue). But I don't really use those decks, aside from taking them out of their boxes and admiring them from time to time.

For use, I prefer good 'ol mass market lamination, which is admittedly sometimes "plastic" in feel. But it wears well .

Annabelle said:

I vastly prefer the "feel" of non-laminated, matte finish decks (such as those that De Vecchi and Il Meneghello issue). But I don't really use those decks, aside from taking them out of their boxes and admiring them from time to time.

For use, I prefer good 'ol mass market lamination, which is admittedly sometimes "plastic" in feel. But it wears well .

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I also prefer the look and feel of unlaminated cards, although laminated is much more practical in the long run.

If you want a Meneghello deck you can use comfortably without fear of smudging and wear n tear, look at the Tarocco Italiano - Dotti - Milano 1845 - 2500 copies.

the lamination on those cards is so heavy it's ridiculous ..... I swear you could use them while you soak in a tub LOL...the surface glare is unreal if your desk lamp is aimed at the wrong angle

but the cards are gorgeous and ideally proportioned for people with small hands.....just thought I'd mention that since a lot of people complain about some decks being too large

Two of my favourite decks are at opposite ends of the laminate spectrum.

My Original RWS feels very plasticky and sticky, whereas my New Century deck feels rough and very cardboard-like.
Unfortunately I'd like my RWS to show a bit of wear, but the laminate makes it virtually indestructible. On the other hand, I'd like my New Century to remain pristine, but it's already got loads of scratches and looks like I've had it for years.

Ho-hum

I love the slightly matt look to my Fey. It's a dream to shuffle too.

I hate, hate, hate the plastic like finish on the Original RW and Universal Waite. It's probably partly why I've stuck with my Fey for so long.
They just stick together in a horrible chunks every time I get them out of the box. The best thing about the ORW is the box which looks pretty cool.

I'm going to get myself one of the older Rider Waites the one with the blue box and the world card pictured on the front as it's meant to have a nicer finish. Then maybe I could actually bring myself to work with the images.

I think tarot is a tactile experience and having heavy laminated cards just ruins that for me personally.

my original RWS cards are soooo plasticky/slippy/slidy, it makes me feel a little strange when handling them. Like they aren't as 'real' or comfortable as the more matt cards somehow. I wonder if they'll ever 'wear down' to a more comfortable feel? At least they're durable though.

I don't really mind the slippery ones (except when I have to pick them up from the floor) but I do love the papery feel of my Sakki-Sakki
I guess I'm not picky in this respect.

AngelC

I guess it just depends. I don't mind plastic-feeling cards if they are done right. Some of Il Meneghello's decks are laminated and feel like plastic but they don't smell or stick together. I don't care at all for the US Games decks printed in Italy with their heavy lamination. I like the way the printing looks on unlaminated cards. There is nothing at all between you and the colors. Sometimes unlaminated cards actually stick together too, so it's not a perfect world by any means.

For whatever it's worth, the Original Rider Waite comes in a version printed in Belgium that has a satin finish - very nice.

Abrac said:

I
For whatever it's worth, the Original Rider Waite comes in a version printed in Belgium that has a satin finish - very nice.

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ooh sounds lovely! Does anyone know where these are available?

The ISBN to look for is 0880796863. It looks like there are a few available at Amazon UK and a lot at ABE. If you can find one with Temperance on the front of the box I would get it. It is an earlier edition and the colors seem a little better to me. I'm not sure if it's even still in print, but you might be able to find one on a store shelf.

I also see there are several available on eBay with stock photos of the early edition. I would beware of stock photos though as they are not always the actual item.

yay!

that is so helpful, ta!