Which Rider-Waite?

Thanks Welf,
Yes, it's what I was afraid of.. I think this person has just read the 71 in the lwb.
Oh well.. I DO rather like the backs, certainly better than the hideous tartan!
It hasn't even actually arrived yet, I'll see when it gets here.

LOL Nisaba, I don't have either of those decks.. but I must admit the diamond sounds intriguing..
I have the radiant and love that, the jewel colours really appeal!
But then I also love my new Pamela Colman Smith deck, it's almost a sensuous experience just holding that deck!

I have the Traveller version of the 2 part blue box Rider as well as the normal size. It is gorgeous.

I have the purple box Rider with the USG copyright badness too. Same cardstock, stupid copyright.

Regarding the Original, the earlier versions have less shiny plastic cardstock. So there are differences as you go through different production dates. It may be that you have an early cardstock.

Aerin

Oh ok, I'll just have to wait and see.. should be here earlier next week.
Thanks!

Ive got a 1993 edition of the Original (when it first came out I think). The pre-gloss phase of US Games. It has lovely cardstock. Perfect to shuffle and has a nice "weight" to it.

I can vouch for the Diamond too. Quite a unique experience, tripping down those psychedelic tunnels like Alice down the rabbit hole!

Le Fanu said:

Ive got a 1993 edition of the Original (when it first came out I think). The pre-gloss phase of US Games. It has lovely cardstock. Perfect to shuffle and has a nice "weight" to it.

I can vouch for the Diamond too. Quite a unique experience, tripping down those psychedelic tunnels like Alice down the rabbit hole!

Click to expand...

It seems as though this is the edition I have too..
It has a copyright 1993 in the little key to the tarot book that came with it. (It's printed in Belgium)

After having a look at the scans The 78th Fool sent of the 3 of Wands in the Lo Scarabeo RWS Anniversary edition thread, the colours on this one appear to be quite different. The top of the cape looks blue in this one, also in the foreground there are blue patches that look like water..
Overall they have a more muted appearance than what I've seen in other versions of the 'original'.

I love it though! Your right the cardstock IS quite nice. Even with my clumsy shuffling it's a dream!

I'm going to have to check out that trippy Diamond!

Brigid*69 said:

It seems as though this is the edition I have too..
It has a copyright 1993 in the little key to the tarot book that came with it. (It's printed in Belgium)
I love it though! Your right the cardstock IS quite nice. Even with my clumsy shuffling it's a dream!
I'm going to have to check out that trippy Diamond!

Click to expand...

Good one!!! That's the one I have too... And do go check the Diamond... It certainly is quite a trip and gives a different sort of a view of the Rider... It's like entering and going through a jewelled tunnel...

Welf

I couldn't agree more, Welf, it's exactly like that. What the hell, get 'em all! I'm only lacking the Albano. Is it, like the Diamond, significantly different? What are its backs like - not that dreary tartan?

http://home.comcast.net/~vilex/Cardbacks.html

Knock you'self out

I was shocked when I saw the blue plaid on my first no-copyright-in-sight US Games Rider deck.

Then I learned that the pattern has a name (tarotee) and a reason (doesn't require aligning fronts and backs) and it grew on me. Now it seems right.

I'll put in another vote for Radiant. The colors are so wonderful and really help to bring the pictures to life.

I'm not a giant fan of the Waite-Smith deck, but when I decided to approach tarot as a reader rather than a learner (was a Thoth-ite for more years than I can count) I got a Waite-Smith deck. I wanted to place my feet on a more traditional tarot path. This initial purchase has led me to some wonderful decks that I use regularly. So even though I don't read with my Waite-Smith deck, I wouldn't trade it for the world.

alec...

Of the currently available editions, The Colman Smith Tarot from the PCS commemorative set and Lo Scarabeo's anniversary edition of the RWS are my personal favourites. I couldn't pick between the two. They are both gorgeous. The former is a facsimile of a first edition deck. The latter is a facsimile of the brighter coloured second edition. This does have Scarabeo's standard multi-lingual titles but they are beautifully presented, the reproduction of the images is very accurate and above all, the cards have the Roses and Lilies back design.

The US Games deck has a lovely back design based on PCS's monogram and the Tudor rose from the Death card. This also has the original calligraphy titles on the cards.

Of my out of print editions, my blue box Rider edition and the gilt edged deluxe versions are really treasured. Won't ever part with those!

Chris. xx