is it time for us to love US Games ultra-lamination?

I have found myself asking this question of late...

For so long, U.S Games uber-glossy lamination has been the bug-bear of many members, including me, but Im now beginning to question this. Has the time come for us to accept it and see the virtues?

I ask this as Ive noticed that I actually love some of my ultra-laminated decks. Think about it; the glossy Morgan Greer looks great, the colours are richer, the cardstock is eternal, it feels sturdy in the palm of your hand in a way that the "printed in Belgium" editions don't. I also have and love the Russian Tarot of St Petersburg and honestly think that the lamination - reminiscent of the lacquered boxes the artwork imitates - is perfect for the deck. I passed over a chance to buy a "printed in Belgium" edition for this reason.

This week, I received the ("printed in Italy") Albino-Waite and love it regardless. I put an ad in trading as Im curious about what the "Made in Belgium" version is like in comparison. Yet I like the sense that the deck isn't biodegradable. And that I can use it. My partner came back from a business trip in Barcelona today and he had bought me (hurrah!) the Giant Rider Waite. It is "Printed in Italy" and I love it.

OK, downside;

The toxic chemical smell (with use and incense, the smell goes.)

Sometimes the "printed in Italy" editions show a marked deterioration in the actual clarity of image.

The incongruity of "historic decks" and industrial lamination; not a good combination. Id hate to see the Vieville given the lacquering treatment. But then, isn't the Albino-Waite a historic deck now? It has "facsimilie" written on the box and that is how I regard it. A facsimilie /copy of a "historic" deck and one I can use. It isn't the original 60s version and isn't trying to be.

And another thing, comparing the two cardstocks, Ive noticed the "printed in Belgium" ones are on thinner card which can sometimes (as happened to my Hudes and has happened to my Connolly) "bend" slightly in unison. The "printed in Italy" cards never bend. They feel nicely heavy. Im one who likes my cardstock thick and my do they feel thick...

I might be beginning to like it. I was in a shop at Christmas which had the US Games Art Nouveau Tarot which was open for perusal. I had a look at the cards and they were all stuck together (now that was nasty; obviously I didn't buy it) . Ive never had that before and I didn't like it, but all the ones Ive had have ended up being well-loved, well-used decks.

My question; do you avoid the "Printed in Italy" decks? How many do you have? Do you wish you didn't have any? Is it time for us to love them? Should I still be trying to avoid them like the plague? Will we be looking back 10 years hence thinking "ooo remember those exquisitely lacquered decks from the past. Now they're made in China, it's all gone downhill. None of that luxurious finish"...

I personally look for printed in Belgium, but if I want it, nothing will keep me from getting a deck. I love, adore, simply cannot do without my Deviant Moon, and that deck will almost certainly survive with the cockroaches and Twinkies. I prefer the silken feel of nice, old cardstock, but soon we won't be able to get it anymore. Heavy lamination has something to be said for it, not least of which is it is totally wipe clean and nigh indestructible, and as you have mentioned, some colors really pop under the gloss.

Incidentally, my decks that I have recently received that were printed in China (Halloween, Quantum, Paulina, Touchstone mm spring to mind) are on lovely, non plasticky feeling cardstock.

At first, I was annoyed by the cards sticking together. However, I've come to appreciate some of the plasticky decks becauseI'm a clutz. I remember studying my Deviant Moon deck on my bed and leaned over for some reason.
I had my elbow on the 7 of Cups with all my weight pushing down bending the card. Needless to say, I nearly cried. However, with a little flattening by a book, I could barely tell that it was dented. Plus I'm a card rifler, so it stands up pretty well to my crazy shuffles.

eta:I don't avoid the printed in Italy decks; I just make sure I'm extra careful with them. Right now, I'm thinking about purchasing another copy of the Manga Tarot because the one I have is beginning to wear out.

Le Fanu said:

is it time for us to love US Games ultra-lamination?

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Le Fanu said:

I have found myself asking this question of late...

For so long, U.S Games uber-glossy lamination has been the bug-bear of many members, including me, but Im now beginning to question this. Has the time come for us to accept it and see the virtues?

I ask this as Ive noticed that I actually love some of my ultra-laminated decks.

Click to expand...

OK, take some deep breaths. No, stop, maybe it's breathing in that toxic chemical lamination smell that's the cause of all this. Don't breathe. I mean, ok breathe, but do it away from those printed in Italy decks.

Le Fanu said:

The toxic chemical smell (with use and incense, the smell goes.)

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Really? Does it really ever go???? And look what it's DOING TO YOU!

Le Fanu said:

Sometimes the "printed in Italy" editions show a marked deterioration in the actual clarity of image.

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Yes, this is sounding more sane.

Le Fanu said:

I might be beginning to like it.

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Move away from the plastic decks.....NOW!

Le Fanu said:

My question; do you avoid the "Printed in Italy" decks?

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Yes, I loathe them.

Le Fanu said:

How many do you have? Do you wish you didn't have any?

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The only ones I have are decks I really, really wanted where there is simply no other option, ie. they were only ever printed in this horrible fashion. But the sad thing is I don't use any of them They don't shuffle properly, they slip all over the place and they stink. They are not cards, they are plastics! And I don't like plastics!

Le Fanu said:

Is it time for us to love them?

Click to expand...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Le Fanu said:

Should I still be trying to avoid them like the plague?

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YES YES YES YES YES........again, STEP AWAY FROM THE PLASTIC DECKS

Le Fanu said:

Will we be looking back 10 years hence thinking "ooo remember those exquisitely lacquered decks from the past. Now they're made in China, it's all gone downhill. None of that luxurious finish"...

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I know I won't

Seriously, if Lo Scarabeo can still produce decks with glorious card stock why can't US Games? The LS decks shuffle well, smell fine, get that lovely 'used' feeling after time, and feel just perfect. You know this is true Le Fanu. Now calm down, we'll find you a copy of the Albano-Waite that was printed in Belgium. It's ok. It's all going to be ok Step away from the plastics....

I tend to like the silken buttery cards like Tarot de Paris, Bohemian Gothic and the Tarot of Prague.

I think somehow the shiney card stock on the Diviant Moon suits it. However, I often try to picture it with a matt finish.

now i am fairly new at deck buying, but i must say i am loving the lamination!
i am clumsy and so these are more durable for people who have no co-ordinatiton like me.

also these will last alot longer then some of the non-laminated decks, or even the not-so-shiny ones (i have an original RWS mini which is lovely but too warn to use because its not laminated).

i love the rustic feel of the other non glossy ones, but i am limited in places i can use them because of my affliction

I like the real glossy ones because they're usually printed on thinner card stock and it's easier to bend them for a shuffle. They're not like trying to shuffle floor tiles till they get broken in. One of my favorites is the Morgan Greer. I wasn't crazy about the deck but then along came the new lamination and it appealed to me more. Now I actually love using it.

I'm really sad about my beloved Victorian Romantic because it's gotten so that now it's like floppy pieces of fabric and I find it very hard to shuffle. I wish it had been produced in the same cardstock at the Bohemian Gothic, although I realize they didn't know about the better cardstock at the time. I'll always love my VR, but I wish it weren't so floppy now.

There's a lot to be said for a good, sturdy lamination, in my opinion.

I'm with Sapienza when she says 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO'

I don't like heavy lamination at all.. Cards should feel like cards and should get softer as they are shuffled, worked with and loved. They shouldn't feel as if they'll survive a nuclear blast and they certainly shouldn't smell so strongly of noxious chemicals that they bring on an instant migraine.

I haven't bought a US Games deck since I bought the terribly laminated Deviant Moon Deck and one of the reasons why that isn't used and is still in it's box (it will eventually be traded away), is because of that ghastly lamination.

Cardboard, lightly coated with a matte or satin varnish is what I want.

well, the other day i received my original rws, and it was printed in italy (to my disappointment. i thought i had a slight chance of getting the older edition)

and i really didn't like the feel of the cards (although i LOVE the colours!), i always felt like having sweaty hands when handling them. and they were sliding all over the place. (but fortunately they are not smelly!)

what i did was, i got a brand new washing up sponge thingy (you know, soft sponge with a rough, almost wiry side?) and with that i lightly scatched the cards, in fast, circular movements, front and back.

i love the result. it doesn't affect the colour (only on the 3 of pentacles there are tiny scratches in the black parts - i must have overdone it there), but it takes away that plastic, sweaty feeling. i think they are almost feeling a bit silky/satiny now, what i imagine the older lamination to feel like.

so if you don't like the lamination on some of your decks, give it a shot!
kat

Le Fanu! I think somebody got your password and is making joke posts in your name!

Oh, go ahead and love plasticky cardstock if you want to. I really wanted the Deviant Moon and had no choice. It's not the shininess of the deck that bothers me; at least, not with a modern deck--but the static electricity/antistatic. Shuffle as I may, it's always the same cards that volunteer for a cut, and I DON'T think it's because there's a special message for me. They're just not as staticked together as the others, which are mighty hard to separate. This makes the deck hard to do spreads with. I don't know if some anti-static spray exists, and if so, whether it is advisable to use it on the cards.