Matthews' Arthurian Tarot -- Still Used?

[Morwenna]

Another swooner here.

Is there a difference between the "Big Blue Book" and the books that preceded it? I have Hallowquest in storage and the course book at home. Do I need to go shopping again?

[Pollux]

It's still in my wishlist actually, it has just never appear in seizable distance for me though...
I'm still curious to get one and see how it works out, but couldn't care less for each and all companion books honestly...

[Patrick Booker]

I am guessing that the 'Big Blue Book' is the single volume version of 'Hallowquest' and 'The Arthurian Tarot Course', perhaps edited:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hallowquest-...3616497&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Hallowquest-Ar...3616855&sr=1-2

Patrick

[Faolainn Storm]

Originally Posted by Morwenna

Is there a difference between the "Big Blue Book" and the books that preceded it? I have Hallowquest in storage and the course book at home. Do I need to go shopping again?

Yes there is a difference between the contents of the various books.

There are five books:
Arthurian Tarot: A Hallowquest Handbook - red (or ten of spears)
Arthurian Tarot Course: A Quest for All Seasons -yellow
Hallowquest: Tarot Magic and the Arthurian Mysteries - purple
Hallowquest: The Arthurian Tarot Course - blue
LWB that comes with the new version - also purple

The yellow book has 60 lessons, while the blue book has 63. In the blue book's course Lessons 30 (The Arthurian Triads), 43 (Self Clarification) and 56 (Totem Triads) have been added. Lessons 30 and 56 are Chapter 7 of the purple Hallowquest book and 43 seems to completely new.

And the blue book has only about half of the stuff in the purple Hallowquest book - all of chapters 1, 2 and 7, and some of chapters 4, 5 and 6, but nothing of chapters 3, 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12. However, chapters 1, 3, 9 and 10 are more or less what is in the red handbook. So only chapters 8, 11 and 12 (the stuff on meditation and ritual) are not covered elsewhere.

The new LWB has very abbreviated versions of the card meanings from the red handbook and some questions (three for the majors and one for the minors) to consider.

So if you have the purple and blue books, you pretty much have it all - unless you're a completionist like me .

FS

[nisaba]

Originally Posted by gregory

The black borders sort of frame the scenery, making it the central part of the card, kind of. They don't feel like "part of the card" at ALL.

The white ones sort of bleach it all out.

I don't have the black ones, but to me the white ones make the cards airy, unrestricted, full of light and optimism.

It's hard to explain - I'd liken it to watching a movie in a theatre with the lights on and then with them off. Off is better. For me.

Ah. Well, there you go. I hate the darkness and subsonics of cinemas, and prefer my TV with the lights on. It hurts my brain, otherwise.

Funny, I *do* own some black-bordered decks that I'm very find of, and the Granny Jones has the blackest and thickest of all. But yes, if I were offered the black-bordered version of this deck, I wouldn't be tempted at all.

[Morwenna]

OK, so I guess I'm not missing too much by having red, yellow, and purple, but not blue.

Still up in the air about getting the white bordered deck--there's so much on the wish list ahead of it...

[Aerin]

Originally Posted by Morwenna

OK, so I guess I'm not missing too much by having red, yellow, and purple, but not blue.

Still up in the air about getting the white bordered deck--there's so much on the wish list ahead of it...

I like the book (small) that came with it. Also the box *shallow* - it's more portable than the other versions I have.

If you can pick it up reasonably cheaply I'd say get it, unless you are waiting for the alleged reprint .

[Le Fanu]

Originally Posted by Morwenna

Still up in the air about getting the white bordered deck--there's so much on the wish list ahead of it...

Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places but I cannot find the white arched one anywhere in Europe at a reasonable price.

[Parzival]

Originally Posted by Faolainn Storm

I have just about every edition of this deck ever printed.



I can't say I have noticed a difference in colours between the various original editions - except with my first copy which is significantly worn. But there is a definite difference in coulor between the original black bordered edition and the new white bordered edition. The new edition is brighter, slightly sharper and slightly bluer. But I still prefer the black bordered ones.

Not only is this one of my favourite decks but for me the best tarot version of the Arthurian myths
FS

I like/love this deck , too, partly because I teach the Grail story to teenagers (eleventh grade, the Wolfram version) but largely because I think the hallows or suits are really powerful paintings of landscapes and higher dimensions. Colors do differ from the black-bordered earlier editions to the white-bordered recent editions, more ethereal to earthly, in the very colors. Look at the Grail Hermit (IX) in both. The forest is more luminous in the earlier version, more shady green in the recent one. But that's my impression.

[nisaba]

Originally Posted by Le Fanu

Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places but I cannot find the white arched one anywhere in Europe at a reasonable price.

<torn> What's a "reasonable price"?