Logiatrix

I've been enjoying a cursory study of the various RWS versions.
NOT the many "clones" available, wonderful--and numerous!-- that they all are...
I'm restricting my comparisons to Pamela Coleman-Smith's art, right now.
I'm currently aware of these versions: standard RWS in the yellow box, the so-called "Original Rider-Waite," the Albano-Waite, the Universal-Waite, the Diamond Tarot, the Illuminated Tarot, and the Golden Rider.
I'd like to learn of any I might have missed.
Also, I'm very interested to know what version of Coleman-Smith's art you all prefer...
Right now, I'm favoring the boldness of the Albano-Waite.

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"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." ~Kahlil Gibran

Rusty Neon

I'm kinda partial to the one in the US Games 1971 version in a yellow box. It's nice holding history in your hands; esthetics and colour preferences stand secondary to that for me, at least. I understand that it (along with the US Games Giant Rider) is the closest colouring to the deck published by Rider in 1910.

Le_Corsair

I think of all of the decks you've mentioned, my favorite is the Universal Waite. The colors used by Mary Hanson-Roberts are more realistic than anything else out there, and the softness of colored pencil is a great change from the great splashes of ink used in the other decks. I would like the Albano-Waite better if the Pentacles were golden or silver in color, and the Swords were steel-colored (silver) instead of bronze-colored (golden). The deck US Games markets as "The Original Rider-Waite Tarot" is a good one, I like the colors in that deck; more pale than the current RWS, lots of aquamarine sky. The problem with this deck is the coloring of flesh: since it is a photographic reprint (as I am given to understand) the reproduction of flesh tones has that dotty look you see in newspaper photos.

Decks I don't think you mentioned include the Golden Rider and the Illuminated Tarot. Of the two, I have the first, and am disappointed with it, because the artist did a less-than-satisfactory job of coloring. Not that the colors are untrue, but straight lines in this deck aren't straight; Swords look jagged, and facial expressions are coarse. I don't have the Illuminated, but people that do have it tend to rave about it.

I'm not certain if the Hoi Polloi uses the drawings by Smith. I just scored a copy on Ebay (I think), and I'll be able to tell once it gets here. I'm looking forward to seeing this deck.

Bob

edited to add: I see that you did mention the Golden Rider. I should have paid more attention to your original post. Sorry!

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"I suppose on some deep and profound level, the evening would seem incomplete to me without three minutes of howling." -- Warren Zevon, 1993

Galiana

I like the colors in Universal Waite. I'm hoping to get the Diamond Tarot after the holidays. That looks like the best of all the RWS clones.

Lee

Don't forget about the new Radiant Rider-Waite! That one's my favorite. It's rather similar to the Hanson-Roberts Universal, but the colors are bold rather than being soft. I've been searching for years for a RW version that really satisfies me, and this one is it.

I think I would classify the Illuminated Tarot as something other than a differently-colored version of the RW. The light effects and abstract skies make it something else, I think. I like that one a lot too.

-- Lee

Logiatrix

But is that the drawings of Pamela Coleman-Smith?
When I looked through it (I had it only briefly, then traded it to Faunabay), I got the impression that it is completely re-drawn, albeit inspired by the art of PCS.
I shoulda read the LWB...

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"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars." ~Kahlil Gibran

Sulis

Standard Rider-Waite in the yellow box.

Love and light

Sulis xx

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Sulis xx

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Avatar image used with the kind permission of Mike Maihack from Cow Shell Graphics (with a little added by me).

Emily

I like the colouring of the Pocket Rider Waite. I don't have the standard size but this pocket version is nicely coloured - much better than the so-called 'Original Rider Waite' that I have ( this deck would probably win the 'Worst coloured Rider Waite Award).

The Universal is nice too, if you like the coloured pencil effect and the way some of the images have been redrawn.

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Cerulean

with accurate color tones and the U.S. Games address of New York, New York marked on the bottom of the box... I like how the cards don't have the copyright symbol of the U.S. Games as well.

Tiny differences just let me know that my Rider Waite is a little different...

The 1971 with lamination is nice, though, especially since someone wrote once they have allergies to the old ink.

Mari H.

P.S. The University Books edition about 1971 has brighter, softer coloring and seems to have the same line quality of the two 1971 editions by U.S. Games and also lacks the copyright symbol on the face of the cards.

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cerulean daimon...prosperous gales waft ships along, and swell the spacious sails; add gentle peace, and fair-haired health beside, and pour abundance in a blameless tide." - Orphic Hymn 17 to Poseidon