RWS...worth getting?

Hi!
I've found someone is selling the RWS tarot, accompaning the LWB and another book with a blue cover. I became really interested but the set is kinda expensive and, since i don't really know the RWS (i've seen it already, but never used it), i'm not if i won't 'throw money' away if i buy it. Here is a pic of the set: http://www.mercadolivre.com.br/org-img/original/MLB/062005/24919919_9848.jpg

So, for those own this deck...is it good? Recently i've been wanting to get a 'more traditional' deck and the RWS seems a good choice. I have one, but it's a Marseilles-like deck made by a Brazilian artist. It's good, but i'm not really connected to it so i gave it to my mom.

Any opinions?

Thanks in advance!

Yuko

This is the traditional deck I own. Not everyone likes it. I like it because it is the one most widely used in books of study.

I have one, but rarely use it for readings.
However, having an intrest in studying the contents and detailed symbolism of the cards a bit more this deck is the obvous choice along side of my Conver Marseille deck. It is one of the "clean" historical decks after all and the inspiration to many many others.

The colors are vibrant (in my opinion) and it's simplistic enough in the artstyle to be clear on what it has to say, while still allowing for multiple ways of interpreting the meaning of the card.
But this is my personal opinion, and you need to form your own after all.
Look at scans and see how you respond to the images. If they seem to draw you in or catch your intrest on a deeper level, I'd say go for it.

Oh, and I almost forgot.
The colors on the actual cards always surpass the colors of scans. I've seen only one comment ever that stated the scan looked better and I can't recall what deck that was for, but it wasn't thisone. That much I know.

That looks like on of the old pre-USG copies, so I guess its a bit of a collectors item.

You could get a RWS deck cheaper from a retailer if you get a modern version. (depends what you want I guess)

similia said:

That looks like on of the old pre-USG copies, so I guess its a bit of a collectors item.

You could get a RWS deck cheaper from a retailer if you get a modern version. (depends what you want I guess)

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It is. I have that edition of the RWS - it only cost about £5 a few months ago. I wouldn't pay a lot for it. One went on e-bay last month for quite a lot of money - it was billed as 'rare' - these aren't rare.

It's a wonderful deck though as Similia says, you'll probably get a more recent US Games version cheaper although if it were me I'd want to know why the seller thinks it's worth a high price.

Love

Sulis xx

I prefer reading with a Rider Waite deck... though if I were you, I'd check out the Vibrant Rider Waite, or the Universal Rider Waite. The colors on both are much more appealing (at least to me), then the traditional one.

joya250 said:

I prefer reading with a Rider Waite deck... though if I were you, I'd check out the Vibrant Rider Waite, or the Universal Rider Waite. The colors on both are much more appealing (at least to me), then the traditional one.

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By Vibrant you probably mean the Radiant. I have the Radiant RWS. I wanted to have a RWS for study and for use and this one the colors are wonderful and the faces are more real. I'm saying that because in the Original, the faces in the deck are severe, which was how people were then, and in the Universal, Hanson-Robert changed all their severe expressions by smiles, and I don't like how she, as a pure fluffy-bunny, put smiles everywhere. In the Radiant, faces are not severe but they're not smiling either. Actually, I'm very tempted to get the Original, the colors are horrible but it seems I've gotten used to it.

You can compare them:

http://www.tarotkorea.co.kr/gallery/gallery1_show.php?card=Universalwaite

http://www.tarotkorea.co.kr/gallery/gallery1_show.php?card=Originalrider

The Raider Waite deck is the first one I ever had. I used it for years and it's hard for me to go to far away from it. Right now I use the Robin Wood Deck, it's really close to the Raider and the pics are so much more uplifting and bright. I get a lot more meaning out of the Robin wood one, but I think that it's worth spending a little money on the Raider, you can get that deck where I live for about $18.

Sulis said:

It's a wonderful deck though as Similia says, you'll probably get a more recent US Games version cheaper although if it were me I'd want to know why the seller thinks it's worth a high price.

Love

Sulis xx

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Well, tarots are all expensive here in Brazil. You don't get one deck for less than R$ 35-40. And since this one is an imported one, it gets a high cost. I bought my Thoth deck (also imported) for R$ 99 (don't have to say i saved money for that)...althought imported decks are usually about R$60-70. The most imported decks are more resistent than the ones printed here, also.

That's why it's so hard for me to get new tarot decks and all =/
A shame, really.

Love,

Yuko

Hi Miss Yuko!

Wow, I was just looking at your note about decks being so expensive where you live. Would it be cheaper to buy them online?

In the case of it being so expensive, the decision would have to be left to you alone. When you hold it in your hands do you feel like you have to have it? Or are you still sort of wavering? If you don't feel like it's a must have, you may want to pass it by. Or find a cheaper way to take a gamble on it.

Personally it's my favorite deck. I only have 2 decks, and that's not by choice!! I've bought other decks only to get rid of them shortly after because they don't have the straight forward clarity the RWS has for me. I like the bright yellow version the best. I don't know why. Maybe the primary colors speak to me on a more basic level. But enough about me.

If your instinct doesn't tell you right away that you will love it, it probably won't be worth getting for yourself at such a high price. But personally, as a RWS fan, I would love to have that older version.

Let us know what you decide!
-Hermina