Scapini Medieval Deck

[The Happy Squirrel]

I feel that the quality of the cards by US Games for this deck undermines the wonderful work by Scapini.

Does anyone know if there are other production of this deck? My research so far has come to nothing.

The US Games deck is excessively shinny and thin for my personal taste Those quality alone are enough to change the whole feel of the actual artwork....

 

[Wendywu]

You want the very earliest printing that you can find. The deck was released in the 80's and the best versions are the earliest. Not the ones that come in the large "premier" editions.

Have a look at this old thread: http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=121722

and this one

http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=116634

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

Thanks again Wendywu!

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

Found one. Let's hope the deck is as described (1985, US Games, Printed in Switzerland). You are awesome Wendywu.

 

[Mi-Shell]

Yes, thanks from me as well, Wendywu!
I never could make "head or tail of the loooong thread, got confused, what in the end now is the best print version... My deck is quite blurrrry although not as bad as others - according to expert gregory, who looked at it. Now i know, what to look out for!

 

[Wintergreen]

I had a first edition copy of this that I bought when it first came out. I wanted to learn to read but ended up giving up and selling the deck. It was gorgeous, with silky cards, and if I remember correctly, it was only slightly glossy, almost semi matte.

Printing quality in general is just not what it used to be.

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

I have one from the 1980s coming my way. I hope this is the 1st ed everyone is talking about!!

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

The thing though, like US Games' other decks for example the Phantasmagoric Theatre is wonderful. It is large and the texture is that ideal spot between matte and smooth (not slippery). The Sun and Moon deck is the same. Smooth and liquid-y. The Phantasmagoric deck seems to be printed in Belgium. I wonder what made them think maybe use this crap card stock for these and good ones for those......

 

[Aeric]

I have Scapini's Stained Glass deck and the LWB isn't a traditional shopping list of meanings for every card. Each is a flowery and poetic description of a step in a 78-step process Scapini attempts to convey through the card's illustration. There isn't any information about how to use the deck for divination or spreads like a conventional Tarot.

Is the Medieval LWB like this as well? Are all Scapini decks?

 

[The Happy Squirrel]

I bought the book and deck set. The mini book is good. I know some bought the kit knowing they dislike the new edition deck but bought it for the book. The book is by Ronald Decker. In the book he explained in great detail the design of each card. And then, he list meanings according to Levis' dogma, Etteilla, Golden Dawn, Waite, Papus (not always all), and Scapini's.

The meaning are listed in several words, such as "warmth, joy". I like that. I don't like being spoon fed with words like "marital destruction and relationship breakup", that kind of thing makes too much assumptions of the context of your reading. Sometimes it may mean that a bond that was strong or thought as strong isn't and won't be anymore, and this can be extremely subtle as the bond can be a strong one initially or a simple working one in other context.

The book also has brief discussions about the varying philosophies behind the tarot (100 pages). This is the bit that I like.

I am very happy with the essential words formatting of the meaning of each cards. Forced you to really learn. I just wish they repro the cards in colour there. I have to go back to the deck whenever it says the such and such is in blue..... etc. Or, use my imagination and look at the black and white card repro as I read the discussion on colour.

I have the stainglass deck. Amazing deck.