The Pamela Colman Smith Centennial Deck review thread

Le Fanu said:

Scarabeo are due to launch this one. Im hoping they get their act together and get it out before the end of the year. Otherwise it won't be exactly an anniversary edition...

But apparently Europe only, so you'll be alright

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Ahh, THAT's the one I'd read about, yes. Thank you, Fanu!

I think I like this one better though.....

Shock and awe!

I just received the PCS Commemorative Set/Centennial Edition and am delighted by the whole kit and kaboodle, most especially the PCS life story book and the wonderful deck.

And the latter's really the source of my shock and awe. I, who for years did back-flips to avoid having to use an actual RWS; who turned to Robin Wood and a few dozen other close clones to learn the RWS meanings minus the clunky drawings and drab colors, who has never read with an RWS before...must now say a mea culpa to Pamela Coleman Smith.

Boy, did I misjudge her abilities. The book is chock-full of absolutely beautiful--and astonishingly varied in style!--artwork with gorgeous lines and saturation of color and expressive faces. There are way too many to count, but some of my favorites: Sherlock Homes (p6 and p.35, which is amazing!), Land of Heart's Desire (p.12), Tamar (p. 86)...all wonderful!

And I learned so much about Smith herself. Kaplan characterizes her as a deliciously quirky, witty person, much-loved by all who knew her (including many famous household names) but who never seemed quite one of "the in crowd." I was touched by her father's devotion to promoting her artistic talents, fascinated by details of her personal life such as suspected non-European ancestry and a conversion to (devout) Roman Catholicsm, and surprised by her political activism.


Now as to the deck...

This is insane, because vivid colors are usually my number one requirement in a deck, but this muted-colored, tea-stained deck is FAR more enticing to me than any previous incarnation of the RWS that I've seen online or in person. I was weirdly entranced by the online scans of this deck, and the respectable matte cardstock has done them full justice. And I LOVE the backs.They are some of the best I've ever seen in a deck.


I could actually read with this deck and enjoy it.

Well, shucks. I guess you should induct me into Former RWS-Haters Anonymous.

I've been using this deck a lot this week. I wish the cards were not so stiff. The backs are...very special. I too like the tea stained look.

I'm just not sure this is the deck I SHOULD be using this week though. Last week I was really overwhelmed by fear. This week I'm having a shame attack. I've been doing a lot of thinking about WHY I'm drawn to this deck right now. I don't like my reasons.

When Amazon credited my account, I repurchased the Tarot of the Crone directly from the publisher. Hopefully it will be here in a day or two.

This is a wonderful deck in so many ways. I just don't think this is the one I should be using most often THIS week :-(

hunter said:

I've been using this deck a lot this week. I wish the cards were not so stiff. The backs are...very special. I too like the tea stained look.

:-(

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Keep shuffling it Hunter, it wears in beautifully! And shuffling can be so therapeutic!

I absolutely love everything about this deck, my first and only RW
The feel of it.. the card stock the colors.

Something always kept me away from the RW the flashy yellow maybe was the reason. But when i was gifted this one I was blown away. I fell in love at first sight and that velvety touch of the cards aaah I actually kissed the cards lol
Thank you my sunshine

I've been considering buying this set but I'm a bit iffy after reading that the deck perhaps isn't as beautiful as it could have been... I'd hate to pick up a deck only to find out it's blurry and looks like someone photographed it and printed it out. My husband is so tired of my "what if/on the other hand" ponderings that he already said "just buy it for god's sake and get it over with!"... So what's stopping me? I dunno, I already have a cupboard full of decks I rarely use because I'm looking for "The One" I'd connect with. I do however find the whole coffee-stained antique thing appealing. Is it worth buying or should I wait for another version of the Pamela A deck?

Aure said:

I've been considering buying this set but I'm a bit iffy after reading that the deck perhaps isn't as beautiful as it could have been... I'd hate to pick up a deck only to find out it's blurry and looks like someone photographed it and printed it out. My husband is so tired of my "what if/on the other hand" ponderings that he already said "just buy it for god's sake and get it over with!"... So what's stopping me? I dunno, I already have a cupboard full of decks I rarely use because I'm looking for "The One" I'd connect with. I do however find the whole coffee-stained antique thing appealing. Is it worth buying or should I wait for another version of the Pamela A deck?

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IMHO, It is worth buying. I spent countless dollars buying various versions of the RWS deck trying to find one that I connected with. But after much time and countless dollars it just wasn't happening. I got to the point where I thought that there must be something wrong with me and I would never enjoy reading with the RWS....then came the commemorative set and I saw this deck in a way that I had not before. The antique look feels right now, in a way that the garish colors of other editions just didn't and don't for me. This one feels old, like the deck should IMO. And until I get my Pam B it is my favorite RWS

I have mine in front of me and I don't think it looks blurry, perhaps not as sharp as my Universal but it's not slippery like the Universal. I also don't think it looks like it's been photographed. My TDM Heron looks photographed to me and this doesn't look the same to me. It is the same imagery though, if you're really not clicking with the regular RWS keep that in mind. I got mine from an Amazon seller for a low price, they claimed the outer box was shop worn but it looked fine to me. You might find a bargain if you hunt for it.

I have this one and the original RWS with the lily and whatever blue and white backs. I far prefer this one. I LOVE the antiqued look.

On the other hand, I never read with RWS anymore, generally preferring other artwork. But when I want to reference RWS, this is the one I pull out.

smith centennial

This one has great vividness and color, in general, although the back design is (commemoratively) simplified to the artist's signed initials, with the "Mystic Rose," not the lilies and roses . The Original recently printed in China has the lilies and roses back and some jade-like backgrounds. Both are authentic to the earliest printings and are preferable to later flat and bold colors, as I see it.