The Pamela Colman Smith Centennial Deck review thread

Freddie

I'm still grumpy over the backs. Why do a great package like this and screw it up with a horrible back design. If this were a guitar reissue, these sets would be on the shelf forever and not be sold. My Fender Telecaster from a few years back is just like a 1952 model..aged colour and all.even same case....etc. Why do we as Tarot consumers just accept any ole type of junk they throw us. I get the feeling someone is saying 'You people will never get a vintage Rider deck with Roses & Lillies backs' lol....

I think we should have boycotted this deck as a message to that certain company. First off, they should have refund everyones money who purchased a made in Italy 'Original Rider Waite' deck and then produced a proper vintage reissue in place of it.

Lo Scarabeo could fix this problem by removing the extra titles from their forthcoming Rider deck and putting in the original handwritten ones back in. If printed in the same manner as their 'Ancient Italian Tarots', I think they have a runaway bestseller.

Freddie
 

AngelC

I like the back design.

Besides I would imagine people being more pissed buying a copy of this on E-bay in a couple of years thinking it's one of the old versions.
Like this there's no way of trying to pass it off as anything other than what it is.
 

Sulis

Freddie said:
I'm still grumpy over the backs. Why do a great package like this and screw it up with a horrible back design. If this were a guitar reissue, these sets would be on the shelf forever and not be sold. My Fender Telecaster from a few years back is just like a 1952 model..aged colour and all.even same case....etc. Why do we as Tarot consumers just accept any ole type of junk they throw us. I get the feeling someone is saying 'You people will never get a vintage Rider deck with Roses & Lillies backs' lol....

I think we should have boycotted this deck as a message to that certain company. First off, they should have refund everyones money who purchased a made in Italy 'Original Rider Waite' deck and then produced a proper vintage reissue in place of it.

Lo Scarabeo could fix this problem by removing the extra titles from their forthcoming Rider deck and putting in the original handwritten ones back in. If printed in the same manner as their 'Ancient Italian Tarots', I think they have a runaway bestseller.

Freddie

I really like this new back design and I think it's a good idea for a Centennial deck to have a new back design which pays homage to Pixie Smith.

I ordered this set last week and I'm really, really looking forward to using it.
 

Freddie

I think the deck is beautiful despite my not liking the backs. I hope you'll enjoy it.

I just feel that the 100 anniversary reissue of this deck should have been treated with more integrity. I feel putting it back into its' original glory would have been a great way of paying homage to it. I understand Pixie painted it and what a glorious masterpiece she created, but A.E. Waite did concieve it, so I don't need her signature on the back.

Why has the Thoth deck retained the same back (I've seen a couple other backs as well) while the Rider-Waite has been constantly messed with? I feel the cross pattern is just as important to that deck as the Roses and lilies are to the Rider. I think it is a matter of reverence and respect.

Is there any chance Pixie painted the Ro & Li backs?

Just my humble opinion and maybe some on here can elighten me on this subject.

Freddie
 

Kimber

Freddie said: I think the deck is beautiful despite my not liking the backs. I hope you'll enjoy it.

I just feel that the 100 anniversary reissue of this deck should have been treated with more integrity. I feel putting it back into its' original glory would have been a great way of paying homage to it.
Just my humble opinion and maybe some on here can elighten me on this subject.
*****
The "Original Rider Waite" was published with the roses and lilies back, but the card colors are dark and muddy. I believe Kaplan printed it from his 1909 copy. So doing the Centennial deck with the roses and lilies would have been redundant. This new edition is much more appealing color-wise. I personally like the new backs a lot, but I don't care much for the bright blue organza bag.
 

wytchwood

The backs are not the best possible backs imaginable, I think a plainer, older style pattern such as on the Jean Noblet or Soprafino would be superb, but the backs they chose are acceptable, particularly when compared with the tartan backs of the standard, and even the rose and lilies is ugly IMO, although clearly not to the same extent. Overall they got it right I think, the images are so much improved I can't believe it, I can tolerate the slightly more than I wanted lamination, the copyrights and the slightly odd backs as an acceptably small fly in a big jar of ointment. It has been very frustrating all these years wanting to have a nice RWS when none existed.
 

Freddie

I rest my case, it is subjective to taste and I think mine is outdated lol.. I guess when the original came along a little while back I hoped for a better coloured deck (aged vintage) with the same back pattern. It is not going to happen (I've of been waiting since 1984 though) so please forgive my dumb comments within this thread.

As a person that practices Christain mysticism / mysteries I have to say this deck is almost a holy relic to me, so that is why I feel so strongly towards it. It is more than paper and ink to me. Sorry for ranting, I'll keep my opinions about it to myself.



I hope all enjoy this deck, the fronts are awesome and the set looks lovely.

Freddie
 

wytchwood

Oh dear, I didn't mean to upset you, freddie, certainly not if you have a Fender Tele! I was just entering into discussion about our various gripes with the versions of the RWS so far. Apologies if my post sounded antagonistic at all.
 

Freddie

No you didn't upset me, your just fine. I was being unreasonable lol.... I found an Albano deck to use instead lol.... I collect Tarot mainly because collecting guitars is out of my budget, I just have two of them.

I think most of here that appreciate this deck have done our share of complaining about it. Maybe no one version could please us all lol..


Freddie
 

Abrac

Yeah when they published the Original Rider Waite Pack with the rose and lily backs that pretty much put the kibosh on it ever being used again. I think I would have like it more had they simply used the original dried mud for backs; however they weren't necessarily going for an accurate historical reproduction but a tribute to PCS.

I agree with you Freddie. PCS deserves recognition for her part, but regardless of whatever faults Waite might have had it was still his idea.