Celtic Shaman's Pack--2015 Edition--The Good and the BAD

MoonGypsy

i just received the newly published reprinting of the Celtic Shaman's Pack
published by Connections, and i am SOOOOO disappointed--for the most part.

First the Good news:
the cards have no more white borders on the backs, and the layout
is generally better. The huge white bottom window has been replaced with a dark blue one, which looks infinitely better. The images themselves are slightly larger.The color printing of the images is suburb, they have never looked better.
And the cardstock is matte, rather than glossy.
The companion book by John Matthews is substantial --176 pages. Much better than the first edition book, IMHO.
Sturdy 2 part box that houses both deck and book. i wish the deck was half as sturdy as the box.
The set is quite inexpensive, so a wider audience will have access to Chesca Potter's fabulous artwork--around $20. Her art transports me, truly it does!

BUT...the Bad News:
the cardstock is quite flimsy, and the machine that cut them left rough bottom
edges along the middle, it is already starting to peel---straight out of the box. Every card is at least somewhat marred on the middle bottom edges.
Back colored borders are marred with white spots or small streaks along the edges.
One of the cards also arrived with a light crease on one of the backs... and i haven't even shuffled it. i received my still shrink wrapped package an hour ago.

This is such a shame! After all these years of being out of print.
i suppose i can trim the badly cut rough white bottom edge and borders, but i can't do anything about the crease. i will probably need to contact Connections or Book Depository and see what their
replacement policy is. i ordered my set from Book Depository in the UK. [free shipping
anywhere in the world.]

i am curious if anyone else has purchased one, and what their experience has been.
i am hoping maybe mine is the exception and not the rule. [Regarding machine induced flaws]

Everything about this new edition is super lovely, except for the horribly flawed/marred flimsy cardstock ...That is very frustrating, and sad.

The first 4 pics depict some of the Agony; the last pic--the Chesca Potter Image Ecstasy:
 

WhiteWolfy

I would send it back or contact the publisher and send them the photo's. They look absolutely dreadful!!

I received this set about a week ago and my cards and book are perfect (apart from a minor dent in the outer box due to lack of protective packaging but they offered me 15% refund instead of returning them).

I agree that the cards are on the flimsy side and could easily get bent if you are not careful when shuffling or handling them.

Get them to send you a new set, surely if you send them the photos they are not going to want those cards back especially looking at the state of them.
 

nrg4vr

I am so happy to see this was re-released! I had no idea... I've just ordered a copy from Book Depository : ))) Thank you for posting about this! It is too bad about the card stock - but this has been on my wish list for a long time, so I'll make do : )
 

Madrigal

MoonGypsy, I think you got a dud. Mine arrived without any issues apart from a slight dent on the outer box. Yes, the card stock is appalling but the art is sublime. Definitely contact the BD for a new copy.
 

GoldenWolf

Sorry to hear that you got a defective deck and hope you can get a replacement with a minimum of hassle. I have one of the first printings and would love to have one of the reprints so I can feel okay about actually using the deck haha! Your experience is a little daunting though.
 

McFaire

Ironic -- when I bought the first edition I received an irregular and ending up having most of my purchase price refunded. Later I bought another set and it was better but still not a great quality production. But the content is breathtaking. Now it is back in print, and still of poor quality. What a shame.

Hasn't it been years since Chesca Potter's work was in print? I thought there was a bit of a mystery surrounding why.
 

lark

I'm glad it is back in print, but I was wondering that too.
If she gave permission for this new printing...maybe she doesn't hold any rights to the oracle deck like she does with the tarot deck.
 

McFaire

I'm glad it is back in print, but I was wondering that two.
If she give permission for this new printing...maybe she doesn't hold any rights to the oracle deck like she does with the tarot deck.

According to my first edition she shared the copyright with Matthews in 1995.

I was noodling with the Greenwood just yesterday and thinking what it shame it was that this visionary work wasn't widely available to those who may find such meaningful connections with it. I was musing that perhaps she'd joined a convent, changed her name, and renounced Paganism. But I hoped she would resurface and her work would come back into print.

So I was pleasantly surprised to see this thread today.

The new Celtic Shaman's Pack does not seem to have been released in the US yet though.
 

lark

According to my first edition she shared the copyright with Matthews in 1995.

I was noodling with the Greenwood just yesterday and thinking what it shame it was that this visionary work wasn't widely available to those who may find such meaningful connections with it. I was musing that perhaps she'd joined a convent, changed her name, and renounced Paganism. But I hoped she would resurface and her work would come back into print.

So I was pleasantly surprised to see this thread today.

The new Celtic Shaman's Pack does not seem to have been released in the US yet though.
No, it's not that I can discover...
The rumor has been that she became a Christian.
But one of our members Michelle has with Chesca blessing made the images available on her web site for anyone to print off...so she must have been contacted by her.
Why she would allow that and not a new edition printed I don't understand but she must have her reasons.
In some strange way though it makes me feel there is hope one day that there will be a new printing.
I have both decks and they are very cherished by me and used almost daily.
I always felt the card stock on my Shaman's Pack was quite good though...thick, sturdy and good image quality...
 

MoonGypsy

The new Celtic Shaman's Pack does not seem to have been released in the US yet though.

Not sure if it has...need to search for Celtic Shaman's Pack 2015. i think i saw it
in the Amazon Marketplace, but i purchased mine from Book Depository in the UK.

i was certainly wondering about the Copyright issues, too, regarding Chesca.

But it does show she still holds copyright for her art in the 2015 version.

http://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Shaman...8953&sr=1-1&keywords=celtic+shamans+pack+2015

Really a mystery. Chesca is an enigma, that is sure...

i am going to contact BookDepository this morning, regarding the awful flaws in
my deck.

Thanks everyone for your comments, as it has helped me a lot. At least it looks like
my deck flaws are more the exception and not the rule.
i hope BD is willing just to replace my set, as i dread having to ship the whole thing
back to the UK...and then hope that the replacement will be a vast improvement.
i will update when i hear back from them. :love:

The ironic thing is, after someone mentioned to me about "better" cardstock on the
new edition, i was very curious--so i ordered it. i was so surprised to learn there
was a new edition! i had such hopeful expectations. But again, i am very glad
Chesca's gorgeous art is available to many more people, now. It is gorgeous and
so unique. Her color palette is drool worthy. The Blues!