Matthews' Arthurian Tarot -- Still Used?

Recently , I got an edition of the Arthurian Tarot (Thorsons,1995, red box) in really good condition and looked through the amazing art. This one has the black borders. The color is a little less strong than in the recent edition with the small book. Do some of you work with this deck? What does it mean to you now?

I finally let this one go this spring, along with the Grail Tarot/Templar Vision.
My druthers lean toward Celtic/Druidic/Grail type decks, but having used them all extensively I've settled on the Legend the Arthurian Tarot as the keeper and let the other two go.

I like the art and story direction better in Legend, and to tell you the truth, I'd look up at the shelf and feel smothered by the idea of all the companion study books for the Arthurian. That and those black borders...Why did they do that??

Frank Hall said:

Recently , I got an edition of the Arthurian Tarot (Thorsons,1995, red box) in really good condition and looked through the amazing art. This one has the black borders. The color is a little less strong than in the recent edition with the small book. Do some of you work with this deck? What does it mean to you now?

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I wonder about this too. I have often debated buying it, but as I have the Legends Arthurian Tarot and have never used it, I don't feel I really need another Arthurian deck. I keep thinking that one of these days I'll pick up a copy of the black bordered one, but after what AJ says, I'm not so sure now. Is the general consensus that the white borders are better than the black borders? And that the colours in the newer edition are stronger?

Oh but these trends pass...Arthurian and Grail-themed decks. Seems so long ago now.

I love my Arthurian! I recently acquired the purple book with all the exercises etc to work through with it, though I haven't got started with it yet (99p on ebay what a bargain!).

I have 2 different editions of the deck, each with black borders so I can't comment on the white bordered version. I love this deck for meditating with. The pip cards feature scenery of the British isles, and they are people free so you can 'enter' the card in your meditation and just enjoy the peace and quiet. I have to confess that is the main thing I use it for, I rarely read the cards for divination. It has a permanent place by my bedside though, and there aren't many of my decks that have that priveledge.

I'm fairly new to Tarot so I missed out on the Arthurian theme decks phase. I just like the deck for the imagery, I'm not familiar with Arthurian mythology in any great detail, or the grail mysteries.

I have to say though I do like the black borders, it makes me feel much more like I am looking through a doorway into the snapshot scene on the card. I don't think I would get the same effect if the border was white

Eyebright said:

I have to say though I do like the black borders, it makes me feel much more like I am looking through a doorway into the snapshot scene on the card. I don't think I would get the same effect if the border was white

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That's what I'd felt, which is why I'd been keeping my eyes open for a black bordered one.

As I say though I have never had a white bordered version to physically compare against, this is just how I think I would react!

Frank Hall said:

Recently , I got an edition of the Arthurian Tarot (Thorsons,1995, red box) in really good condition and looked through the amazing art. This one has the black borders. The color is a little less strong than in the recent edition with the small book. Do some of you work with this deck? What does it mean to you now?

Click to expand...

I Love LOVE LOVE this deck. I've not worked with it because,...er...um...I have a HUGE list of decks to study...LOL

Eyebright said:

The pip cards feature scenery of the British isles, and they are people free so you can 'enter' the card in your meditation and just enjoy the peace and quiet. ...
I have to say though I do like the black borders, it makes me feel much more like I am looking through a doorway into the snapshot scene on the card. I don't think I would get the same effect if the border was white

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Eyebright is right about the scenery, and it's what I LOVE about this deck....how the scenery can evoke the meaning. STUNNING! And I have NO desire for a white border. Eyebright explains that as well.

Matthews' Arthurian

Some negatives and some positives-- it's always astonishing to me how the same deck evokes such golden and leaden responses. Obviously, a tarot deck is only an interaction between the exploring consciousness and the thing itself. What I appreciate about this deck is how the majors are no more important than the four "Hallows" or so-called minors which are shown as unique landscapes-- the swords, spears, cups, stones. And I find the books never give formulas and instead invite imaginanions by which to discover the meanings. Truly gnostic. And the black borders make it seem like you are going through a portal into another dimension. But not for everyone. There are other decks to explore as well.

I really like my Arthurian deck! A great deal!! I have the newer one with the white borders and I like them for reading, but I think the black borders would be useful with the meditation exercises. For me, the black borders would be like a very real portal into the card - allowing for greater focus.

I doubt I shall ever get one of those black border decks, though!

This is still one of my all time favourite decks, one I used when learning to "enter" cards (there's still the Hallowquest study threads we started way back when and people come and add to them/ start new ones occasionally which is great). I have black borders, I have white borders, I have books...

All the landscapes are from real places in the UK. John Matthews told me so when I said how much I love the deck still. That's one of the main reasons I connect with it, they look like the landscapes of my childhood holidays (and many probably are). When I look at the cards I am the person in the landscape: it works for me.

The Wildwood has some Hallowquest references in there.