Which RWS deck?

amandasargeant

Centennial edition was my first RWS, which i only bought for my certification course and i absolutely love it! I read with it almost every day. Love the vintage tones and look to it. And love that it comes in a tin! I also have the blue box original RWS which i got later and i like it, just not as much as centennial.

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Papa Tango

My first deck was a pre-1971 USGS version that was printed in Switzerland by University Books. My memory is probably suffering from 'halcyon days' enhancement--but the rendition and general coloration seemed better than what is available now. Currently, I have a USGS printing that hails from the late 1980s--much better than the present printing.

BIG EDIT ON MY PART--TO BREAK THE SUBJECT UP

Of all the decks, I am fond of the Pam A and some of the iterations of it, but the inks have faded on the originals somewhat and not consistently in example decks out there. Kenji has the best high-res scans of the A-D decks available on the open web. Between he and Stuart Kaplan--they possess what are likely the best original examples of all the early RWS decks in the world. This gives me some hope that the Centennial Edition is more faithful to the original--albeit artificially faded.

I have just ordered a Commemorative Set of these for use and comparison. Also, because poltergeists appear to have been mucking about in my other RWS deck. But that is another thread. :joke:
 

EmpyreanKnight

I have a nice, trusty Original Rider Waite deck printed in Belgium that I bought over a decade ago, but which I only truly started using now. At first I thought it was just plain good, but I'm now slowly warming to its charms. It is a lovely, understated deck. :)

Recently I also bought the Rider Tarot Deck Premier Edition. When I read some reviews about its Italian print, I was a bit apprehensive because it's mostly disapproving. But when I opened it - it swept my heart away. It is vivid, vibrant, glossy- it looked so alive. The plaid back weren't so bad as it seemed, and even the sticky feel is not a minus for me. It's just so different from my other decks. I loved it, and right now I use it with the Original in my RWS system studies.

I guess it's either a case of different strokes for different folks, or maybe my taste is just atrocious lol.
 

Richard

After using it for awhile, I think I like the Königsfurt Urania Tarot von A.E.Waite Premium Edition even better than the Centennial. The titles are in German, but so what? The images are gorgeous!
 

Ron521

I'm a fan of the "Universal Waite" deck, with recoloring by Mary Hanson-Roberts. The lines are very much less crude than the original RWS as printed, and perhaps what Pamela actually intended. The lifelike coloring and shading adds so much to the images, giving them almost a three dimensional appearance instead of the stark flat appearance of the RWS.

The color saturation of the original Belgian printing is a bit soft, but the newer Italian printing is quite rich, close to that of the "Radiant" deck, without losing the details in facial expressions.
 

EmpyreanKnight

I'm currently deep into the RWS, and to complement my books I've also been reading articles and watching tutorials online. Almost all the online resources where it is featured praised the Centennial to the skies and deck reviews gave it near-universal acclaim, so I perused the online card images to see for myself. And now I want it, so I have no choice but to buy a copy. I'm having it shipped to my Tarot-parched country from elsewhere so I hope it'd be delivered before the end if the month. I can't wait to get my hands on it. I also ordered Pixie's Astounding Lenormand because it's the right and logical thing to do.
 

Richard

.....Almost all the online resources where it is featured praised the Centennial to the skies and deck reviews gave it near-universal acclaim, so I perused the online card images to see for myself.......

I hope you enjoy it. I think it is sublime: the most careful printing of the RWS in existence.
 

EmpyreanKnight

I think that I will like it - the clear, consistent lines and the staid but satisfyingly harmonious palette lends it a pure and classic feel that is just so very apt for the Tarot world's banner deck. It's in the feel and texture and how it handles when it does make its way into my hands that's the question.Thanks Richard!
 

Yellow

I really like the new version of the 'RWS Tarot' by Lo Scarabeo (https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Home-Kitchen/Lo-Scarabeo-Pamela-Colman-Multi-Colour/8883959116).

It's essentially the Original Rider Waite (with the exact linework/outlines) but recoloured. Easily beats the Radiant, Universal and all the other redrawn versions (for me anyway).

I like the Lo Scarabeo versions of RWS, but the baffling thing is that there are two versions, very different from one another, both published around the same time with the one more difficult to find than the other. I have both versions but I have not been able to find much information about their background.

The first one is the one listed here in Aeclectic as Centenary Special Rider Waite Tarot and has the typical Lo Scarabeo four different languages on the top end of the image. The backings are the blue/white lilies and roses.

The second one is not listed anywhere to my knowledge. It does not have Lo Scarabeo's multiple titles of the cards in different languages but has added heavy shading and darker hues. The backings are different as well, they have the typical lilies and roses but they are coloured red and white rather than blue and white.

I wonder which one do you have, and if anyone knows anything about why Lo Scarabeo decided to publish two versions?