Original RWS vs Radiant

Debra

I was really psyched by the radiant, but disappointed that all the people look to be no more important 20 years old, and eventually found their expressions disturbingly bland.
 

Richard

........I notice it also doesn't say "Kabbalah & Alphabets" on this forum but that doesn't stop anybody. Just saying ...

The Tetragrammaton יהוה is a Bible word. It occurs 6,807 times in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible). It is frequently written as Jehovah in English Bibles (for a technical reason which is unrelated to the true pronunciation). Something like Yahweh is thought to be closer to a correct pronunciation.
 

Yelell

The Tetragrammaton יהוה is a Bible word. It occurs 6,807 times in the Tanach (Hebrew Bible). It is frequently written as Jehovah in English Bibles (for a technical reason which is unrelated to the true pronunciation). Something like Yahweh is thought to be closer to a correct pronunciation.

I'm sorry, that's not what I meant. :) I just think that since the universal/radiant can help with understanding the original, they should have a place here. References to a zodiac symbol aren't just kicked off to the astrology forum, and Kabbalah as it applies to the RWS is discussed here. "Study of the symbolism and detail of the original Rider-Waite Tarot." doesn't need to be so rigid, does it?

I'll tell you what I do hate about the universal and radiant, though. The 8 of pentacles guy looks like a completely different person. I can't stand it for some reason.
 

Richard

......References to a zodiac symbol aren't just kicked off to the astrology forum, and Kabbalah as it applies to the RWS is discussed here. "Study of the symbolism and detail of the original Rider-Waite Tarot." doesn't need to be so rigid, does it?......

I was just quoting the stated purpose of the forum to justify my interest in certain details (which others may think are unimportant). Fortunately, this forum is not nearly as rigid as it used to be. Even Albano-Waite discussions used to be "encouraged" }) to move to one of the general Tarot discussion groups. I think the discussion of other re-creations of the RWS can, as you have pointed out, enrich our understanding and appreciation of the original deck (which is not really "original" anyhow).
 

rwcarter

Moderator Note

See this post for what is considered a RWS deck and therefore can be discussed on its own in this forum.

Discussion of RWS clones like the Universal and Radiant are fine as long as they're being compared with the RWS as they are in this thread. Discussion only/primarily about a RWS clone should occur over in Tarot Decks.

If you have any questions about this matter, please PM myself and Zephyros so as not to derail this thread.

rwcarter, co-Moderator of Rider-Waite-Smith
 

Aunty Anthea

How many versions of the RW are there?

I seem to be discovering different versions almost daily :bugeyed:

It is difficult to compare deck because there are so many to compare with

My 'Tarot in a Tin' is Radiant RW and because of it's smaller size I believe it benefits from being brighter, especially as I take it with me when I go out in the evenings and read to friends in dimly lite places

So far everyone who has seen my Radiant RW has praised the colours. Of course they are not card owners nor RW purists

Perhaps too many of us are becoming just that, purists, the original has to be the one everyone believes to be best just because it was the first

Where colour is concerned, when the original deck was produced there were nowhere near as many colours or shades available, perhaps if there had of been then the original deck itself would have been a great deal brighter :joke:
 

Richard

.....Perhaps too many of us are becoming just that, purists, the original has to be the one everyone believes to be best just because it was the first

Where colour is concerned, when the original deck was produced there were nowhere near as many colours or shades available, perhaps if there had of been then the original deck itself would have been a great deal brighter :joke:
Where did you get the idea that the colors are an issue? Have I missed something? The problems arise when copies of the RWS leave out symbolic details of the original. Colors are mainly just a matter of taste.

There is a brightly colored version which appeared long before the Radiant, the Albano-Waite, and none of the details were missed because it uses the original RWS line drawings. The Albano-Waite is an excellent deck, whose colors are thought by many to be a definite improvement over the original coloring. It has been in print since around 1968. It has always been one of my favorite decks. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/albano-waite/
 

Yelell

How many versions of the RW are there?

I seem to be discovering different versions almost daily :bugeyed:

It is difficult to compare deck because there are so many to compare with

My 'Tarot in a Tin' is Radiant RW and because of it's smaller size I believe it benefits from being brighter, especially as I take it with me when I go out in the evenings and read to friends in dimly lite places

So far everyone who has seen my Radiant RW has praised the colours. Of course they are not card owners nor RW purists

Perhaps too many of us are becoming just that, purists, the original has to be the one everyone believes to be best just because it was the first

Where colour is concerned, when the original deck was produced there were nowhere near as many colours or shades available, perhaps if there had of been then the original deck itself would have been a great deal brighter :joke:


There are a lot of variations, but many of them aren't as common.

Ones that are more mainstream are
the regular RWS (usually in the yellow box,)
the "original" RWS (an attempt to make a deck better resembling one of the first decks,)
the Centennial Smith-Waite (a different attempt to reproduce one of the first decks,)
the Albano Waite (brightly colored but not changing any details,)
the Universal and Radiant (both redrawn/recolored but closely following the RWS.)

The Centennial also seems to be well liked, more so than the "original." I'm most certainly not a purist, and I adore my Hoi Polloi and Golden Rider decks that lose a lot of those details. However, when I read about a certain detail or symbol and wonder about it's meaning, I need to be able to see those details as they were first drawn.

I agree with Richard about the Albano - I love color and this is one of my favorites, without losing the original lines. But no one is saying that you shouldn't like the Radiant, just know there are a few things that might not be there.
 

Aunty Anthea

Where did you get the idea that the colors are an issue? Have I missed something? The problems arise when copies of the RWS leave out symbolic details of the original. Colors are mainly just a matter of taste.

There is a brightly colored version which appeared long before the Radiant, the Albano-Waite, and none of the details were missed because it uses the original RWS line drawings. The Albano-Waite is an excellent deck, whose colors are thought by many to be a definite improvement over the original coloring. It has been in print since around 1968. It has always been one of my favorite decks. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/albano-waite/

Thank you for the link I had not seen the Albano-Waite before :)

I will compare it with the Radiant and find out what if any the differences are
 

Teheuti

There are a lot of variations, but many of them aren't as common.
Thanks for your list of current RWS decks. However some of the categories can be broken down even more

• the regular RWS (usually in the yellow box,) - Variations due to printer & print run.
This is based on a 1910 "Pamela A" with the brown "crackle back" pattern. Has been printed in four sizes: Mini, Pocket, Standard, Giant.
- c. mid-60s to around 1975: Rider & Co, London, in association with Waddington Play Card Co., Ltd., printed by AGMueller (no copyright on cards). Blue lift-off box. Clarity excellent; blacks tend to be a little sharper & blacker, but can vary!
- c. 1968?: Weiser distribution of Rider deck.
- c. 1968: US Games, NY (no copyright on cards - usually well printed, but not as good as the best Waddington ones). AGMueller printer.
- c. 1975: US Games added copyright to each card - AGMueller printer. Brightness & sharpness varies from print run to print run.
- c. ?: Italian printer. Lettering by PCS is changed to a standard print font. Garish.
- c. ?: China/Japan printer? At some point the lettering by PCS is back. Quality returning.

• c. 1960s on - Merrimak Publishing - interpretations printed on cards. Two sizes: Tiniest & standard.

• c. 1930-1970?? - the de Laurence Tarot deck. Printed in two colors: black and (red, orange, yellow, etc.) which varied over the years. A rip-off deck and Waite's book published under the de Laurence name.

• There are other modern reproductions of the 1909 deck published in Europe with sales restricted to certain countries: Lo Scarabeo, Turin and Uitgeverij Schors, Amsterdam.

• The "Original" RWS. Muddy.

• the Centennial Smith-Waite (a different attempt to reproduce one of the first decks,)
This is a reproduction of the 1909 "Roses & Lilies" back that came in a red box with Waite's Key to the Tarot. Some cards show slightly more of an original image that was trimmed in the 1910 version. It was quickly printed in order to be sold at the Arts & Crafts Christmas fair and the card stock proved defective - separating into layers. Purchasers were offered an exchange for the deck we generally call "Pam A".
- The 2009 standard size edition. Slightly muddy in its attempt to look old.
- The 2015 "tarot in a tin" edition. Smaller and brighter in color. (I like it; shuffles well!)

• the Albano Waite (brightly colored but not changing any details,)
- Created by Frankie Albano. First published 1968 ((Los Angeles: Tarot Productions, Inc.). Found in three sizes: standard, mini, Majors only-Deluxe Edition-extra large. Also, posters made of some of the cards.
- US Games began publishing (date?). The colors are over-bright and too shiny - garish.

• the Universal (redrawn/recolored but closely following the RWS.)

• Radiant (both (redrawn/recolored but closely following the RWS)
- Similar decks printed in China include "Mystic Fortune Teller Tarot Cards" Forum Novelties, and "Tarot" Encore Sales.

• Diamond Tarot - RWS images in an elaborate border.

• The Golden Tarot - redrawn & recolored.

• Quick & Easy Tarot - interpretations printed on the cards.

• The Adam Fronteras deck.

There are some other RWS exact or close reproductions from other countries.