Kabbalistic Visions; The Marini-Scapini Tarot

It's listed as having been published by Schiffer (last September) but I see very little information about it in English (mostly Italian). There's a YouTube video here but not much else.

Anyone know anything about it?

I dunno, but I'm a-gonna get it. Currently negotiating with the Book Depository ... I suspect I can twist their arm into offering me free freight <wink>.

Just yesterday I read the AT review. The concept is interesting but the execution... well, let's just say I won't be getting it.

As an aside, though, I wish such niche decks were reviewed by more people who actually use and understand that niche. A review of a kabbalistic deck by a reviewer that says at the outset they know very little about kabbalah gives a review that's sorely lacking.

I've also been curious about this deck. I'll wait to hear what others here think before jumping on it. The painterly colors of this and the Japaridze caught my attention recently, but I think the latter is more to my liking.

nisaba, you need this for your collection. I thought you at least would be able to convince me. You know how I need a bit of convincing and pushing with Scapini decks.

And closrapexa, I know what you mean. I had to eat my fist the other day when I read a review in which the reviewed spelt the name of the creator wrongly. Honestly. If you can't actually spell what you're writing about, what hope is there? But to say - yeah - I don't actually know much about what I'm going to write about but here goes anyway...

The artwork semed pretty much in line with his other decks, to be honest. Sort of elogated and 70s. I have a reservation with Schiffer (I hope they read this) and it has nothing to do with their cardstock. They price themselves just a little bit out of the market for me. I never think twice about buying tarot decks - need/want/buy - but with Schiffer whose decks are always in the 30-something euros range, I think twice, then thrice and then in most cases never buy them. If you're reading this - forego the thick boxes and charge me 25 please...

Le Fanu said:

nisaba, you need this for your collection.

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Indeed. And even now, it is winging its way to me.

I thought you at least would be able to convince me. You know how I need a bit of convincing and pushing with Scapini decks.

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And have you ever regretted it? No. At least not in your saner moments. What does that tell you?

It is when I get the deck, and cut the seal, and spread cards everywhere, that I'm going to jump online and rave madly. Stay tuned.

The artwork semed pretty much in line with his other decks, to be honest. Sort of elogated and 70s.

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He does human bodies as if they are praying mantises: thin and hard somehow (as if encased in an exoskeleton), wiry but obviously muscular. You can see the pent-up energy in the limbs. He likes tall, narrow canvasses, and I find that it's worth viewing each card from its base, moving up slowly. I sometimes get the illusion of the image snaking slowly upwards, like smoke from incense. He collaborated with his wife Guilia on the Bacchus deck which you just HAVE to get, LF, and it made for an interesting deck. His cards with the rich colours and the wiry, insect-like bodies, her cards with the softer, almost flabby-though-thin bodies, paler cards and large areas of white. I can't wait for this newest offering.

I have a reservation with Schiffer (I hope they read this) and it has nothing to do with their cardstock. They price themselves just a little bit out of the market for me. I never think twice about buying tarot decks - need/want/buy - but with Schiffer whose decks are always in the 30-something euros range, I think twice, then thrice and then in most cases never buy them. If you're reading this - forego the thick boxes and charge me 25 please...

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Well, I hope they hear you and don't hear me. I have no such problems. I'm slightly more prosperous than I've been over the last few years now, but I think we are like over-cossetted, spoilt brats when we discuss price.

When I bought my first microwave in the 1980s, it cost me something like $400. Earlier this year I bought one, a much more energy-efficient one, for a bit over $30. In the 1980s, I was paying about $40 for a deck and about $90 for a deck-and-book set: now we get all indignant when a deck is more than $25 and a deck-and-book set $50, while the buying-power of this money has dropped radically.

A deck is worth the money, specially a Scapini deck. It's my income that I have been prone to complain about, not their prices, and now I've stopped complaining about my income - and I am still well below you in the earning stakes. If a Tarot deck costs less than a tank of petrol, then you are doing very well indeed - when I started buying seriously, a deck-and-book set would fill my tank twice over.

I have it (from Bookdepository, of course !). Whaddya want to know ? (I can't scan today; that would have to be next week... but basic questions...)

Leffy - Schiffer DO always provide decent books - that's why the boxes, at least partly.

Just a word of caution - I bought two decks (by mistake - not a "power" user) through Amazon U.S. Both decks had at least one missing card (I believe it was the same card although I forget which Major). I sent both back without problem from Amazon but just make sure that your decks are complete. I didn't have time to really study the artwork or meanings of the cards. Oh well - so much for Kabbalistic excitement.

gregory said:

I have it (from Bookdepository, of course !). Whaddya want to know ? (I can't scan today; that would have to be next week... but basic questions...)

Leffy - Schiffer DO always provide decent books - that's why the boxes, at least partly.

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Do you think working with this set could serve as a good way to learn the correlation between Kabbalah and tarot?

Ooof. I will go and contemplate it and see. Given that I have QUITE a lot of trouble with Kabbalah myself I did wonder...

On the other hand I'm not one of those who believes tarot ORIGINATED with Kabbalah - just so you know... So the word correlation there - well, back later, anyway...