Sherryl
I recently gave a summary of the many versions of the V-S deck on facebook (the tarot History group). Here's a copy..
The big differences between Visconti-Sforza decks are: the size (original size is 6.5 by 3.25 inches), whether it's a facsimile of the original showing all the damage, or a cleaned up version, and the quality of the replaced Devil and Tower cards.
U.S. Games is original size, a facsimile and atrocious replacement cards – psychedelic colors and totally anachronistic style.
Schiffer deck by Mary Packard is original size, cleaned up, very aesthetically pleasing with antique gold borders and background. Devil and Tower look like the Tarot de Marseille which is anachronistic but almost everyone does this. Did a good job on the Knight of Coins. The artist did a nice job of blending these two cards with the rest of the deck. Deck comes with a very nice hard-bound book with color illustrations. I like her treatment of the trump cards, but her interpretation of the court and pip cards owes too much to Waite for my taste.
Lo Scarabeo has several versions of the deck. The gold version is regular card size, cleaned up, with gold foil background on the trump and court cards and gold touches on the pips. Devil and Tower are very TdM and something about these cards turns me off. This version of the deck has the usual Lo Scarabeo left border with the card name in a zillion languages.
They also do a jumbo size gold foil version of just the trumps with the card names top and bottom so you don't have the extra-wide left border that unbalances the card. It's very stunning visually.
Lo Scarabeo does a mini version of the deck, cleaned up, soft tan background, very pleasing. A medieval Devil (hallelujah) and a semi-medieval Tower.
They also have a regular sized version without the gold foil, but I can't find my deck right now.
Dal Negro produced a deck that is very similar to U.S.Games.
Il Meneghello's deck is slightly smaller than the standard card size, a facsimile, and the Tower and Devil have details taken from very early decks.
My favorites: Schiffer and the mini Lo Scarabeo. They are very pleasing visually and the Tower and Devil are reasonably well done. Of the facsimile cards, DalNegro is the best – colors, and replacement cards better than U.S. games
The big differences between Visconti-Sforza decks are: the size (original size is 6.5 by 3.25 inches), whether it's a facsimile of the original showing all the damage, or a cleaned up version, and the quality of the replaced Devil and Tower cards.
U.S. Games is original size, a facsimile and atrocious replacement cards – psychedelic colors and totally anachronistic style.
Schiffer deck by Mary Packard is original size, cleaned up, very aesthetically pleasing with antique gold borders and background. Devil and Tower look like the Tarot de Marseille which is anachronistic but almost everyone does this. Did a good job on the Knight of Coins. The artist did a nice job of blending these two cards with the rest of the deck. Deck comes with a very nice hard-bound book with color illustrations. I like her treatment of the trump cards, but her interpretation of the court and pip cards owes too much to Waite for my taste.
Lo Scarabeo has several versions of the deck. The gold version is regular card size, cleaned up, with gold foil background on the trump and court cards and gold touches on the pips. Devil and Tower are very TdM and something about these cards turns me off. This version of the deck has the usual Lo Scarabeo left border with the card name in a zillion languages.
They also do a jumbo size gold foil version of just the trumps with the card names top and bottom so you don't have the extra-wide left border that unbalances the card. It's very stunning visually.
Lo Scarabeo does a mini version of the deck, cleaned up, soft tan background, very pleasing. A medieval Devil (hallelujah) and a semi-medieval Tower.
They also have a regular sized version without the gold foil, but I can't find my deck right now.
Dal Negro produced a deck that is very similar to U.S.Games.
Il Meneghello's deck is slightly smaller than the standard card size, a facsimile, and the Tower and Devil have details taken from very early decks.
My favorites: Schiffer and the mini Lo Scarabeo. They are very pleasing visually and the Tower and Devil are reasonably well done. Of the facsimile cards, DalNegro is the best – colors, and replacement cards better than U.S. games