The Pamela Colman Smith Centennial Deck review thread

You may well be right. I have this argument all the time with other musicians about what instruments etc - as in would Bach have let you use the pedal if he had known it would exist by the time you tried to play this thing and couldn't QUITE reach to hold that note... (I don't know about him, but I have decided Beethoven would have thought it was OK in his op 90... )

Debra said:

Interestingly, it is the "Original" Rider-Waite--the one with the roses and lillies backs--that comes closest. This deck is printed in several countries and only one of them has the right coloration and I've forgotten which it is, but rwcarter knows. As I recall, the trick is to buy the box with Temperance on the cover. But confirm with Rodney. The card stock on the Centennial is dreamy thick and waxy, while the greeny-gold Original is printed on ordinary stock with ordinary varnish--nothing problematic but not special either.

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That's the first of the two printed in Belgium versions of the ORW.

Rodney

Debra said:

Making an "authentic copy" is not so straightforward. Different types of printing processes and inks, different papers and how they interact with the inks, how everything ages, what to do with the dirty fingerprints are all part of why making a good facsimile is more of an art than a straightforward scan-and-print job. OnePotato told me that he "didn't do anything" when he printed copies of Strambo's tarot from his old original, but it turns out that his "nothing" was quite a lot of subtle work. It takes an artist's careful eye. And once you figure out how you want it to look, there's the technical reality of dealing with printing presses, inks and papers and varnishes which can be difficult to control. And then the "authentic copy" itself ages and gets tea spilled on it...

eta: And what would Pam want, or Artie Waite, if they had today's inks and papers to work with? For all we know they'd go for day-glo!

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Oh I wouldn't demand anything so exact. Seriously. I think all we want (may I speak for others as well, not just me? Or maybe it is just me) is a pretty authentic front and back. I mean, the Original - when printed in Belgium - is the nearest we get I think. And I do like it. It's just that all the fanfare for when the PCS Commemorative set was released was odd since the deck simply isn't authentic. Nice it may be, and yes I like it, it isn't anywhere near authentic (and all I have a is a Pam B to compare it to side by side). And the backs don't work graphically. OK, even if people like the backs, and many do, and I respect that, they are an invention from a couple of years ago.

Why do this when we know so well what the backs actually were? Would we ever have got used to the Thoth without the Rosicrucian Cross on the back? I'm sure we would, but why would you when you have the original and it is a part of the design?

But like I said, I wouldn't be pernickety about printing techniques or anything. Meneghello do fairly well with their reproductions of old decks and nobody here questions the exact tone of the colouring. Plus I have never seen aged paper which is the colour of the PCS Commemorative set deck. It doesn't go that colour. I have tea-stained photocopies of old manuscripts and they definitely go that colour if left too long in the tea.

Like I say, I like the deck. I think it is a very attractive edition. I wouldn't necessarily expect exactly researched 1910 colour tones and research into Edwardian ink. I have two copies, I like it, I use it, but it is a very odd thing to do with the deck, darken it and invent a back.

Right, yes, good morning Rodney

We're in a bookstore and Competionist Extradinaire, who is at least two feet taller than I, reaches up and snags a set from the top of a bookcase and ah ha! It's Printed In Belgium! It's got the eat-my-own-tail snake on the box.

Into his collection it goes, of course. And what a surprise, the colors are NOTHING like the other Originals. I recall the words, "What did they do to it?!"

It's the Temperance Angel from Belgium who holds the beautiful Original.

I do like it better than the Centennial although the blindingly bright Roses and Lillies backs don't rock my boat.

Debra said:

We're in a bookstore and Competionist Extradinaire, who is at least two feet taller than I, reaches up and snags a set from the top of a bookcase and ah ha! It's Printed In Belgium! It's got the eat-my-own-tail snake on the box.

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I have one of these! I have never put it next to my other Original to compare. Something to do this weekend!

I took delivery of this deck late last week. I'm not sure how authentic it is either but I do know I like everything about it.

I think the cardstock is lovely to shuffle, its been ages since I've enjoyed shuffling a lightly laminated deck and have the cards shuffle properly, the colours and the colour wash used is easy on the eye. I like it much better than any of the other RWS versions, even the re-coloured ones. The backs are nice too.

I haven't really been much for the RWS over the years, I thought it was ugly and the colours used didn't do anything for me at all - I really tried to like it enough to use but it never quite happened.

So when I saw the scans of this deck, and then read some of the reviews - I realised that it might be the RWS I've waited for and I was right. The colours on this deck are beautiful and very appealing, I have to stop myself from just shuffling it all the time - even on cards where the black outlinings are dark don't seem as intrusive but the black is still there on the cards.

When I first opened the deck and took the cellophane off and saw the first few cards, it just blew me away. It feels very different from my other RWS's.

My only gripe with this deck is that you can't just get the deck on its own, if I want a back up. I'll either have to get a used copy or buy the whole set again and then sell the books and pictures on.

Also this deck packs a punch in the reading department, I know the images of the RWS (who doesn't lol) but I've never been able to really connect with any of the RWS's before - this one just doesn't want to be put down.

I want to see the deck in a few months when its been worn in, the edges softened by shuffling. My Liber T will be getting jealous, maybe with good reason.

Feel the same, Emily!

LOVE this deck, but wish one could buy it separately as well, oh, and a pocket version too, since we're putting out our fantasy list!

greatdane said:

LOVE this deck, but wish one could buy it separately as well, oh, and a pocket version too, since we're putting out our fantasy list!

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Ahh yes - a pocket version too, didn't think of that lol

Just the way i feel

HearthCricket said:

This deck is just begging for major shuffling and readings by someone in a shawl, with a candle, and a fringed table, a crystal ball...in the back of a caravan, from a travelling Dark Carnival.

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mmmm... you totally got the mood for this deck.



Many people are complaining about the blue organza bag , but just look to the presentation card with the High Priestess on the cover... we have to unveiled her wisdom ...

I love this set so much that i have Pamela's foto on a stylish old frame.

SUCH a GREAT DECK!

I also framed Miss Pamela's photo, which overlooks my reading table. If I could have only two decks, this one and the Anna. K. Hands down.