For Love AND Money..The One Of A Kind Deck

I have this idea...
it's been going around my head for a while now, and it may be a bit controversial, considering right now there is a thread on another part of the forum about money...and art...

But here's my situation...Since my father died, my mom has been drowning in debt...and I really want to help her out with this.

So, I thought I would create a tarot deck...an absolute One Of a Kind thing...no copies of it anywhere...no editions made from it...just an original one of kind majors only deck...

and sell it on E-bay.

The proceeds, of course...going to my mom to help her out.

So...a few problems with this have already come up...

one, I don't really know what an original would sell for...$50?...$150?
Do people fight over something original...that will not be seen again?
Would it even be worth it? Is the Collector's market strong enough?

two...would making a Limited Edition of the deck sell better in the long run?

There are several reasons for wanting to just sell the one off...
I am used to making original art and then releasing it to the world...a good portion of all the artistic endeavors I have done in the past 20 years have gone away...

there's an almost ephemerial quality to it...there are so few records of my past creations..and there's something kind of neat about that.

Who knew I could sell...or even make, for that matter...copies of my originals? Not until I started making tarot cards...and then Artist trading Cards...did it ever actual occur to me that I could make prints!

So, there is something appealing about a one of a kind deck going out in the world...

and of course...there is the hassels of producing decks. I have been through the challenge of making hand made productions , limited editions of the decks I already have created (and in the process of creating...) and it's a lot of money, and a lot of work...and all my time to do so.

But...but I have already had a very VERY nice friend here offer to do the production end of this deck (and she hasn't even seen it yet!)
and that would free me up to take care of the other decks, and not worry about this one...

sigh. I just don't know..so that is why I am putting it out there to get some ideas from you folks...what do you think of my mad plan?

I have shown only one other person the cards...and that is my spouse...who can not believe that I wouldn't make copies of these! He thinks they are that good...I just dunno...

Lots of issues there.

I think that if you can find someone else to handle the production end, that you should go for a Limited Edition.

It is likely relatively difficult to get a good price on eBay for a completely unknown deck. You could get lucky and find the right kind of collector, but...

With LE, and someone else's production, you would gradually sell the decks and have time for a bit of a buzz to build up around it.

I sort of understand your other thoughts, about one of a kind, but I am not an artist, and really the goal here is to make some money for your mom.

I agree with Marion. Do a limited edition if it's feasible.

I've seen one-off decks go for high prices (over $100) on eBay before - but, the right folks have to be bidding - people who like the art, people who collect tarot, people with deep pockets.

As for myself, sure, I'd absolutely pay over $100 for a one of a kind deck on eBay - except that just now, I don't have that much money!

Do a super-limited edition if you can. Something like the Creative Fire (only 22 copies produced) . . . gives collectors time to save up enough money to pay pretty much whatever price you ask, and makes people feel as if they are buying something extraordinarily special - enough copies are out there for people to have heard of the deck, but there will never be enough copies to meet the demand.

Well....having both your decks on order, I would be interested in the deck sight unseen. I like the idea of a limited edition, but more that 22. Maybe a hundred or two so that more people could enjoy your exceptional work.

Hi Chronata

I like the idea of the one of a kind deck, but I can also see the value and money in making a very small run of say 12. As long as there was enough publicity and hype around the release of it, for you to get at least $300.00 for it per deck. At least!!! Maybe your thinking too small price wise - There are repoduction decks going for $300.00
Or maybe its not the price, but its E-bay?

((((((((Prosperity)))))))) to both you and your mom, Chronata. I hope if you go ahead with it - you reap 10 times what you originally thought!!

Blessings
Elven x

I like the idea, but maybe you could make a few more and still make it rare. Maybe 50 or 25 would bring in a good chunk of change while still being a collectors edition.

I tend to think that the only way a one-off would work is if it was quite large, so you are selling it almost as a work of art rather than a rare deck. Collectability is one of those strange things, isn't it. Perfectly good artworks, you can't give them away because you haven't got a 'name'... and a mis-printed 200 yo postage stamp is worth hundreds.....

I like the idea of an edition. Difficult, but not impossible. Giclee prints? Not so expensive these days. Don't know about surface strength....

What about making some large Tarot-based artworks? Do a really fine piece and have it scanned, and make Giclee prints of it. I'd love a nice Tarot artwork for my wall. I saw an artist somewhere who makes lovely collages from scans of old illustrations, maps and stuff, and prints them and sells them using a CD crystal case as a frame. They look great.

Another option might be creating a Tarot desktop theme set.

warmest wishes
Euri

As a buyer (I am not a creator) I think it would be a good idea for Aeclectic Tarot artists to set up private client e-mail lists for the purpose of promoting and selling limited editions etc. (if that's what they want)

If you want to attract and foster clientelle of that caliber, then you have to do it right and make this service availabe to them. Don't force them to put up with the BS and insanity on EBay. They will resent it and walk away.
The art galleries and retailers of objet d'art understand this very well.
Over time you will come to understand how to evaluate your clients, who is valued and who is just another name.

you may want to offer a (very) few "ordinary" decks on EBay but set a reserve price. you have to nurture the caché of exclusivity.

There are definitely people with the deep pockets who will pay $100 + for creations by their favorite artists but it's rare to find the Tarot artist who takes him-herself seriously enough to understand the process or make the commitment.

Marion said:

Lots of issues there.

I think that if you can find someone else to handle the production end, that you should go for a Limited Edition.

It is likely relatively difficult to get a good price on eBay for a completely unknown deck. You could get lucky and find the right kind of collector, but...

With LE, and someone else's production, you would gradually sell the decks and have time for a bit of a buzz to build up around it.

I sort of understand your other thoughts, about one of a kind, but I am not an artist, and really the goal here is to make some money for your mom.

Click to expand...

If an artist wants to promote the aura of exclusivity and at the same time preserve his-her bread-and-butter client base, I think the way to go is a 3 tier production strategy.

Signed high quality print limited edition with registration
Signed seriograph quality for EBay
regular print

you would have to work out distinguishing characteristics for each tier.

see what Solandia (sp?) thinks about setting up a special subscriber-only "Salon Privée" section, not a forum.

Subscribers would have verifiable e-mail addresses, not Yahoo-Hot Mail, as well as names, street addresses etc.

Hi Chronata

Would $50 or $100 be enough to help pay for your mums debts? even $300 for that matter. I think you would do better to sell more to raise more money..A one off for your creations would be a waste..when more people could share your beautiful artwork..everyone would benefit then.