Are you a tarot collector? Tell me why!

seberly06

Hi everyone,

I'm working on a blog post about reasons to collect tarot cards and would love to know why you collect decks! I personally find myself only using two or three of my decks but I'm constantly collecting them for the artwork.

(The blog isn't online yet. This will be the first post I write.)
 

VGimlet

I kind of fell into collecting accidently. About 15 years ago I started looking for a deck I could connect with, after owning one deck for the first 29 years of my tarot reading life. So, I came up with a list of possibilities, but nothing quite fit.

Then I joined AT, to see what had been printed in the last 30 years - and there was a lot of interesting stuff. At first I bought indiscriminately, but eventually I started narrowing it down a bit. I have many variations of the "big three", and also collect decks by a few specific artists (Folchi, Ciro Marchetti, Baba Studios, a few others) and decks on themes - tarot based on literature, tarot with car themes, graphic/comic book art, erotic decks, music decks, others).

I don't collect just because a deck might be worth something someday. But if I like a deck, chances are I'll add it to my collection. I have not yet paid more than 750 for a rare deck, and doubt I would, but I know better than to say never. There is nothing on my wanted list so expensive, at least at this point.
 

seberly06

Reply

It's funny you mention literature decks because I'm always kicking myself for not buying the Alice in Wonderland and Jane Austen decks! I've decided to always go for any lit decks from now on because they always seem to stop printing them. :/
 

seedcake

Some time ago I was told that my collection of cards is useless and only wasting the money. At some point, it was true - some of the purchases were pretty impulsive. When I think about it now, in the moment when I feel very stressed, I pick up the cards which are fitting my current mood. So overall, it ended that I collected some of my cards for the moment like this. I don't want to sound overdramatic or something but well, this is how I see my collecting now. It even makes me feel better :)
 

Le Fanu

Debra said:
http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=218422

A thread about a story in a collector's magazine.
Click to expand...
What a fabulous article Debra. I loved reading it. That Golden Beetle!

My reasons for collecting have changed over time - having been buying decks on and off (mostly on) since 1983 - and it is interesting to analyse these changes.

Right now, in stressful, difficult times, I find that the thought of my tarot collection from afar (like when I'm at work) soothes me. I think "When I get home tonight I shall go into my reading room, lay out a cloth and take down ******* deck"- a different one every day, whichever one takes my fancy. It really does calm me down and heralds immediate introspection. Sometimes I don't even get out the deck I was thinking of, but - for me -having a tarot collection and a (Reading) Room of my own - is instant calm and introspection. Like remembering who I am and dredging it back up to the surface amidst the onslaught of everyday banalities and anxiety.
 

seberly06

seedcake said:
Some time ago I was told that my collection of cards is useless and only wasting the money. At some point, it was true - some of the purchases were pretty impulsive. When I think about it now, in the moment when I feel very stressed, I pick up the cards which are fitting my current mood. So overall, it ended that I collected some of my cards for the moment like this. I don't want to sound overdramatic or something but well, this is how I see my collecting now. It even makes me feel better :)
Click to expand...

Same here. I personally feel like I am more in tune with certain decks depending on my mood, and that I have my go to's for certain questions. The Hanson-Roberts and Victorian Fairy decks both scream love to me, while I like the Rider-Waite for money and Deviant Moon for more emotional questions.
 

Tanga

The artwork, the artwork, the artwork!
(I am a visual and tactile person)

:) :) :)

The artwork, invoking different moods - or matching and drawing out my different moods...

To sit down - look at the row of decks housed in their beautifully colourful bags and
say to myself "now... whom shall I consult today? - what am I in the mood to look at?..."
I love that.

Like Le Fanu - it takes me into a different "space" ~ and satisfaction.
Some days... I can't decide which one. :D
Then - I just sit there dreaming and thinking about the options.
I have a couple of A4 sheets with The Fool, of a number of my favourite decks printed on there.
And if I really can't decide - I'll look at this for aid - or I may dowse over it.

Like Seedcake - there are some specific decks that have a physical "feel better" impact on me - and speak directly to the particular dis-ease I am feeling at the time.

Some of my collection - is to have a physical copy of some historical and/or wildly novel decks - so that I can get a "real" tactile and visual input on them - to further inform my learning.


@ seberly06 - Alice Tarot by Baba Studios is still available I believe...
https://baba-store.com/collections/alice-tarot
 

Alta

I agree, handling any deck but especially a deck that has been helpful at a key moment in the past is so soothing.

About the collector aspect, I very much enjoy having a variety of art styles, sizes and just feels of decks.
 
Resources for Teaching Beginners Requesting help! Tarot as characters.