Duck Soup Decks

Le Fanu

Le Fanu, I'm very jealous of you at the moment. The scans do look so perfect and I love your description of Victorian grotesquerie.
It's that eerie, rather sickly side of Victoriana which I always loved and which this deck captures so perfectly. Borderless cards too so all that unhinged sideshow clutter, the manic grins and hooked noses spill right out to the edges of the cards.

It's wonderful that the world of tarot has something for all tastes. I'm endlessly questioning why the decks which are instant hits of instagram - with their gentle, uplifting messages and swirly artwork - never quite reach me. It must be me. It's not you, it's me (kind of thing). And then along comes a deck like this and I think YES! Somebody somewhere knows exactly what I like! :D
 

prudence

I'm looking forward to reading your full review of the deck. Freder or duck soup productions certainly has a talent for making exceptional decks, even those I might not want to purchase. My one and only, so far, is Zirkus Magi. But I do have my eye on that Mr. Punch deck for sure. Well, once my wallet is full again.
 

Freder

Thanks, Le Fanu, for posting! I hope it came through customs without any fees attached??

I'm happy that you like it! I can't abide warm & fuzzy tarot decks, because life isn't like that -- warm and fuzzy is a lie!

Many thanks for your kind words!

DT
 

Le Fanu

Thanks, Le Fanu, for posting! I hope it came through customs without any fees attached??
No fees at all, which is GREAT.

Really, really like this deck - I was just wondering (and I wasn't expecting a LWB or anything) - but is there anyhere where you have commented on some of the cards? I read your interview on that blog plus the posts you wrote as each card was being finished but I'm sure any added insights of yours would be greatly appreciated. I know there won't be a book or anything and I don't normally expect these things - but it is a deck which has aroused my curiosity...
 

Freder

Actually... there _is_ a book coming. And thank you for asking!

It will be a LITTLE book. I can't say that I have any great tarot insights to offer. I'm working on the text now, but it's slow going. I'm sure that you must know how difficult it is to find something to say about tarot cards and their meanings that hasn't already been said, and said more effectively. I've been working at this since the deck came out, but there are some days when I just can't bear to look at it.

The little paragraphs I've been posting on Facebook lately, along with the card images, are snippets of text from the book. So you can get an idea of what's in store.

To fill the thing out, it will contain a little history of Punch & Judy puppet plays, a genuine old Punch & Judy script, comments on each card -- and a short story, of all things. So... just the sort of book that nobody will want to read!

The text is almost done, it's my hope to have the thing available by late August. It will be called, of course, MISTER PUNCH'S TRAGICALLY COMIC OR COMICALLY TRAGIC TAROT BOOK.

And so on, as Mr. Vonnegut was known to say. No rest for the wicked! Thanks again for asking!

DT
 

Le Fanu

That's such good news. I need to go over to facebook and check your posts.

Funny, I never go there. I thought facebook had sort of died - maybe it has just died for me. But I shall go and read what you have posted as I believe we are friends :)

I crave a sort of Punch & Judy contextualisation. I know very little about the tradition - Commedia dell' Arte etc - but it must have a fascinating history and I feel that where the deck deviates from familiar territory, some notes would be helpful and interesting.
But not essential - to anyone who is thinking of not buying it becaue they don't understand it.

The deck is fantastic! It reads fine as it is - I'm just curious to know more.
 

Nemia

That sounds so great. I'm very curious about the book - if there's a book, I'll probably be tempted by the deck & book...

I grew up not with Punch and Judy but the classical German Kasperletheater. I know that they can be traced back to the Commedia dell'Arte, like classical circus figures, and I'd love to know more. It's such an unusual and interesting concept.

I'm very happy with my Lombardi Danneggiato, btw.
 

Le Fanu

I'm very happy with my Lombardi Danneggiato, btw.
I have to get this. That's my next purchase. Which version do you have, Nemia?

Terrible I know, but when the concept of "Consumer Choice" enters into anything - there are versions with borders, without borders, premium cardstock, poker size, playing card size - I can get confused and lethargic.

If someone could tell me just the best one - that's what SevenStars did - just sort of unofficially, off the record - I just tend to go with that one.
 

Nemia

I have the simple one - the cheapest ;-) and it's lovely. It's my first "artificially aged" deck and I was not sure how I would like it, especially since the original deck is so beautiful, elegant and drawn (etched) with a very light hand. I was afraid that if the aging was done with a heavy hand, it would kill the original. But somehow it feels just right. I makes the spots of highly saturated colour, especially the scarlet red, pop a bit more while it neutralizes the blues and greens. Quite suitable to a neo-Classical colour scheme. The absence of white doesn't bother me.

There's a dark border that becomes invisible when I lay out the cards - I always use a dark spread cloth. When I have time, I'll paint the edges very dark brown or black. I did that to the Anna K., the Secret Forest and others with dark borders, and it's a nice touch.

The cardstock is fine IMO - but I'm not overly critical about cardstock and can't remember that it ever put me off a deck. It's often outside of the artist's control anyway. There's a slight structure to it, no pronounced canvas but just a slight grip. They're flexible and easy to shuffle but not flimsy.

I'm really happy with this deck. I wish I had a larger tarot budget but I can't afford another Duck Soup deck at the moment...
 

Le Fanu

Thank you for that. I think this may well be my next purchase. The way you describe the cardstock makes it sound like the Mister Punch cardstock, which is different to the Zirkus Magi deck.

This Lombardy deck is a beauty. I have the Meneghello one which feels genuinely antique to the touch. Soft, gentle etching and colouring. Also have the LoS one but it feels a little too pale and I don't like the backs.