Expensive decks you just don't want

[ana luisa]

There are no decks CURRENTLY out there, as in made yet, I want. It's a great feeling .

With that said, not saying something won't come up in the future, but nothing I have seen in process or made, I currently want. I'm happy with what I have.

In Portuguese we would say "you're a rich woman" Being happy with what you've got is super precious.

 

[greatdane]

Ahhh, Thanks, Ana Luisa! Yes, I feel "rich" . I am happy with my meager, but satisfying, collection!

 

[gregory]

Pentimento. I don't know why, but I just am not moved to hit "buy". Lovely though it is.

 

[MaeWasteland]

Greenwood - I'm a Brit with an interest in pre-Christian and indeed prehistoric Britain, paganism, and various other things, but I don't know, I'm just not sure what it is about it but... Nah. Also, a few things seem to suggest it draws on 'pre-Celtic mythology' (afaict it's largely Britain that it's based in, though I'm having trouble finding a clear yes or no on that) but... assuming it means in Britain... We don't really have that, I don't think? I mean, we can see that they had a thing for carving dudes with massive tonkers into the chalk on hills, and we can make educated guesses that that was religiously symbolic and probably to do with fertility or whatnot, but in terms of stories and such? Not so much. Even the Celtic mythology we have is generally from Christian/Christianised sources, particularly the Welsh stuff (nobody really bothered writing anything down in Welsh until Chaucer's day.) I may be getting the wrong ends of half a dozen sticks here, and perhaps the book would make sense of it, but... Well, I'm happy not to want it, so I shan't check too carefully!

Alice - doesn't really fit my idea of Alice, I'm not a big enough fan of Alice to spend that much on a deck (I'd rather get a really nice hardback edition of the books if I was going to splash out on something Alice-y, or a cute skirt from Etsy with an Alice-themed print or something), and I'm not overly keen on the art style, although it's certainly some of the better collagey type photo art I've seen.

Not sure if the Bohemian Gothic counts as expensive, but - while some of the cards are great - a lot of the cards are just Not My Thing, the Lovers card in particular really puts me off for some reason.

Can't remember the name and google is failing me, but there was one fairly expensive OOP feminist/pagan type deck I saw that, well, that whole thing leaves me cold, which is ostensibly rather odd as a feminist exploring paganism. But I'm not mad keen on the bit of paganism and feminism that's all 'wombs! they're what make you a woman!' and unfortunately it's quite a large bit (a subset of both individual movements and of the combination, if you see what I mean). Not that I've anything against wombs, like.

Lastly, the Wild Unknown - oh, it's gorgeous, and if anyone gave me a copy I would be extremely happy, and probably I'd look lovingly at the cards quite often. But I don't get the impression that (at least at this point) I'd be able to read with it very well. (I'm again not sure if it counts as expensive, but it's certainly more than I could justify on a single deck...)

 

[Falcor]

Most of the last years decks, like fairies, vampires, pirates, angels and etc. I have found out that for me the "old" decks work the best.

Those seem to me as made for profit only and don't have enough meat to really work. Those are usually may be very pretty but to me feel empty or dull. Overly happy/positive messages that are too sweet to be realistic.

 

[Michellehihi]

Greenwood - I'm a Brit with an interest in pre-Christian and indeed prehistoric Britain, paganism, and various other things, but I don't know, I'm just not sure what it is about it but... Nah. Also, a few things seem to suggest it draws on 'pre-Celtic mythology' (afaict it's largely Britain that it's based in, though I'm having trouble finding a clear yes or no on that) but... assuming it means in Britain... We don't really have that, I don't think? I mean, we can see that they had a thing for carving dudes with massive tonkers into the chalk on hills, and we can make educated guesses that that was religiously symbolic and probably to do with fertility or whatnot, but in terms of stories and such? Not so much. Even the Celtic mythology we have is generally from Christian/Christianised sources, particularly the Welsh stuff (nobody really bothered writing anything down in Welsh until Chaucer's day.) I may be getting the wrong ends of half a dozen sticks here, and perhaps the book would make sense of it, but... Well, I'm happy not to want it, so I shan't check too carefully!

Thank you for this! I had the opportunity to buy a Greenwood this week and I didn't because it was too expensive and since then I am obsessed by it. But your post calmed me down.

 

[Cocobird55]

i have two. The first is the Greenwood. i've seen pictures from the deck, but it just doesn't appeal to me.

Alice. This is the first MRP deck that i didn't buy. My income is more limited than it used to be, and i'm not a big Alice fan. i'm sure it's wonderful, just not for me.

 

[Padma]

Now that I have sold off three highly desirable OOP decks, at prices over $60, the priciest ones I had, I can't say I miss them. At all. And many of the other expensive decks that are raved about leave me cold. (Looking at you, Granny J!)

Ever get to that point where you feel what you have is enough? I am at that point.

Happiness is wanting what you have!

 

[FLizarraga]

God, where to begin. I have more than a few.

After having acquired my share of crazy expensive decks, I can honestly say that I hardly see the point of spending that much on a deck. Some I don't want to get at all, and the ones I have got, well, the time and the money spent have never paid off, not particularly.

A short list:

- GREENWOOD, of course. Unless you're a purist who absolutely needs to have the original, anyone with an Internet connection can find the scans that Chesca herself made available to all, as well as her notes, and print them on the cheap. I had it printed at Office Depot, and their cardstock was, surprisingly, not too shabby. I didn't connect with mine, no matter how hard I tried. Which is fine. I still think it's a brilliant deck, just not my thing. But at least I didn't spend a ton of money on it.

- TYLDWICK. It is an extraordinarily beautiful deck, extremely well produced, with the most unbelievable gold edges in the world. It is, however, an exceedingly depressed deck. (Note that I said depressed, and not depressing.) Slept with it, gave me nightmares, sold it. Plus, besides the fact that as a reader is not for everyone (all those empty, dusty rooms --I'm sneezing already), it's just so murky. If you want to destroy your eyesight squinting at a hazy blob of muted color, do yourself a favor: pick the Paulina or the Shadowscapes, and save your dough.

(I know this is a tarot thread, but I had the exact same problem with the Malpertuis Lenormand. I was lucky enough, however, to get both versions of the Lothrop for a song in the Trading forum, and love them to pieces. Go figure.)

- IRONWING. I craved it so much, until I really took a good look at the scans, and realized that I wouldn't read with it in a million years. I wouldn't object to getting one as a gift (hint, hint), but I'll never spend a (pretty) penny on it.

- TAVAGLIONE STAIRS OF GOLD. Um, nice. But... I love busy, overwrought decks as much as the next Illuminati fan, but this --this is the Where's Waldo of Tarot! There's so much going on, I can't concentrate on a single detail. Plus, ignoramus as I am, I have a nagging suspicion that Signore Tavaglione pulled most of those esoteric correspondences out of his wazoo. I'll stick to the Thoth to be baffled, thank you very much. At least Old Al knew what he was doing.

- BOHEMIAN GOTHIC SILVER. This used to be my absolute Holy Grail of decks, especially since I have loved the first edition for a long time. After getting it, however, I find that -- beautiful as it is -- it has not added a bit to my readings. Plus the silver ink does not work for me as well as I thought it would.

(Also, I don't particularly like the Danse Macabre card. I LOVE the second edition's Memento Mori card, though, and was thrilled to see the image on Sherlock Holmes' wall in the Abominable Bride episode, since it has been hanging on mine for years now. )

- VICTORIAN ROMANTIC GOLD. Now this deck really exceeded all expectations. Not only it is simply glorious, but the gold overlay has actually added a lot of insight to my readings. That said, it is still only marginally better (though a lot more expensive) than the regular first edition.

 

[Thoughtful]

Ever get to that point where you feel what you have is enough? I am at that point.

Happiness is wanting what you have!

Yes, yes, me too, l have a happy little band of decks which l seldom use now because since buying Roots of Asia and especially Thoth l have it all. So good to not be the slightest tempted by any other deck. My search has ended.
Many decks have been sold or passed on, and that includes the Baba ones never could gel with them. l do not even want the Tyldwick which l had coveted for so long.

Oh its such freedom, such happiness, to be content with what l have