The changing of decks?

[deadoracle]

Okay I need a poll or some opinions on something. I have a very old Rider deck that was given to me by my great aunt. The deck itself is older then I am. I have bought other decks because I love the artwork or am just drawn to buy them. However I cannot seem to bring myself to use them. I have tried but I do not feel the same bond as I do with the set that was given to me. I do my best/clearest work with these cards. I have really mixed feelings and know not what to do. I do not want to stop using my great aunts cards but they are very old and I fear that they will deteriorate with more use. I feel really stuck. :sadman:

[LisaT4P]

Ok, here's my opinion. Buy a new Rider Waite deck and use it for every day readings. The images will be the same as your Aunt's deck, so it won't feel as uncomfortable as some other decks might. You may find that you begin to form a connection with it more easily than you have with the other decks you've purchased.

Save your Aunt's deck for really special occasions and important readings. I would even go so far as to maybe find a nice archival scrapbook to put the cards in to protect them from any further damage. It sounds like this deck is very important to you, as it should be. How many of us can say that we have an inherited deck??? So, don't use it 'til it falls apart, save it for posterity. :)

[deadoracle]

Thank you a scrap book is something I didn't thing of...*slaps herself upside the head* That would be a great way to honor my aunt and a deck that has been super to me.

[KeelinConvallaria]

Ok, here's my opinion. Buy a new Rider Waite deck and use it for every day readings. The images will be the same as your Aunt's deck, so it won't feel as uncomfortable as some other decks might. You may find that you begin to form a connection with it more easily than you have with the other decks you've purchased.

Save your Aunt's deck for really special occasions and important readings. I would even go so far as to maybe find a nice archival scrapbook to put the cards in to protect them from any further damage. It sounds like this deck is very important to you, as it should be. How many of us can say that we have an inherited deck??? So, don't use it 'til it falls apart, save it for posterity. :)

Ditto!

[liacaer]

I was given my grandmothers tarot deck when I turned 13,( I'm 47 now) I cried when I decided not to use it anymore, so I bought a large picture frame and with a black background I made a collage out of it. It hangs on my living room wall. Not only is the deck safe from the elements, when friends come to my home for readings I can look at it and think of my grandmother and mother who are no longer with me.

[cjtarot]

Hi,

I like the scrap book idea, but have no clue about them, do you have to glue the cards down to the page?

The other thing is, every once in a while it would be nice to revisit the deck for study. If you can put it in a safe scrapbook, you can use it as your study guide, maybe even incorporate pages for notes.

I have my 1st waite deck in a bag for safe keeping and a Universal Waite for reading (just like the colors better). I also collect decks, so I suggest looking around before making your 1st or 2nd purchase. There are some amazing waite based decks out there.

Cj:tarotwitc

[stella01904]

MM ~ I voted "buy a new one and use both" - but no question mark!!!!!

Please don't glue that beautiful old deck to anything! Go to a place that specialises in valuable baseball cards and the like, and see if you can get some plastic album pages in the proper size. I think it has to be a special kind of plastic, so as not to cause a chemical reaction and fade anything.

I have a very old, rare C.L. Wust (German, there should be two dots over the "u" in "Wust") Lenormand deck that I only use once a year, for a Grand Spread on Shadowfest (Samhain - any other time I want to use Lenormand, I use Piatnik. About six bucks and very replacable!) I keep it wrapped in a white handkerchief in a cigar humidor. I also put a mothball in there to keep the siverfish, etc. away. It's doing fine in there. So you don't have to put it in an album!
BB, Stella

[Old Witch]

I was given my grandmothers tarot deck when I turned 13,( I'm 47 now) I cried when I decided not to use it anymore, so I bought a large picture frame and with a black background I made a collage out of it. It hangs on my living room wall. Not only is the deck safe from the elements, when friends come to my home for readings I can look at it and think of my grandmother and mother who are no longer with me.


What a great idea! and the Scrapbook is also good, but I like the idea to be able to see the old cards everyday, and a great way to honor your Grandmother!

[Old Witch]

MM ~ I voted "buy a new one and use both" - but no question mark!!!!!

Please don't glue that beautiful old deck to anything! Go to a place that specialises in valuable baseball cards and the like, and see if you can get some plastic album pages in the proper size. I think it has to be a special kind of plastic, so as not to cause a chemical reaction and fade anything.

I have a very old, rare C.L. Wust (German, there should be two dots over the "u" in "Wust") Lenormand deck that I only use once a year, for a Grand Spread on Shadowfest (Samhain - any other time I want to use Lenormand, I use Piatnik. About six bucks and very replacable!) I keep it wrapped in a white handkerchief in a cigar humidor. I also put a mothball in there to keep the siverfish, etc. away. It's doing fine in there. So you don't have to put it in an album!
BB, Stella Any good framing shop can safely mount your cards or sell you supplies to mounrt them yourself. Anything from the old fashioned corner mounts to high tech adhesives that peel at a touch... and be sure to make sure that the paper or canvas you mount them on is acid free and archyval type stuff... as for plastic sleeves in a scrapbook, if you live in a place where humidity is high, you might want to consider something other than that...mildew can ruin paper faster than you can say scat...I know from horrible experience!:scream:

[stella01904]

..as for plastic sleeves in a scrapbook, if you live in a place where humidity is high, you might want to consider something other than that...mildew can ruin paper faster than you can say scat...I know from horrible experience!:scream:
I have another old deck, not as old as the C.L. Wust but ca. 1920's, that I got on ebay. It came in those plastic sleeves and I took it out and put it in a little velvet bag simply because I loathe plastic. I was a little worried about this but now I'm glad I did it! Humidity is VERY high here - when I move my furniture away from the wall I always find mildew.
BB, Stella

[WOGIT]

I know they make protective sleaves for game cards , such as the game "Magic" I wouldnt be surprised if someone out there makes them big enough to hold your Tarot cards.But how would you feal about useing cards in plastic sleaves?

[stella01904]

...how would you feal about useing cards in plastic sleaves?Like sitting on car seats or furniture with plastic covers. Like wearing 100% double-knit polyester. :razz: I think plastic was really designed during the Spanish Inquisition.
BB, Stella

[WOGIT]

Lol Yep :) but givin the chance to save and still be able to use a deck older than yourself , givin to you as a family hand down it might be worht it just to keep the deck active

[deadoracle]

the update is that I have tried to use a new deck. Its like riding some one elses bike...it works...but makes me feel retarded. I will just have to search for one that calls to me and buy it when I see it I guess. as for my beautiful/horridly old and tattered cards. I bought them a wooden box and have placed them on a shelf of honor.

So now the search is on for a deck that will speak to me as the old one did.

[Cyn]

I wouldn't know anything about inheriting cards and all. But I know what it's like to pick the wrong and right decks. :) You definitely need to go by feel when you pick.

The first deck I picked out cause I was really interested in tarot, and it looked like it had a good booklet to help me learn. The book is great and I still use it, however I had alot of problems with the deck and would have to work even harder to get a good reading. The second deck I got was completely by feel. One thing that helped me know that it was the right deck was the fact that I didn't have money to buy it at the time. I went home and found myself thinking of those cards when I thought about doing a reading. I felt an extreme pull to that deck. So much so that the second I had the money for it I went out and got it. I've been very happy with my new deck ever since.

Also if you have dreams of tarot (like I do) pay particular attention to the deck. Even if you'd never seen a deck like it before, it could be the right deck for you. Just recently I'd stumbled across a deck that I'd dreamed about. Unfortunately I'd only found pics of it online. So I'm now in search of a way to purchase this deck. :P

Anyway, enough of my rambling. lol I wish you best of luck in your search for your new deck.

[deadoracle]

I have decided to look for a new tarot and put my aunts away for safe keeping. I have been waiting and searching. I have not however found any that call to me.

[wolf]

Can you post some pics of your aunt's deck? At least a couple of the majors and minors, as well as the backs ... perhaps someone here would know of a deck that might complement it?