Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stunning!!, 17 Mar 2004
If only I could give this deck 100 stars!!The truth is, there just simply aren't enough wonderful adjectives to even come close to describing just how supremely delicious this deck really is... Incredible collage work and design, rich extravagant colors and textures, superb packaging, gilded edges, the perfect size, perfect weight, an awesome book, a great price... Kat Black has created a certifiable masterpiece. How such an incredible deck could be sold for so little is nothing short of astonishing. I would easily expect to pay twice as much for this deck, and had I done so, I would still not be disappointed. These cards will absolutely sing to you with meaning and radiance. The love that Kat poured into this work is clearly evident on each and every card in this amazing deck. I have no doubt that new tarot decks will be measured against this deck for a long time to come. If you buy just ONE tarot deck in your life, make it this one! Well worth the nearly 2 years that many of us have been waiting to see this deck transformed to print. Many, many, many kudos to Kat and US Games for absolutely the most beautiful tarot deck I have ever seen!! A wonderful deck, from a wonderful person. Bravo! P.S.
I originally bought this deck just to collect, but it's simply too beautiful and magnetic to let it languish on a shelf, it absolutely begs to be used. It is based on standard Rider Waite symbolism, but is done much much better, each card speaks volumes and is very easy to read. So, I've already ordered my second copy of this deck, as I plan to use this deck more than all my others combined, and want to keep a pristine and undamaged example in my collection to show my friends!
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Living up to all expectations, 19 Mar 2004
It's arrived ! I first discovered this deck on Kat Black's website last summer.It was due to come out in October, then November, then no-one seemed to know when it would be out.I can only say now that good things come to those that wait.I received mine in the post yesterday.It's a joy to pour over the cards.Black is an artist who is steeped in Renaissance art, especially gilded art-thus the deck's title-AND she's steeped in Tarot.She originally made this deck for her own personal pleasure, so it really is a labour of love.The 78 cards are collages of over 1000 Renaissance paintings, many of them Italian.They are so well collaged that they don't look like collage at all, more like fully-realized paintings in their own right. They are very beautiful.All the Minors are fully-illustrated, and are as pleasing to the eye as the Majors. Black very wisely has eschewed the more well-known images-by da Vinci, Botticelli, Michelangelo,etc-in favour of equally interesting but less publicized works.I was pleased to find my beloved Hans Memling represented here. . .and I have just discovered Simone Martini's sublime angels ! The accompanying booklet is intelligently and sensitively written-the Appendixes contain information on all the paintings used-title of painting, artist, where the painting can be seen.This is a lovely touch : not only is this a lovely Tarot deck-lovely AND accurate-I've done 2 small readings already-but it serves as a very nice introduction to many superb and rather neglected paintings belonging to a particular period.It's not all Virgins and angels, either-there are wonderful details such as the Italian greyhound in the Hermit card, a female Fool, and many instances of so-called ordinary people going about their lives :farming, weaving, playing musical instruments, celebrating festivals, etc.I must stop raving. This is a gorgeous deck wonderfully produced by U.S. Games and packaged in a little box ideal for keeping book and cards together. It is also incredibly inexpensive. Anyone who loves Art, Tarot-regular or not, would welcome this as a present, I think. Oh, and the cards are all gilt-edged.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful AND practical!, 4 Dec 2007
This deck is really beautiful, it's a collaged deck, but there is very little to remind you of that when you're using it as it's so well done. It's stunningly presented, much more luxurious than your average deck. Those who dislike plastic laminate and ugly white borders will be thrilled to discover that this deck has neither, plus it has gilt edges, unobtrusive patterned backs and is made from very good quality card. It comes in a very sturdy box, not just a thin tuck box, but a rigid case which also contains the lovely little book which comes with it which, although small, gives a lot more detail than the average Little White Book you get with most decks.
The colours and textures are really wonderful, and those who are already familiar with the Rider Waite Smith deck/ system will be able to read with it straight away with no study required. Being true to the RWS system means it's also ideal for beginners with the added advantage that it's so beautiful, you'll soon learn to read these cards as you won't want to put them down!
It seems to me that there is great variety between the cards, yet the style is continuous throughout the deck. There are so many wonderful little details in it, the animals and creatures, babies playing harps... you just keep on noticing little things every time you look at it. A wonderful deck!
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![Touchstone Tarot [With 200-Page Book]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51zmdkr6PGL._SL500_SS90_.jpg)
by Kat Black
by Rachel Pollack
