Muse Tarot by Aunia Kahn

Aaannndddd I'm back (at blogging)

To start with something small, something fresh and not yet "born" so to speak.
Last friday I received a mailing from Aunia Kahn in witch she announced she is working on a new deck, one that will go by the name of "Muse Tarot" you can read her entire post here

Tarot de Mars by Celine Guichard

Yet another new and interesting deck arrived today, perhaps not one to anyone taste (but then as the French say: "les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas".

Speaking from France: this is where this deck came from namely from the art collective "le dernier cri" (what can be translated to both "the last scream" or "the latets fashion"). Le dernier cri has printed (among other works) these last few years some creative re-imaginings of the Tarot de Marseille - some very far some closer, yet always with a sting and even the potential to shock some.

The shocking potential in this one is limited to some "alive" members on some cards but not in an in-your-face way - the biggest discussion may be if this is a TdM or not, it adheres to the structure, yes, but at some places the images is very different....

I for myself resolve the categorization "problem" by filing them under the handle Neo-Marseilles (a yes but-no but sulution that yet recognizes it's ancestors.

As with all it's prints this too is in a limited edition run (500 for this one) offset printed.

You can obtain the deck here 

Tarot of the Holy Light - something special and new!

Today the postman brought me the opposite of a LWB, a GCB (Giant Colour Book) of the Tarot of the Holy Light, by Christine Payne-Towler & Michael Dowers, and yes this special format of their creation gets my seal of approval, 2 thumbs up and a fitting place in my collection!


This large-sized booklet (in size similar to a journal - I've put both other card editions beside it for size comparison) is more than just "a blown up" little white book, it feels similar to print-work one can sometimes get at a vernissage - containing the background, worked out theme and images of the works presented. 

It's a preview/overview of the work and art gallery  that is their deck, thank you very much my dears 

and for those interested: the decks (colour or B&W) the book (496 pages) and now even uncut press sheets are still available at the Tarot University website

Coffret Tarock by Marie Meier

I've been quite active the past holidays period - time to shower myself with some tarot presents, and yes I found some gems, like this one.

I already had some music inspired decks, and each and every one is very different from the others, after all music is a very personal and emotional subject often linked to intense emotions and/or important memories - thus the artist is this way showing a very intimate part of his or her personality and feelings at this moment in their life. Judging by the looks of the box and the large prints (30 x 17 cm) Miss Meier is a very extra-vert even wild strong woman!


The deck was previously exposed at Perpignan (France) and is printed in a limited edition of only 100 majors set with a "stay rock" print and also 4 cards collector pin up  cards 17 x 15 cm.

Where the extra cards and the one on the box are bold and colorful the Facsimiles of the 22 Major arcanas are equally striking but in strong black and whites with some grey shading, each and every one reflecting the personality and style of the artist(s) depicted, who are most of them looking directly at you.

As far as I know the sets are sold out, but there are still individual prints, originals and colur prints available at the artists webshop here

“Les Triomphes” by Bertrand Saint-Guillain

End of last week I received from  Bertrand Saint-Guillain a wonderful gift in the mail, it was a print test for the sun of his new upcoming simply entitles "Les Triomphes" (the trumps).

Bertrand is no stranger to tarots and already produced 2 decks, and once again he uses the same media as before for expressing his vision through 22 cards. Once more the artist took it upon himself to express himself through the tarot.

Already having his other decks (what a surprise 😉 ) I can see the common hand behind these 3, but also the differences, 3 decks 3 personalities so to speak. - they exist in their own right, as a full and finished creations.

His "Les Triomphes" deck has ancient roots, among others the Viéville and the Tarot de Paris, but updated to modern insights and seen through his personal eyes and hand-carved and block-printed - and by this technique once more returning back to the roots.



Les Triomphes is not yet finished, but one can already order them through his website here.
Limited edition of 22 large sized prints (10 x 20cm), you can more information on the creation of the deck here

Bambolanera In Marseille

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy....well what goes for people is also valuable for decks, and for sure this deck isn't dull. This OOAK (One Of A Kind) deck sure is fun, (besides being a great addition to my collection)

The artist behind it and others sells his decks and other creations on Etsy under the name  Layla and Sagittis in his shop HERE.  The decks he sells can be divided into two times kinds, limited editions of 50 or OOAK decks, and also dark versus more "light hearted" decks  although the darker ones also have a touch of humor into them and the more cheerful also have a shadowy element. Not the cheapest decks, but then these are not use-decks but (more) collector items.

This specific set is Layla and Sagittis' take upon the Marseilles deck depicted with the house-model Bambolanera who can be found in different decks by the same artist.The use of this figure gives this handmade deck a cheerful, even cheeky feeling, while respecting the traditional and well known images, it's enough to put a smile upon my face.  

RIP K. Frank Jensen

Today I learned that the tarot world has lost one of it great names, collector, researcher and collector of tarot especially (and other into the mantic instruments).

He has left his impressive collection to the University of Roskilde where it is being lovingly cared for and being studied - a great legacy from a great man.
You can read more about this among other places in this place by the lovely curator of his collection Camelia Elias the link is here


Another great place to learn about the man, his work, his passion and his collection is this great site he build with Arnel Ando, the site is here. 

Tarot of the Holy Light - Black & White Edition

A long, long time ago (so begin many fairy tale  - but this is more of a love story) I received and blogged the original Tarot of the Holy Light and click I fell for it! (you can find my post about it here)

It was, and still is a great deck deep, mystical, esotheric but without feeling heavy or threatening, during chats with the lovely Christine Payne-Towler I discovered there was an earlier ediotion of the deck in black and white in booklet format, and in a very limited printrun of only 150 (and yes off course I have it)! When posting my blog-post on Facebook, it sparkled quite  the attention and desire with people, what is always nice - the feeling you can at the same time share your love for something with others and at the same time giving a warm feeling and exposure to the artists who created it.
Somewhere in that Facebook thread the possibility was mentioned of a black and white version, liked by many both on the public as on the creators side.

Fast forward a few years, and yes it has finally materialized - a first (very limited) black and white version of the Tarot of the Holy Light is in my possession - and hopefully in those of many more who share my warm feelings with this deck.

There are many differences between this and the colored deck, some subtle others less. First there are the cards themselves a bit smaller than the color print and without the textured card-stock, but once again a good quality one. As these are the images as created before they did the coloring they are not all identical, some small details in some, some lines, ornaments missing, some line work more or less drawing the attention, so it's fun to seek the differences - what is less easy than I thought at first - and to  add to the clarity and readability the titles are now below the image instead of within it.

A curious thing about the first print-run of 50decks is that although it was printed in b&w there is a blue line around the 2 of Disks - so this printing will be allowed to go out with this peculiarity. As Christine said: " Perfection is for ninnies!", and it makes those an extra bit special!

Interested in the deck, contact Christine & Michael through their website, they will be eager to help you (and for those wondering if the deck is to deep or complicated there is an entire book with lots of  information available) 

Everybody (Stefan's Back)"

Hey, yeah
Oh my God, I'm back again
Brothers, sisters, everybody sing
Gonna bring the decks....
Oke enough craziness, but yes it's really is true, after a break of more than a year, and for the third time I'm back to my blog! This time for good (for the better or for the worst, I'm going for it)

So hold on and watch as I show you some new treasures and yes even a scoop!

Oliver Hibert's Minor Arcana

The Waite-Colman tarot is one of the most copied, adapted, changed or used as a base for another deck, yet each year new 'clones' keep on popping up and flooding the marked. Some of these are illegal copies, other have had more work done upon them, and that is the least you could say of this deck!

More than just another remake or reinterpretation, this is a rejuvenation and the energy just jumps of off every card now (not only the energy but also the colours,this is definitely not a deck for wallflowers but for man and woman who dare to make a statement.

The card are small-sized high quality cardstock, it is the kind of deck you can easily put in your pocket or small purse or jacket pocket or...and then in one move flip them out in the open and dazzle or shock your compagny (or do both at the same time even).

For the moment it's an majors only deck only, but the artist Oliver Hibert is working on the full 78 cards and hopes to have them out in the latter part of 2015, available from it's publisher Von Zos (where you can already get the majors only now and get a reduction when you get the minors when they become available)

The Marcel Ruijters' Tarot

Aaanddd...I'm back, yes once more I'll try to resurrect my blog, once more I want to reach out to the tarot-community and share my 'babies' with all of you out there.So for my first installment in a very long time  I've chosen something special, with both a bite and a laugh.

Earlier this year cartoonist Marcel Ruijters has published in cooperation with the Dutch publisher Sherpa, his interpretation of the tarot in a 80 cards deck, in a very limited edition of only 50 decks.
But it was not it's first print-run, in it's first incarnation the deck was a hand screened, majors only + 2 extra cards deck published by 'Le Dernier Cry' an independent publisher specialized in the bizarre, the unusual, the alternative.

Between both editions there are not only many years but also some changes.
The most noticeable differences between both editions are in language, in size and hue, where in the first edition the cards where big bold and in fluo colours, in the 2014 edition we get cards in standard tarot size and more earthy natural tones. Over the years many cards also underwent change, where redisigned, some depict completely different scenes even between both print-runs, like the  lovers seen here under

The decks are executed in his personal modus of expression: his images are a mix of medieval woodcuts, magic, the surreal and absurd, a style he pulls of consequently through all 78 cards.
Where the major arcana differs most from the standard, both in numbering and imagery the minors are more like a personal reinterpretation of the decks we know, with a personal cheeky re-imagination, a deck with a tongue in cheek sense of humor and one I can appreciate, or what do you think of the cards below?

For those who love this deck enough to want one, I have good news, I've spoke to Marcel and he told me that they are about to publish more decks through printing on demand.For those who want to know more, you can ask Marcel he is on faceBook 

and what better way to end my first post in a very very long time with the 2 extra cards from the deck

The Prisma Visions Tarot by James R. Eads

Last year James R. Eads had a kickstarter campaign entitled "The Visions Project: Tarot Cards & Art Prints" to publish his 79 cards deck in a bi-chrome scheme, a modern reinterpretation of th WCS deck and also a majors only + extra card prints set that are a color reworking of that deck with some other changes, tweaking - now he's back with the follow up on that project so to speak, the "The Prisma Visions Tarot".

First let's begin with the beginning,  the Light Visions tarot (first self published as a major arcana deck before the kickstarter project and than as the 79 cards deck, both OOP now), a very nice deck that is modern yet ancient at the same time, technological as natural. The both the modern as the technological parts can be seen in the contemporary some/many re-workings of the tarot archetypes like the chariot that became a car coming towards us,from the left to the right hand side of the card, the ancient feeling comes from the technique used: hand drawn images in a style that are reminiscent of old woodcut blocks. The 2013 kickstarter campaign was to fund that deck and the Prisma Visions Collection, 22 majors plus the extra card that flowed from those images, similar, but different, not only because those are giclee prints but they underwent some evolution.

Take for example the chariot here below where the Prisma Visions version not only gained colors but also in dynamism due to the headlights being turned on.

And now James is back for a full 79 cards version of the Prisma Visions, as with the Light Visions tarot there is an 'interesting 'thing' with the minors arcana, if you put every card of a suit one next to it's predecessor it forms one single continuous scene, for now only the suits of Chalices and wands are ready.


Take a look at his project here and if it's anything it looks like and the quality as high as the previous (of what i have no doubt) this will be a winner (in a way it already is having more than doubled the artist's funding goal)

Alice tarot by Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov

Baba studio has done it again, after many years passionate work this summer they have finally published what was one of the most anticipated deck of the year, and it is good, very good even!

Many have been talking, waiting, wanting this deck ever since it was first mentioned and the number of individuals interested only rose despite it's long genesis, the longest in the very successful parcours of Baba stdio  must say...and once it was available for pre-order I jumped on the occasion to obtain it (as many others did), the best proof it how successful it is, is the fact that the deluxe limited edition, despite its price  is already sold out! But was it worth it or is it just one of those hypes the tarot world has? My answer is simple: YES it is worth.

A work of love and dedication combining the tarot with Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass by means of collage art, a technique they have proven in the past to master at a very high degree. Due to the source material and the understanding Karen and Alex have of the tarot this deck resulted in more than just another WCS-clone with happens to be Alice themed, no this is a fresh exciting cross-fertilization between the two resulting in a 'child' that will fill you with wonder, and make you wonder if the Cheshire Cat was correct when  saying "Oh, you can't help that. We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
But then (some) madness never hurt, and where the artist and geniuses not considered mad by those who did not understand them?

It is a nice tradition at Baba to have 2 variations of a card, in the Alice these are 2 lovers cards, both very nice and very different from your 'classic' lovers.
One card is the The Walrus and the Carpenter. the other is showing flamingo's whatever version you choose to use (or be bold and use both) they will make an interesting impact on your view of the lovers.

Both editions the Limited and the 'normal' version use the same images with metallic ink to highlight elements and/or parts of the cards (or in some even up to 90% of the image), both use the same high quality card-stock with a carbon inner layer to protect against bending and creasing, etc...
So in what do the editions differ? Well both editions have a different back, a different size (Limited edition 65 x 100 mm , about 6.5 x 4 inches and the Standard deck 28 x 78 mm (about 5 x 3 inches) and also the limited edition came in  a nice wooden box with the deck inside it also protected by a hand-sewn fold-over pouch in pure silk dupion and printed satin, the standard comes in the same kind of hinged box we came to appreciate from them.

You can still by the standard editions at the shop, it is not  a mass-market deck so  it will not be available via mass-market sellers. For our convenience the Baba Studio shop has now been divided into an European and an international part the main address remains the same http://baba-store.com/  and there you will be redirected.

Trionfi della Luna by Patrick Valenza open for pré-orders

I'm back with a new post after being absent for far to long it seems...and you know what? I'm happy I am, always found happyness and yes even some pride in doing it (and why shouldn't I?)

And what better way to start than with the same kind of announcement of my last post here, so many months ago, namely the news a deck that many in the tarot community have been looking forward to, has reached the point that it's ready for pre-order. The deck in question is the 'Trionfi della Luna' (formerly known under its working title 333 Tarot) created by the same artist who brought the 'Deviant Moon Tarot' some 6 years ago. Where the Deviant Moon was a slick polished deck with a quirky dark side this new creation of his is more wild, medieval with a naughty a bit more than just tongue in cheek kind of humor - something that I can appreciate!

The first limited print-run of just 100 decks is now open at the artist's website http://www.deviantmoon.com/wordpress/?p=2415

The deck has 28 cards (22 majors + 6 bonus cards and follows the TdM structure, one more interesting detail to me)

I'd say take at least a look and who knows those demons might entice you, bewitch your spirits

Bohemian Gothic Tarot third edition is open for pre-order

In case you didn't notice one of my favourite gothic decks, is almost back in print!
I'm not the only one loving it that much judging the attention it gets on tarot groups and forums all around,and prices it fetches on eBay once it goes OOP, so there will be a lot of people happy (and this just in time for the holidays) .

This third edition had just like the second one (and as will all decks by Karen & Alex before being re-published in a new edition) under gone some changes, some subtle rather tweaking others are more noticeable and some can already be seen at Baba Studio's facebook page - here.

Like the first and the second edition that had 2 'formats' (for the 1st a normal and a sliver edition, and for the 2nd a normal and a deluxe version with pewter/silver edges) this 3rd edition comes also in 2 different shapes a normal deck and a mini deck with foiled silver backs.

You can pre-order the deck directly at Baba Store here and to sweeten the deal not only you get  a pre-order discount on the deck but also on their wonderful limited edition Bohemian Gothic tarot bags with an "authentication" ribbon tag.

Russian Tarot by Boris Monosov

This charming and Russian deck not only in name but also in looks is one of the latest East European tarot’s to find a home in my collection and urging me to show it off to those visiting my blog.

As with (almost) all decks originating from that part of the world information about it is scarce to put it lightly, I suppose part of that fact can be traced back to the use of the Cyrillic alphabet, but still I did the very best I could and found some data about it.

The inspiration and system behind it is from Boris Monosov’s, a Russian mage and founder of the "school of magic Atlantis" the artist who drew the cards being Anastasia Nikolaeva.From what I gather the deck was printed in 1994 by Skyline Courier to be used for meditation and energy workings by the students of Monosov's mystery school.

In 2011 the deck was re-published by the Russian publisher Vector and sometime later became accessible to us here in the west, mainly thanks to eBay sellers from that part of the world.

So far for the history part of the deck, now the images themselves, the style and colors breathe a Russian atmosphere that is immediately recognizable, simple yet strong with colors that jump directly at you an effect that is made even more potent due to the use of large white sections within the images.

According to the Russian information I found the deck is WCS-based, yet when opening the box and looking at it, the first impression was more of a TdM based one, perhaps an hybridization of those mixed with Mr. Monosv's own vision??

One other thing I could gather and that may shed an interesting light upon this deck is the fact that many majors have been renamed to fit Monosov's system, some corresponding to the traditional meanings, others less.
The new names (translated by Google) being:

1)  Creator

2)  Cognition

3)  Matter

4)  Will

5)  Consciousness

6)  Inclination

7)  Achievement

8)  Force

9)  Spirituality

10) Fate

11) Law

12) Object

13) Destruction

14 Transformation

15) Dependence

16) Return

18) Development

19) Word

20) Update

21) Success

22) Illusion

The 2014 Lo Scarabeo catalogue

Lo Scarabeo one of the big publisher is back with it's catalogue to showcase it's products for 2014 (not only their tarots)


When you take a look at it they have come a long way from a small publishing house specialised in art decks to now publishing a wide range of tarots and oracles (and connected products) in a plurality of styles and themes - and as with all years there are the decks that are going to be loved and other despised, lovers and haters galore!

Personally I already  have made my choices (yes indeed I do no longer buy everything I come across as I did many years ago) , I'm curious what are the ones that will be a hit and those that will be a miss.....

You can see and download the catalogue here

The Portland Tarot Major Arcana Deck

I'm back and with a new funding campaign for a deck I would like see to happen.

After selling out the first edition of her deck, the artist is trying to gather the money to do an other print-run of her modern fun and vibrant majors deck.
Using digital collage she mixed views the city of Portland, Oregon in the USA with dynamic looking interpretations of the tarot-personages.

This new edition is an updated version of the first edition with:

• 23 4" x 6" major arcana cards with unique, digitally-collaged artwork (the more-or-less usual 22 plus a new "The Weird" card)
• 3 "Bridge Cards" with reading themes (great for use by pro Tarot readers)
• An instruction booklet with basic Tarot reading instructions and 23 interpretations

 You can find the fund-raiser here

Mon Tarot De Marseille by Tarotland (Emmanuelle Patrigeon)

I LOVE the tarot de Marseille pattern, in all it's facets from the reproduction (cleaned up or facsimile of the state they are now) to the most modern interpretations of it, and although I'm always hunting for new decks (my name is Stefan and I'm a tarot-holic) I must admit finding one that is part of the Marseilles family procures me some extra pleasure, perhaps because perhaps 1/5 decks (or even less) that come out are Marseilles.



Not as much a radical reinterpretation but more of a up to date view of the age old imagery, this deck has potential to open the TdM to new audiences it's not an earth shocking or complicated or even threatening deck but one that has commercial potential.

The thing that may bring new curious persons to the Marseilles is the one thing that makes it different from it's 'ancestors'  fresh vibrant colors, for the minors backgrounds that are not white or beige and above all the cards have something dynamic, opposed to the 'classic' TdM that for many look static that seems to keep many at a distance.

Off course this deck has it's weaknesses also (at least to me, but then who am I? What I may find a negative, others might be raving enthusiastic about...) and the biggest thing that bugs me is the use of a computer program style poser or alike to create the persons in the deck, such programs have grown a lot these last years, I can clearly see that when I order decks created by this precede in chronological order, yet still the lack something that makes the cards 'come' alive or pull me in the same way the original naive yet charmingly imperfect century old decks can.

From what I gather from her site the artist she was both inspired by the tradition with she followed and brought into the 21st century and  added her views upon it,  represented by the journey of the fool (the classic part) and she augmented it with the 12 works of Hercules representing to her the journey of the soul towards growth.

You can get the deck at the artists site here

Born in the USSR by Alexander Daniloff

True artists can never stay still our without creating anything for a long period, and behold less then a year after finishing and publishing his 81-card deck  (both Justice and Strength are twice in the deck both once at 8 and 11) he has managed to paint a new major arcana.

This arcana looks different than his previous creations, yet if one really looks closely at it one can easily identify them as both having the same author, or is it the authors Russian/East-European origins that shine through in both - or both artist and his roots that materialise into the finished works.

As the artist describes it himself as following: "Born in the USSR" is a series of Major Arcana inspired by Soviet propaganda posters of the '20s and '30s. Represents the human enthusiasm for the construction of a better future, a future so far away not to leave anything for the present, that turns into a nightmare.".....and continues with his experience and view upon that: "... is a look at the past of my country* many years later. The past quite sticky, still following us continuing to offer the splendor of the future for to rob us the present"
Whow what a definition, what a statement, and surely something that creates BIG expectations...well in my perception it does fulfil those perfectly!

The artist is not planning to expand the deck beyond the majors, nor is a publication something for the near future, it is only a project for the moment being, but who knows what the future may bring us, it just may be written in the cards...

You can admire this deck at his website here

* Daniloff was born in Donetsk (USSR) in 1963, and did his studies at the Theater School of Niznij Novgorod (Russia) in 1990, and successfully exhibited  both in Russia and abroad. In 2000 Daniloff moved to Rovigo in Italy.