Orphalese Tarot Zone Community Forum

Hi All,

It was impressed upon me recently something that most of us never have to think about:

The differences between a Playing deck, and a Reading deck. Recently someone (Who's shame will remain unvoiced) decided that she wanted to play cards...............

All that were available were my cartomancy decks! She couldn't understand why I felt that I had to be so selfish in not letting her use my cartomancy deck(s), as I have a lot of them, and they wouldn't be damaged in the slightest!

This went on until I offered to break the fingers of anyone who touched my expensive and irreplaceable decks...........

Later, after everyone had calmed down to a civilized/adult level, I tried to explain that I put almost the same amount of money into a cartomancy deck, ($6.00 to $20.00 USD.) as most people do a tarot deck. ($20.00 + USD.)

There was no way I was going to allow a group of gamblers to scramble the brains of one of my expensive, and hard bought (hard to find!) decks, just so they wouldn't have to go to a corner store and get a ($1.00 to $4.00 USD.) ** throwaway gaming deck!

Suffice it to say, I'm now a Beast, Selfish, Inconsiderate of Others, Place Put Down suitable for mixed company here!

I offer this as a warning to others who put their Hard Earned money into expensive/custom/vintage decks..............

It only gets worse when it's a spouse/close relative that creates the scenario!
(Most of them believe that being related gives them a Bigger prybar!)

I invite comments/input from everyone!

Take Care,

Marvin

Hi Marvin!

Your comments are so, so valid! That's why I keep MY decks under lock-and-key, tucked away in MY room, safe from harm - but not cat hair .-). I purchase **'s, a buck apiece, that are readily available in the family room whenever the spirit moves someone to start up a game of kitchen-table poker!

Many Blessings
Christine

Hi Marvin,

I have many tarot decks and in the last year felt the need to explore playing cards. Some of them are readily available from European publishers but not so easy to get over here in North America. It's not that they're expensive (at least mine aren't) but you start to feel very proprietary toward them after jumping through hoops to track them down and order them and pay for shipping.

I got an older used copy on eBay of the Red Hat Concubine playing cards with the ladies in beautiful Chinese costumes. The box fell apart after it arrived so I am painting and collaging a new one, but the more I work to fancy the deck up, the less I feel like saying These are so ** printed, I can just use them for playing cards with. I've given them a bath, with a gentle dampish paper towel and dried them, they are home and glad to be suitably housed. They love me, we have bonded!

How can I play with the gals now?

Hi Jambalaya,

To coin a phrase: They become like Old Friends!.By the way, what does your deck look like? Can it come out and play with the other decks?
(Can we possibly get a copy of it for the deck exchange?) With a card data file all it's own?

In my area of the U.S. we are buried under Dollar Stores. I've bought ** (1-2 for a dollar) playing decks................

If the guys and gals don't like 'em, throw them at them! LOL!!!!!!

Take Care,

Marvin