Book of Aradia Tarot: Aether Suit
Feminism
Matriarchy
21 cards + a signed title card, with a fold-out guide in a two-part cardstock sleeve container.<br /><br />The cards are round, measuring 4.75 inches in diameter. The card stock is very flexible. The fronts are uncoated, and the backs have a lightly glossy, smooth finish.<br /><br />Though the cards bear unique titles in keeping with the deck's matriarchal theme, most are clearly aligned with the 22 traditional major arcana. <br /><br />A notable exception to the overt feminism is card #4, <strong>Pan</strong>, which seems to be a fusion of the tradtional Emperor and Hierophant cards. Thus, there are 21 majors in total rather than 22.<br /><br />I purchased my copy from the AradiaTarot shop on Etsy in March 2020; at the time of purchase, I was given the option to have it signed.
Van Slyke, Jean (artist)
Mountainwater, Shekhinah
Morgan, Ffiona
Self-published
© 1984
21 round cards
English
Other
First printing, limited edition of 1000, signed by the artist.
Journey of the Sacred Bee Tarot
Bees
Sacred geometry
78 cards + a small, softcover guidebook in a sturdy cardboard box with a magnetic flip-top. <br /><br />A drawstring bag was also included; it is made of an unbleached burlap-type fabric with the deck's title stamped on the front. I also received a small enamel pin with my copy, which I've attached to the bag for safekeeping.<br /><br />A paper "thank you" insert was included as well, noting that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the deck will go to the "Honeybee foundation." However, when I Google searched for it, it was unclear which Honeybee foundation is being referenced. <br /><br />The cards measure 7.7 cm wide x 12.9 cm long. (Page 81 of the guidebook gives the length as 5 inches, but after repeated measurements, I find them to be slightly over 5 inches.)<br /><br />The cardstock is mildly flexible and has a very flat, matte finish, but is embellished with blue foil stamped bees on the card backs. The deck is edged in blue foil, as well. There's something about the feel of the cards in my hand that leads me to caution against riffle shuffling, as this could lead to accidental creases. <br /><br />The card back design is fully reversible.<br /><br />Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. The Fool is numbered 0. <br /><br />The suits are Wands, Cups, Swords, and Disks. The court cards are Princess, Knight, Queen, and King.<br /><br />The minor arcana are semi-scenic, with occasional nods to the RWS, but not enough so to be easily readable.<br /><br />On reflection, I mildly regret purchasing this deck. It's beautiful, but not usable. Every card gives me the same impression -- "pretty! bee!" -- rather than drawing me into a divinatory headspace.<br /><br />Artistically, it is extremely consistent, competent, and thoughtful. It is lovely. It would look fantastic in Instagram photos. But it doesn't succeed as a tarot deck.<br /><br />The bottom of the box notes that this is the first edition. This deck was initially marketed and funded via a Kickstarter campaign; I was a backer for one signed copy. Inside the flip top portion of the box, my copy is signed by the artist and numbered as #301 of 840. The deck itself is not signed.
Burton, Kelly
<a href="https://sacredsoultarot.com/" target="_blank" title="Sacred Soul Tarot" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://sacredsoultarot.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sacredbeetarot/journey-of-the-sacred-bee-tarot" target="_blank" title="Kickstarter campaign" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sacredbeetarot/</a>
Sacred Soul Productions
2020
78 cards
English
Other
1st edition, signed, #301 of 840
Prisma Visions Tarot
Art
79 cards + a small instructional booklet in a sturdy cardboard box with a flip-top lid.<br /><br />The cards measure 2.75" wide x 4.75" long. The card stock is stiffer than average, with a lightly glossy finish that is just <em>slightly</em> textured to the touch. The cards have silver gilt edges.<br /><br />The card back design is almost fully reversible, though it is possible to discern whether or not the eye in the middle is upright or inverted.<br /><br />Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. The Fool is numbered 0. <br /><br />Immediately following the major arcana, an additional card is included, titled Strawberries. It isn't given a number; instead, a ? appears at the top.<br /><br />Suits are Wands, Pentacles, Chalices, and Swords. The court cards are Page, Knight, Queen, and King.<br /><br />The minor arcana cards are somewhat scenic and generally follow the RWS tradition. Each of the four suits is designed so that the cards can be laid out in order to form a larger, connected scene.<br /><br />Multiple editions of the Prisma Visions have been published; this particular copy is from the 1st edition.
Eads, James R. (artist)
Tombs, Katherine (author of the instructional booklet)
Self-published
© 2015 (year given on the inside of the box)<br />© 2014 (year given inside the booklet)
79 cards
English
RWS
1st edition
Silhouettes Tarot, Limited First Edition, Signed Version
Art
Silhouettes
83 cards plus a signed title card and a LWB, in a standard cardboard tuck box. The inside of the top flap of the box bears some kind of inscription -- it doesn't look like the signature on the title card, though. It might be a "thank you" note?
Cards measure 11.8 cm tall x 7 cm wide.
The backs are reversible.
The card stock is flexible with a matte finish; the finish is noticeably smoother (almost lightly glossy) on the card backs than on the fronts.
Two versions of Strength and Justice are provided (and are pictured here). What's lovely about the extra versions is that they aren't just numbered differently (as 8 and as 11) but also have different art.
There are also three extra cards beyond the typical 78 -- Body, Spirit, and Mind. These are not mentioned in the LWB. According to the website for the deck, these 3 cards were part of the limited, first, signed edition.
Suits are Wands, Chalices, Swords, and Pentacles. Courts are Page, Knight, Queen, and King.
The minors are scenic, insofar as it is possible given the art style. They show a distinct RWS influence.
The edges of the cards are gilded in silver; I tried to capture it in a photo, but in person the gilding is just stunning in the right light.
I paid $59 USD + shipping for my copy in either late 2013 or early 2014 from MASA September's website. The creator's email address is masa_september@126.com.
Quoted from the website: "The amount of first edition is limited to 1,000 decks. But due to the reasons of the printing house, there are actually around 300 decks that can be sold. And these decks all have some very slight blemishes."
MASA September
<p>masa_september@126.com</p>
<p><a title="http://www.masaseptember.com/store.html" href="http://www.masaseptember.com/store.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">http://www.masaseptember.com/store.html</a> (original link; no longer functioning)<br /><br /><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140209230439/http://www.masaseptember.com/store.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Link to site from 2014 (via Wayback Machine)</a></p>
MASA September, China
2013
83 cards
English
RWS
Tarot of the Absurd
Art
78 cards plus a numbered title card in a cardboard slip-in folder, tied with an attached red ribbon. The sides of the folder are open (the ribbon holds the deck in place).
Cards measure 12 cm tall x 7.5 cm wide.
The card stock is very nice -- flexible, with a smooth, matte finish.
The backs are reversible.
Suits are Sticks, Cups, Blades, and Coins. Courts are Page, Knight, Queen, and King.
Strength is 8, Justice is 11, and The Fool is numbered 0.
The art is black and white, and beautifully evocative and original, though with a clear nod to the RWS tradition. The minors are fully scenic, but given the stylized art, they don't have as much detailed symbolism as typical RWS decks.
This deck is a limited edition of 600 -- my copy is numbered 134. The title card also states that this is the first edition, first printing.
Available for sale from the Barefoot Fool website for $34.00 USD.
(I purchased my copy through Tarot Garden in March 2013.)
Shanahan, Jessica Rose
<a title="http://barefootfool.com/tota/" href="http://barefootfool.com/tota/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">http://barefootfool.com/tota/</a>
Self-published
2012
78 cards
English
RWS
# 134 of 600