What an honor to have Benebelle visit this forum and gift us with this insightful and in-depth interview.
Thank you Joan Marie and others who helped create this venue .
Our numbers may be small but perhaps that's what ensures the quality of this forum.

Esoterically speaking, a poster from another forum and myself both agreed that there is a very strong Golden Dawn-Gardenerian-Alexandrian influence instilled in this deck and the system she designed it around. Do you guys agree? She speaks of the four elementals and the psychic safeguards put in pla...

this is a very enlightening thread, in some cultures hand gestures in dance and theater play a vital roe in conveying meaning and intent, hence the connection with Pam's theatrical background.

I will have to mull this over more.

Yeah, and different people have different ideas about what's a Thoth deck. I once got my knuckles wrapped in a Thoth reading circle for using a deck (forgot which one - Miller's Universal maybe?) that wasn't Thoth enough. Yes, I like a lot of decks that stretch interpretations really far. The Karma...

Like for anyone else, the artwork needs to speak to me. I am also in a lull re buying decks (I have about 65) because I don't want to have decks that I don't want to or have time to read with. Fortunately I've ended up with only a few that don't do much for me. I also go in for variety - I really d...

Well said, and thanks for the comment. I agree of course, though would add that I make an exception for reproductions of very old decks such as the Minchiate, and the Mitelli, both of which are very interesting and aesthetically appealing to me. Although the Minchiate has 97 cards and the Mitelli h...

Hi - finally came over to join. I used to be quite active off and on on Aeclectic and haven't really found a new home yet. Also have decided on a new name; let's see what turning over a new leaf looks like. Or a new card :) a lot of us are "leaves" blown in the wind since the closing of A...

The overall tone of this thread is beginning to merge with "what parameters do you follow to buy tarot decks", but I guess that's my fault. I feel like this discussion has been getting to some really interesting areas. What started as a comparison of 2 decks has turned into an analysis of...

The Kitchen and del Fuego are honest and heartfelt as is the Fiery Wands, so I respect them but I would not buy them. The matter of the Didactic is still on my mind only because of the unique qualities of the overall set which includes an extra suit, four different magicians etc. totaling 102 cards....

I have Menghello's Soprafino, which is wonderful. I'll be interested to hear about how you work with the Mantegna. I have the modern version that pairs with the Tinker's Damn tarot and... I love the Soprafino by Il Meneghello! It’s a beautiful deck! Very nice to see the lovely restoration you have ...

It's interesting to read posts by Sinister and Amaroso; these are essentially "old school" ideals which is perfectly fine, no argument here. I might add that in keeping with this line of thought the necessity of a companion book is a moot point. One might even say that you should be able t...

further to my previous post, I will add that in defense of "folk art" "tattoo art" "rustic art" "photo collage" "graffiti art" and Tarots of similar genres, these are created from art that is honest and not contrived. There is some truly extraordinar...

There is a childish element to the art and I really don't mean that in a disparaging way, more the way we learn to draw things by making thick black outlines and then colouring inside the lines. Traditional tattoo works this way too, with the line work done first and then the blocks of colour - oft...

I've had all three - Bonefire, PoW III and World Spirit and decided I didn't like any of them. Thinking about it now, after reading this thread, I can see that was probably down to the similarities. The Didactic looks most similar to World Spirit to me and has that same black heaviness. It does not...

The Pearls of Wisdom looks stylistically similar to the Didactic . Roxi Sims wrote the intro to its companion book. Been looking at the deck for quite a bit, might get it as a Christmas present for myself. It also looks a bit like the Bonefire . Pearls of Wisdom III looks a lot more like the Bonfir...

The World Spirit Tarot. http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/world-spirit/ but stylistically Pearls of Wisdom III appears to take it the vision a step further dimensionally. I think they're both very compelling decks and if given the choice between the two , I'd be hard pressed to choose between the...

really beautiful artwork, almost like an illuminated manuscript, quite stunning and unique interpretations such as the Key. I too love the use of different borders for each card, Amerigo Folchi did that for a number of his decks and yours are just as gorgeous if not more so in their own special way....

the Queen of Wands is MARSHA P. JOHNSON so cool. ❤️ Nice tribute to a brave and beautiful soul. The Queen of Wands motto: Be the Flame, not the moth. an excellent motto to live by. I am in SHOCK.......there are those of us who might actually have used her for the Judgement card, entirely appropriat...

taking a break from a delicious and early Thanksgiving meal...........the Guided Hand Tarot OMG ..............

the Queen of Wands is MARSHA P. JOHNSON

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yes that is called a "moss agate" and carvings made from them are lovely as sculpture and jewelry......rather pricey too.

oops double posted. apologies.

yes that's what they call it, quartz with lovely mineral inclusions. that's a magnificent specimen.

the diamond industry launched that campaign about, Cut, Clarity and Color.

In the world of spirituality, it's Cards, Crystals and Candles LOL

is the artist who painted the portrait of Pamela Colman Smith on the cover of the US Games publication: "Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story " https://www.usgamesinc.com/pamela-colman-smith-the-untold-story.html I was curious as to who painted the portrait of P.C. Smith and after an easy...

Did Pamela Coleman Smith ever record her interpretations of the cards anywhere? I am not a Tarot scholar and I never purchased the US Games book "Pamela Colman Smith: The Untold Story" which is supposed to reveal previously unknown details about her life's work and is said to include lett...

i would note that Smith's Devil is quite inarticulately rendered. i would say she either had no real skill or interest in depicting such a character, or she intentionally denied him any of the really ugly or threatening attributes the Devil often has - in effect, turning him into a puppet, and disa...

I just received my Trick or Tarot Deluxe by Duck Soup Productions/Douglas Thornsjo. http://www.tarotbyducksoup.com/ This is a wonderful Tarot deck which is a heart warming whimsical delight. I would like to emphasize that whimsical in this context should not be interpreted to imply that this deck is...