Universal Tarot of Marseille (English and Spanish Edition)

"Pip" decks are those where the minor cards are NOT pictorially interpreted for you -- the Ten of Cups, for example, will remind you of a modern-day Ten of Hearts, with the addition of miscellaneous vines, fleurs de lis, etc. which act in combination with the pattern formed by the Cups, Wands, Swords, and Coins to suggest to yourself what you are thinking.Sound complicated? It's not, really; read on.The Marseille Tarot is the Grand Daddy of 'em all -- designed and executed by an artist unknown 'way back in the 15th century for use as a card-game-playing deck, it is composed of basic, instantly-recognizable archetypal images. Some folks suspect these images were created to pass along knowledge forbidden by the church of that time in such way that even illiterate persons could tell at a glance what was being discussed. Not "occult" knowledge, that came later, after the early occultists found that the images in this deck corresponded with certain notions of their own and began adapting the cards to present their own unique visions of life.The Rider tradition added pictures to the minors that are not, strictly speaking, archetypal; but which make the job of imparting a more-or-less complete philosophy rather easier -- WE will interpret those "pips" for you, thank you very much! The Crowley traditon maintains the "pip" idea. but here, too, the import of the number and suit is dramatized and dogmatized to support Crowley's own theories.The Marseille has none of this. You turn up a Seven of Wands, well ... how does that strike you today? Do the vines seem to form brackets to indicate that the cards on either side have something to do with today's interpretation? Or are they just vines this time? Is Seven a lucky number today, or a warning that you're about to get in over your head? Much more of a "self-Rorschach" experience, and, since you know better than Crowley or Waite could possibly know just how you're feeling today, of very great value for those who want to invest in a little extra self-examination.This particular rendition is a restoration based on a Swiss version of the classic Marseille (which was virtually unchanges for hundreds of years -- THAT'S how on target its images are!) created in 1751 by Claude Burdel. The original line work has been preserved, but the colors have been revivified -- the look is clean, light, and bright, and so the cards lend themselves to hopeful, optimistic readings as befits the mind-set of the just-barely-pre-Renaissance era that inspired them; one's own mood, however, can provide all the darkness required for a really scary reading, if that's what you need and want.The Majors are unparalleled. Stripped down and to the very essence, with humor, wisdom, insight, and just the right amount of vagueness to make the meaning change creatively from day to day: Is that Knight smirking, smiling, or grimacing? You make the call -- that's what makes an archetype an archtype! Is that lightening (or something stranger) striking the crown of The Tower, or is it a hot cloud of who-knows-what escaping from The Tower's too-narrow confines?A lot more interactive than Rider or Crowley cards, by me, and a lot more personally meaningful.The Little White Book which comes along for the ride is small but magnificent -- Tarot scholar Lee Bursten provides basic interpretations of the Majors as they would have been understood by those first viewing them 'way back then; Suits are quickly defined by the same method, as are the numbers 1 - 10. Court Cards are likewise reduced to the essential ranking: Knave = Learning; Knight = Focusing; Queen = Encouraging; and King = Controlling. The goal in this simplicity is to return the cards to the magic of their original conception:The magic you yourself bring to them when reading.

The cards are fine. I really like the cardstock, the back is lovely, and otherwise they're a fairly standard Marseille deck.THIS is the deck I recommend to folks new to TdM decks, though. Why? Because the LWB is FABULOUS. It's the clearest and most succinct LWB I've ever found for this deck style, and I was so impressed I tracked down the OOP kit to get the longer text included in that.Buy it for the LWB, use this deck to get comfy with this deck style, and then use whatever pip deck personally appeals to you (Le Tarot Noir, anyone?). The skills gained with this will do nothing but help.

Mother and I used to play with those as we partook into divining our future. It's nice that I could find an identical set so we could resume this little game of ours. The cards are of high-quality material, although I do with they were a little larger. Overall, this is a good product.

Las líneas originales de Burdel y el nuevo diseño de los colores son preciosos. Sin embargo me resulta un poco difícil realizar lecturas con esta baraja. Las imágenes parecen ser de algún modo de otro mundo y cuesta traerlas a la tierra, por así decirlo. No obstante, es un objeto buenísimo para los coleccionistas que se interesan en los mazos históricos, especialmente los de tipo marsellés.Burdel's original lines and the new colour design are gorgeous, yet I find it difficult to read with this deck. The images appear otherworldly somehow and it is difficult to bring them down to Earth, so to speak; however, it is a great item for collectors who are interested in historic decks, especially of the Marseille type.

The Universal Tarot of Marseille is the version of Marseille tarot decks that has worked for me with its traditional images and more muted primary colours. The backs of the cards are specially beautiful and the black borders enhance the overall look. However, it may not work for beginners too well as the minor cards are not illustrated. A must have for intermediate or advanced users. This is also a very reasonably priced deck. I got it well in advance of the due date, well packed and in pristine condition. Highly recommended!

Having taught a twelve week course in the Tarot (as a psychological and transformative tool) for 35 years, and as author of one book on the Tarot, I value a Marseille deck for its historical value. The quality of this deck is comparable to all good decks but the images have been improved for the public market whereas I, personally, would prefer historical accurate even if the colours are faded, etc.I like the deck. Ity would not be the first I would recommend to a new student, but for anyone more advanced I think it's important to know how the tarot evolved, and this deck is key to that understanding.

Tal como lo esperaba las cartas colores brillantes y de alta calidad

Not your usual traditional deck which is generally Rider-Waite but a traditional deck nonetheless! Simple imagery and coloring make this a beautiful deck. The pip cards (numbered cards of the minor arcana) do not depict rich or full scenes as they consist only of the pips. Three of Cups is just that - a card pictured with three cups. It may cause difficulty for a beginner with learning on this deck since there is not much imagery to glean from when reading these cards using mainly intuition but it is still a very good deck to have in a collection.