Tarot Deck Archive
The decks below are all my own which I have collected over the past thirty years. Some are now out-of-print, and there are newer editions available of quite a number of them. My aim in writing these reviews is to give you an idea of what each deck looks like, it's strengths and weaknesses, and also to give you my own opinion. I have well over a hundred decks as of writing (May 2013), although strictly speaking they aren't all Tarot as I have included some Oracle sets. This section is by no means complete, as I have lots more decks to review so keep your eyes on my blog for news of additions.
Diary Of A Broken Soul

The cards are borderless and the images are presented in black ink, thus the cards are shades of black, grey and white. The card numbers are at the top but the names have been left off. The back of the cards bear a white geometric design on a black background, the same as the picture on the box.
Many of the Major Arcana card names, have been changed, e.g. The Fool = The Jester; Hierophant = Soothsayer; Justice = Duality. The imagery is full of wraith-like creatures, and could be described as shadowy, and disturbing, yet at the same time they are exquisitely executed in great detail and are compelling.
Although this is a Majors-only deck, Abdullah has created a complete deck, and has named the suits Spades, Clubs, Hearts, Diamonds, and if anything, these are even more shadowy. Of himself, the author says, "I am crazy and psychotic at best, homicidal and evil most days when the sun is shining....". He created the deck over a period of three years in order to explore his shadow side, and to address issues such as self-harm, incest, depression and suicide.
It is impossible in a brief review like this to do this deck justice and I highly recommend that you go to Abdullah's website www.diaryofabrokensoul.com where you will find lots of very interesting information.
Hezicos Tarot

The card stock is good and well-finished. The cards are fully-illustrated and borderless, with a reversible design on the back in shades of brown and gold. All four of the suit symbols are incorporated into the design.
The booklet accompanying the deck is made from excellent quality glossy paper and is bound in a green cover designed to look like a school exercise book. The author gives the reader a personal insight into her artistic life, creative process and the materials used in the execution of the deck. The cards themselves are reproduced in miniature and in full colour. For the Majors, there is a description, along with upright and reversed meanings, whilst the Minors give a description for the Court cards only. Three spreads are described, the Three-Card, the Romany and the Celtic Cross, but no sample readings.
The Major card names and numbers follow the Rider-Waite tradition, along with easily recognisable depictions in vibrant colours. They are very bold and strong. The author has her own unique take on the images, e.g. The Emperor is depicted sitting on a large quartz crystal, flanked by other crystal points and with a hound at his feet; the Death card shows two skulls, one human with a butterfly on top, and one animal. The card that stands out from the rest, maybe slightly incongruously due to its large black background, is the Moon.
In the Minor Arcana, the suit names are Swords, Rods, Cup and Pentacles, and the colours blue and yellow seem predominant. These cards are full of fairies and fun, and are so playful that the reader gets drawn in straight away. Whilst they are all truly delightful, the suit that particularly stands out is the Rods, due to many of them having little faces and stick arms, e.g. the Five Rods are seen to be pushing each other away and scowling fiercely at one another.
All in all, this deck is a sheer pleasure, and it's been a long time since a deck attracted and held me like this one. You can see images of the cards in my Tarotcast. Not to be missed!
Lo Scarabeo Tarot

The booklet is presented in English, Italian, Spanish, French and Dutch. The author gives a fascinating insight into his creative process, taking the reader through the story of how he has drawn on the three most influential decks of all time, i.e. the Tarot of Marseilles, The Rider-Waite Tarot, and the Thoth Tarot, how he has amalgamated all three and how he and the artist have put their own twist on this. As far as the interpretations of the cards go, there are only three pages devoted to this, with mostly one single-word prompt for each card, which seems to let the deck down somewhat. Just one spread is given, the Lo Scarabeo, set out in the shape of a scarab, but it is interesting and useful, and includes a very good sample spread.
The card images are set within a gold border, which is itself set within a white border. The numbers are are the top, whilst the card names are given in four languages at the top and one at the bottom. The reverse is a rather attractive design in black and grey of two scarab mirror images, making it reversible.
In the Major cards, only one card name has been changed very slightly, i.e. the Star becomes the Stars. The images are easily recognisable in comparison with the Rider-Waite deck, and the colours are attractively bright and eye-catching.
In the Minor cards, the suit of Cups becomes Chalices, and the Court cards are named Knave, Knight, Queen and King. In the interest of balance, the Knave is depicted as a girl, which makes for a refreshing change.
All-in-all, this deck is considerably more interesting and attractive than the box suggests, so I was very pleasantly surprised to find myself wanting to use the deck. Don't be put off by the apparent generic nature of the box - do have a look and enjoy.
Housewives Tarot

The instruction book is small but is definitely more than a booklet, with its 96 pages. It tells the 'Legend of the Mystical Housewives Tarot', a funny story about the 'origins' of the deck. The book gives five spreads, including the Clothesline of Life and the Martini. It is laid out with one page per card, showing three key words/phrases, plus a brief description and interpretation.
The cards are designed in comic 1950s style, with the focus on the housewife of the family in all her various guises.
The Major Arcana cards have a black border, and most of the images are set against a background of green or yellow. Two examples of those images are - l) The Hermit - a woman luxuriating in a bubble bath, surrounded by bars of Lux soap; 2) The Empress - a woman standing behind a table full of cooking ingredients and holding up a book entitled 'Recipe For Success'. The ordering of the Major cards has some changes in that the The HIgh Priestess becomes number four; the Empress , number two; and the Emperor, number three, but no explanation is given for this.
The Minor cards are fully illustrated and each suit has its own colour border, as follows - Swords, red; Wands, orange; Cups, blue; Pentacles, green. The Swords are represented by a variety of sharp implements, including scissors, knives and cut-throat razors; Wands, feather dusters, mops and brushes; Cups, champagnes flutes, whisky tumblers and wine glasses; Pentacles, plates, platters and breadboards.
All in all, it is a very amusing and quirky deck, which could be used for divination, although not of the serious variety, in my opinion.
Shadowscapes Tarot

The book which accompanies the deck is made from very good quality paper and has 253 pages. The front cover is a full-size depiction of the High Priestess, making for a very attractive invitation to see what lies within. For each and every card, a whole page is devoted to a picture of the card in shades of grey, which gives the impression of pencil drawings, but may just be black and white 'photocopies' of the actual cards. A full description and meaning of each card is given in the most poetic, evocative way, drawing the reader into each scene, and also demonstrating how the cards could be used for meditation. The authors provide nine spreads across a wide spectrum, and include the Celtic Cross, Is love In The Stars, and Dream Come True.
The back of the cards is a reversible design in muted shades of purple, and in the centre is a circular interwoven design set against a cosmic background. The card images are set within a silver border.
The names and numbering of the Major cards are the same as the Rider-Waite, and although a lot of the Rider-Waite symbolism is present, the images have a dream-like, ethereal quality, and look very different. The Majors contain a proliferation of flying creatures, especially birds and butterflies, and their magical nature grips the imagination, taking the reader into flights of fantasy, stirring the imagination wonderfully.
The Minor cards are no less enchanting. Each suit has its own colour scheme and representative images, as follow - Swords - lilac and gold, swans; Wands - yellow and green, foxes; Cups - blue, fish; Pentacles - green and brown, dragons. The depictions are, on the whole, quite different from the Rider-Waite, and, like the Majors, are dreamy and ethereal.
This deck is completely enchanting and wonderful for intuitive reading. For anyone who feels stuck with original meanings, this deck will help in freeing up the imagination, and is thus highly recommended, whether you are a seasoned reader or a beginner.
Mystic Faerie Tarot

The book is 284 pages long, made with good quality paper, and beautifully bound. Each card is reproduced in black and white, full-sized, along with a description and explanation of its symbols. "Your Message" is the cards advice to the reader/querent, being solid and practical, down-to-earth and applicable to everyday living. Nine spreads are described, including Dew Drop, Lily Pond; Love Me, Love Me Not; and Daisy Spread, followed by some useful sample readings.
The card images are set within a gold border, with the card names at the bottom, whilst the back of the cards is an intricate reversible design of foliage and faces in gold, white and brown. Within the gold border there is also an inner border which reflects the design on the back.
Three of the Major names have been changed - the High Priestess becomes the Priestess; the Hierophant becomes the Priest and the Hanged Man becomes the Hanged Fae. The depictions are all very busy. All the people shown on the cards are of the Fae. The predominant colours are shades of green and brown, and the images, whilst recognisably comparable to Rider-Waite, are exquisitely executed in a fashion befitting the decks name.
In the Minor cards the suits retain their original names whilst the Page becomes the Knave. each suit has its own symbolic images - Swords, roses; Wands, fly agaric; Cups, water lilies; Pentacles, fruits of the autumn harvest. As with the Majors, the images are beautifully done.
All in all, this deck is a gift for anyone who is attracted to fairies. Barbara Moores style is very much in evidence and in that sense the deck echoes the Shadowscapes Tarot. A must-have.
Tarot Reed Howard

This is a tiny boxed set, beautifully packaged and very attractively presented in dark blues and purples. The cards are about one-and-a-half inches by two-and-a-half, whilst the book is three inches square.
The card stock is quite flimsy. The backs of the cards bear a sun-and-swords design, which is not reversible, in shades of grey. The book has a glossy hard back and is printed on very good quality paper. Besides giving basic Tarot information, in also includes numerological and elemental correspondences. In spite of its size, it is illustrated in full colour, and gives three spreads.
All the card images are set within an ornate brown and gold border, with the card name at the bottom.
The Major cards have a purple spot half-way down each side, giving them an instant identifying feature. All the names follow the Rider-Waite tradition, and the imagery also sticks quite closely overall to it. There is an Egyptian theme in some of the cards, but not all, which produces some inconsistency.
In the Minor cards, all four suits remain true to form, but disappointingly, there are no illustrations, just pip formations. Each suit has an identifying spot half-way down each side - Swords, blue; Wands, green; Cups, red; Pentacles, gold.
This deck is recommended mostly for its novelty value rather than for using to do readings, mostly because it is not fully-illustrated. The little sticker that is visible at the bottom of the box showed that I paid £4.99 for it in about 2007.
Napo Tarot

The card images are set within a narrow white border, the colours - with a predominance of blue and pink - being gentle and pleasing to the eye.
Each of the Major cards bears its name in English at the top and Spanish at the bottom, there being four name changes e.g. The Hierophant becomes The Pope, and Strength becomes Fortitude. Astrological correspondences are also included. The symbolism sticks closely to the Rider-Waite system, but Napo's style is very distinctive, sometimes comic.
The Minor suit names remain the same except for Pentacles, which becomes Disks. Again, the depictions relate closely to Rider-Waite. Cards two to ten bear single-word meanings, e.g. Six of Swords - Escape; Seven of Wands - Valour; Five of Cups - Disappointment; Three of Disks - Works.
All in all, this is a very interesting deck, easy on the eye and would make an excellent beginners' deck.
Tarot of the Sweet Twilight

The names of the Major cards remain the same except for 'the Wheel of Fortune' which becomes simply 'the Wheel'. Most of the Major cards carry some kind of representation of the moon and stars.
The suit names of the Minor cards remain the same except for 'Cups' which becomes 'Chalices'. The booklet accompanying the deck is basic in the extreme, giving nothing other than a brief introduction, interpretations for each card, and one Tarot spread.
Overall, this is a fascinating deck, being surreal, arty, dreamy, offering a gateway to one's deepest emotions and psyche. To quote the box, "The sweet sadness of innocence: an enchanted world that reawakens at twilight and dies within it". If you're looking for a deck with something a bit different, this is for you.
Wildwood Tarot

The back of the cards is plain black with a thin white line close to the edge, the corners of which each show a small leaf-like design. The front of the cards is contained within a narrow white border, with a slightly deeper border at the bottom edge, leaving room for the name of each card.
Most of the names of the Major Arcana have been changed, e.g. The Empress = the Green Woman; the Chariot = the Archer; Death = the Journey. However, in most cases the illustrations can be easily understood in terms of their relationship to the more traditional imagery. The detail on these beautiful images is quite extraordinary and draws the reader in, with its woodland colours in all of the seasons.
The suit names of the Minor Arcana have been changed - Swords = Arrows; Wands = Bows; Cups = Vessels; Pentacles = Stone. Each pip card bears its name and a word or short phrase as a prompt to its intended meaning. Examples are as follows - Five Arrows, Frustration; Seven Vessels, Mourning; Eight Stones, Skill. Many of the card meanings stick closely to the generally accepted ones. The Court cards retain their royal titles but the illustrations are very different in that each one is an animal, e.g. Page of Arrows is Wren and Queen of Vessels is Salmon. Again, the illustrations are all very attractive and most of the deck is suitable for meditation.
The 156-page book accompanying the deck is very elegantly presented, offering detailed information on each card, plus a number of spreads and meditations.
All-in-all, this deck comes highly recommended, especially for all lovers of woodland.
R G Tarot

The Major Arcana cards are predominantly portrayed in pink, green and yellow. The cards are numbered but not named, although the names are shown in the booklet. All the depictions are set within a fine green border against a white background. Interestingly, some of the cards have a slightly faded feel, e.g. 'the High Priestess', 'the Empress' and 'the Star', whilst others are more vividly coloured, e.g. 'the Chariot', 'the Hanged Man' and 'the Tower'. A statement on the back of the box tells us that 'The twenty-two Major Arcana of this Tarot reveal in pictorial form a marvellous doctrine of life and lovemaking'.
The Minor cards are very simply drawn. All the 'pip' cards are absolutely uncluttered and because the actual suit symbols are rather small, the 'Ace of Swords', for example, seem lost on the card. There certainly isn't anything that can be seen as 'adornment'. In the court cards, all the 'Pages' are the same except for the suit symbol which they hold, as are all the Knights, Queens and Kings. To quote the back of the box, 'The fifty-six Minor Arcana are magical tools. They are clear and uncluttered, as such tools should be, to enhance the concentration of the Magician'.
This is one of my second-hand decks, bought so long ago that I don't remember where it came from. The box, as you can see, is worn and the cards look and feel like they have been quite well-used. I find it to be an interesting deck because of its colours and simplicity.
Tarot Companion Decoder

I have been unable to find out who devised the Decoder, although the copyright holder is 'Dynamo House' in Australia. If anyone is able to throw any light on the matter, I would be very pleased to hear from you. I bought it from 'Waterstone's' in Manchester, England, a good few years ago now and I liked it so much that when I was training to teach reflexolgy and had to produce a practical learning aid as part of my assessment, I created the 'Wheel of Health'!
IJJ Swiss Tarot

Aquarian Tarot

The Major Arcana is something of a mixed bag in terms of consistency. Some of the cards, e.g. 'the Magician' and 'the Hanged Man' are immediately recognisable as being based on the Rider-Waite deck, whilst others, e.g. 'Strength' and 'Temperance' are quite different. Many of the images are 'close-up' views, cutting out a lot of the background and losing some of the original symbols. The card numbers appear in Roman numerals at the top of each one, whilst the names are at the bottom, in a variety of fonts and sizes, creating to a certain extent a lack of continuity. However, in spite of all that, the cards are attractive and eye-catching.
The Minor Arcana is much more consistent and sticks closely to the Rider-Waite formation. Although the images are 'close-up' views, they are less so than the Major Arcana and retain most of the original symbolism. They are immediate and compelling, feeling much more lively than the Major Arcana.
The Aquarian Tarot has remained one of the most popular Tarot decks over the years, and it was the second deck I owned. The photograph shows a well-used box, held together - like so many others - with sellotape. Although I haven't used this deck for years, I still have a soft spot in my heart for it - it was the first one I used when I started reading professionally, and the memory of that very first home visit is still etched on my mind - I had to ask the people would they mind turning off the television whilst I did the readings! Nostalgia - it ain't what it used to be........
The Philosopher s Stone

The images, as the name suggests, are all of stone(s), e.g. (3) 'Freedom' shows a large stone head breaking free from the rock of which it has been a part; (9) 'Thinking' is a stone head looking deep in thought, with little stones floating round it, as if signifying all the thoughts inside the head (see photo); (22) 'Skill' is a large stone head balancing a smaller stone on top of it; (31) 'Contribution' shows an open hand, palm up, with a smallish stone suspended above it, a part of which has just broken off and is about to fall into the hand; (33) 'Origin' shows a huge lengthways stone suspended just above thousands of very small ones which are flowing out of a fissure in the large stone, creating a 'mushroom-style' picture. The depictions have been beautifully thought-out and are intriguing to look at.
The flimsy leaflet that accompanies the deck is very basic. It gives a simple five-card spread plus a single-card 'touchstone'. The list of the forty cards gives a few meanings for each card, and interestingly, although the word 'Abundance' (29) is spelled correctly in the leaflet, the actual card is spelled 'Abundence'. The deck also includes a card with a picture of the author and basic biographical details which are in German.
The Philosopher's Stone is now out of print and apparently hard to get hold of. The second-hand decks that I have looked at on the net mostly seem to be well over £100. I strongly recommend that you get a look at it, as it is definitely unique and would be great for meditation. I bought this deck from the Tarot Workshop at Hadfield, a small Derbyshire village in England. At the time it was operating from the owner's home and I went there myself a few times to buy decks and the first two volumes of Stuart Kaplan's Tarot Encyclopedia. Soon afterwards the business moved into a unit on an industrial estate, so fast had it expanded.
Inner Child Cards

The Major Arcana cards are all based on either fairy-tales or fairy-tale characters, e.g. 'Little Red Cap' (The Fool), 'the Wizard' (Hierophant), 'Big Bad Wolf' (the Devil), and 'the Yellow Brick Road' (the Sun). For each card, the authors give a condensed version of the original story/character, followed by an explanation of how they relate to the modern-day world, plus interpretation which can be applied in a reading.
The Minor Arcana is no less inspiring than the Major cards. To quote the authors, "Inner Child cards reveal sensitive, heartwarming and spiritual scenes through the four suits". The name of the suits are 'Swords of Truth', 'Magic Wands', 'Winged Hearts' (Cups), and 'Earth Crystals' (Pentacles). Each suit has a border of appropriate symbols - 'Swords', clouds, birds, sun and wind; 'Wands', flowers, caterpillars and butterflies; 'Hearts', shells, seahorses, starfish, turtles; and 'Crystals', oak leaves, acorns, snails, frogs and mushrooms. The Court cards are named 'Child', 'Seeker', 'Guide' and 'Guardian'.
The verbal description I have given can in no way do justice to this beautiful deck - it is absolutely stunning. I bought this deck in the early days of decks and book sets, and I don't remember what happened to the box. As you can see on the photograph, the book cover is a little bit grubby, but the cards are pristine! If you haven't seen Inner Child Cards, I highly recommend that you get to have a look at them, and see if you are as captivated as I am.
Lord of the Rings Oracle

The hard-backed book, although only eighty pages long, delivers not only the usual instructions and explanations, but also some very good sample readings, some excellent suggestions for meditation, plus biographical information about Tolkien and a section 'About Terry Donaldson'.
The borderless cards themselves are beautifully illustrated and appear to be in no particular order, being un-numbered. They show 'characters, creatures, races, various beings and some locations', e.g., 'Forest of Mirkwood', 'Shelob's Lair', 'Old Man Willow', and 'the Ghost Army of Dunharrow'. The illustrations appear to have been done on textured paper using various media such as pencil, charcoal and water colours. For each card, Donaldson gives a description of the card, the esoteric meaning, personal indications and reversed meanings. His descriptions are powerful and immediate, as demonstrated by the following two examples:-
'Rose Gamgee and Belladonna Took - The Mothers : Before us stand two Hobbit women: Belladonna Took, the mother of Bilbo, and Rose Gamgee, the wife of Sam and mother of his thirteen children. Together they invite us into their domain, and offer us refreshments. The smell of baking fills our nostrils. We drink from an earthenware goblet. The taste is sweet and warm. We feel that we have been on a long journey. We take off our boots, allowing our feet to relax. The two women stoke up the fire, and we feel the increased warmth'.
And in stark contrast, 'Shelob's Lair: We look from a cave entrance into a huge, dark slimy web. By the light of the lamp we carry we can see various bodies encased within it. Their faces are frozen, seemingly in mid-scream. On entering the cave our nostrils are assaulted by the stench of evil. We stumble and our hands become caught up in the web before us. Something begins shuffling towards us; we are frozen with terror when we see two great clusters of eyes glowing through the darkness. The creature begins to emit a terrifying, bubbling, creaking sound'.
If it seems like I was being a bit long-winded giving those two extracts, I thought they were a very good contrast and really gave a flavour of the whole thing. This set is very different from 'the Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game', each set having it's own merits. They were both devised by Terry Donaldson and it's hats off to him, having produced two very different superb decks on the same theme.
Lord of the Rings Oracle Map

Tarot of the Cat People

There are five kingdoms of the Outer Regions, corresponding to the Major Arcana and the four suits of the Minor Arcana, each kingdom having it's own characteristics in terms of both landscape and inhabitants.
The kingdom of the Major Arcana is 'Vapala', the 'Diamond Kingdom' and is inhabited by the 'Sky People'. The cards have kept their original titles apart from 'Judgement' which is now 'Rejuvenation'. Although the designs, colours and style are aeons apart from the Rider-Waite deck, all the cards are easily recognisable. One that stands out in particular is 'Death', which shows the Grim Reaper on foot and carrying a scythe, accompanied by the walking skeleton of a large cat.
Each of the four Minor Arcana suits follows a similar setup - i.e. 'Swords' relates to 'Thnossis', the 'Ruby Kingdom', inhabited by the 'Fire People'; 'Wands' relates to 'Twahihic', the 'Emerald Kingdom', inhabited by the 'Sand People'; 'Cups' relate to 'Azhengir', the 'Topaz Kingdom', inhabited by the 'Salt People' and 'Pentacles' relate to 'Kahulawe', the 'Sapphire Kingdom', peopled by the 'Rock People'. The Minor cards are no less opulent than the Major cards, and again, are for the most part recognisable.
I cannot stress enough just how beautiful this deck is, and my words can't even begin to do it justice. You can see from the picture that the box is literally held together with sellotape, and the cards themselves show signs of wear, as I worked with them for a couple of years. You might be able to see that I paid £11.95 (many years ago now) from a little shop called 'Spooks' in the Yorkshire village of Haworth (Bronte country). I have always been terrified of cats and would freeze if one came into the room so it was a great surprise to me to realize one day, after about eighteen months with the deck, that I was no longer afraid of them. This has been a great blessing to me as it has enabled me to enjoy my friends' cats and they no longer have to imprison their furry felines when I visit them.
Kazanlar Tarot

The Major cards are based very much on the Kabbalah. Kazanlar gives an explanation of that for each card, backed up with very concrete, down-to-earth examples and/or stories that make the esoteric accessible to anyone unfamiliar with the Kabbalah. The titles of the cards are shown at the bottom, in English, French, German and Spanish, although the 'Death' card bears it's number but not it's name. 'The Fool' is assigned the number twenty-two. Two of the card titles have been changed, i.e. 'the High Priestess' becomes 'the Popess' and 'the Hierophant' becomes 'the Prophet'.
The Minor Arcana cards have extra information. The Ace through Ten of each suit have both 'angelic' and 'demonic' names as found in the Kabbalah, to denote their positive (upright) and negative (reversed) influences. These names are shown at the top and bottom of each card respectively, and the booklet gives information for each angel/demon according to it's basic traits and attributes. Astrological correspondences are shown on the left-hand side, although not addressed in the booklet. As well as giving the divinatory interpretation, Kazanlar has given some fascinating insights into the scenes depicted.
All-in-all, if I were to describe this deck in terms of alcohol, I would have to say that it is very much a full-bodied drink, most satisfying and possibly addictive, yet not an addiction I would want to be cured of. There is so much else I could write about the Kazanlar Tarot but I would never be able to do it justice. What I can say is.........open that bottle and savour the flavour!
Egorov Tarot Gold Edition

The booklet appears to have been translated into English from it's original Russian language due to the the slightly unusual use of grammar and sentence construction in parts. The esoteric nature of this deck is reflected in Egorov's 'User's Manual' as he calls the booklet, and the following paragraph is a good example of it - "For to learn how to use the cards, it is necessary to know the laws of human evolution and the obstacles that hinder him to follow his evolution path, act strictly in his life, realize his plans quickly and with high quality. This knowledge is programmed in the cards with the help of the Earth matrixes of the Liiving Universe. A person to lay out the cards would view the obstacles that impede him to act strictly".
The titles of some of the Major cards have been changed, e.g. 'the High Priestess' becomes 'the Science', 'the Hanged Man' becomes 'Selflessness' and 'Temperance' becomes 'Sun Genius'. The designs of the cards reflect the 'Rider-Waite' Tarot quite closely in terms of symbols yet Egorov has brought his own unique style to them. In this deck, 'the Fool' is slotted in at number XXI, between XX 'Rebirth' ('Judgement') and XXII 'Crown' ('the World'). There is a typo error on the 'Strength' card which is spelled 'Strenght'.
Each of the suits of the Minor cards has predominant colours, ie. 'Swords' are blue and green, 'Wands' are red-brown and bright pink, 'Cups', shades of green, and 'Coins' brown/orange/yellow. This, combined with very striking images makes the cards come to life.
These cards are so opulent, a veritable feast for the eyes and I have no hesitation in recommending anyone to join in the party!
Sacred Circle Tarot

The book which accompanies the deck is also excellent, with plenty of information about each card, without being too overwhelming. Several spreads are described, including 'the Circle Spread', 'the Web Spread', and 'the Romany Spread'. There are also two chapters on using the Sacred Circle Tarot for meditation.
All the cards are on a black background. The titles of thirteen of the Major Arcana have been changed, e.g. 'the Fool' becomes 'the Green Man', 'the Hierophant' becomes 'the Druid', and 'Strength' becomes 'the Warrior'. The picture on the box is 'the Lady' ('the Empress') and is a good example of the standard of the artwork. Also, Franklin has altered the order slightly of some of the Major cards "to fit more closely with the theme of the deck". All of the cards show scenes of nature, including actual sacred places in England and Ireland, plus images of real people. The vibrant nature of the artwork is such that anyone who loves Mother Nature will have no trouble connecting with the cards.
The Minor Arcana cards are no less captivating. Each suit has it's own elemental border colour - Swords, yellow; Wands, red; Cups, lilac; Discs, green. At the top of each card is it's number and at the bottom a keyword. As with the Major Arcana, the Minor all have depictions of nature in her full glory.
I love this deck. You can feel the breeze caress your face, hear the rustle of leaves, smell the good earth, touch the flowers; and it makes me want to dance, to run, to play in the woods and dangle my feet in a stream.........it touches every bit of pagan in me.
Phoenix Cards

The cards themselves are all very different, reflecting the culture which they portray. They are numbered from one to twenty-eight and whilst only the actual numbers appear on the cards, the book gives each card a title and a key phrase, e.g. ' card V - Egyptian Buto Goddess - Child of the Dark World'; 'card XI - Yugoslavian Earth Goddess - the Guise of the Goddess'; ' card XIX - Greek Painting - Love of Reason'.
Sheppard has gone to great lengths to give as much information as possible for each card, i.e. 'Symbol' is a representation of what is going on inside the individual now, which links you with civilisations from past lives; 'Place' where you have lived in previous lives; 'Time' in history; 'Groups' that you were a member of; 'Language Groups' which show links with various cultures throughout the world; 'Appearance' e.g. colour of skin, body type, hair; 'Traits', i.e. how you express yourself in this life as a result of your particular past lives; 'Conclusion' drawn from all the above, bringing insight and understanding about how you got to where and who you are now.
This undoubtedly seems an awful lot of information to draw from each card, but one of Sheppard's spreads, the 'Past Life Mandala', goes even further. She has taken seven astological influences, the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Uranus and Pluto, and interprets each of the twenty-eight cards in relation to each planet. It would probably have been quite helpful if she had given some examples of how the spread would work with a real person. Towards the back of the book there is a very useful table which sums up the main elements of each card. The illustrations are all very individual and although they are interesting, there doesn't really seem to be any sense of flow from one to the next.
This is a great deck for anyone who is seriously into reincarnation. An old friend gave me this deck and to check him out, click on the link to Edwin Courtenay.
Dragon Tarot

The elaborate nature of the artwork for the Major Arcana necessitates a close look at the different elements of each card, almost a de-construction in order to appreciate fully the symbolism. The titles appear at the bottom of the cards, with corresponding astrological symbols to either side. The title 'Hanging Dragon' replaces 'The Hanged Man'.
Although the Minor cards are at least partially illustrated, the suit of Swords is slightly less so than the rest, and it isn't that easy to insinuate the meanings from the depictions. Each suit has it's own symbol apart from the elemental symbol - several of the Swords cards show bubbles; all the Wands show the sun; all the Cups, the moon; and several of the Coins, fly agaric. Interestingly, the elemental symbol for Coins is a labyrinth overlaid with a pentagram.
If you like dragons, you are bound to love this deck. It has beauty, fascination, and inspiration in bucket-loads. No discount bookstores were involved in the purchasing of this deck, as I got it from Amazon!
Vandenborre Bacchus Tarot

In the Major Arcana, 'the Fool' is numbered twenty-two, the High Priestess is 'Le Spanol Capitane Fracasse' (the Spanish Captain/Popess), and' the Hierophant' is 'Baccus'( Bacchus/The Pope). There are some spelling mistakes due to 'the illiteracy of the artisans who cut the original woodblocks'. The booklet also states that the Major cards for this deck were originally in a different order, details of which can be found therein, grouped into three sections i.e. 'the Triumph of Love, the Triumph of Death, the Triumph of Eternity'.
The Minor Cards are 'pips' and there really isn't anything of note to say about them. As with the Major cards, all the titles are in French.
I haven't been able to establish who wrote the instruction booklet, so if anyone out there knows, it would be great to hear from you. I highly recommend this deck because of the information supplied in the booklet, some of which I haven't come across before. I also like the fact that the given card meanings are quite graphic and not wrapped up in any way.
Da Vinci Tarot

The Major cards are compelling, drawing the reader in. The title of each is unobtrusively written in the background in Da Vinci's 'trademark' mirrorscript, whilst the actual title is shown in six languages in the borders, but small enough not to get in the way. For each card, McElroy gives the following information - 'Encourages', 'Cautions against', 'Illustration notes', 'Commentary' and 'Exploration Questions'. It may seem like a lot, but McElroy's style is direct, succinct and easily-digestible.
The Minor cards are similarly treated but without mirrorscript, although they are equally commanding. Instructions for two spreads are given i.e. the 'Pentacle Spread' and the 'Da Vinci Insight and Inspiration Spread'. Such is the quality of the whole deck that it is easy to forget that any other artists beside the master himself were involved.
My son bought me this set from a 'new age' shop in Manchester just after he'd had a tongue and lip piercing in the shop next door, hence the drops of blood on the box..........just kidding. Seriously though, it's a great deck, a bit different and just makes you think again.
Tarot To Go

Hanson-Robert's has based her deck on the Rider-Waite, keeping very close to the original symbolism, but with her own stamp, producing a deck that is quite pleasing to the eye. Some of the cards are somewhat reminiscent of the Aquarian Tarot, e.g. 'The Fool', 'The Ace of Swords' and 'The Seven of Rods'. The titles of the cards appear in English, French, German, Italian and Spanish but are small enough not to be intrusive.
I bought this set from Waterstone's Book Shop in Manchester, England, a few years ago for £6.99, and consider it a bargain. When I got it out to review, I felt a wave of nostalgia as it reminded me of the second deck I ever worked with, the Aquarian Tarot........ah, how the years have rolled on by........
Medicine Woman Tarot

The Major Arcana cards all have the original titles in small print at the top and the 'Medicine Woman' titles in much larger print at the bottom. Some examples are 'Seed' (The Fool), 'Vision' (The Hanged Man) and 'The Grandmothers' (The Moon). There is very little of the original Tarot symbolism but the main link between all the cards is the connection between people and nature.
The Minor Arcana suit names are 'Arrows' (Swords), 'Pipes' (Wands), 'Bowls' (Cups) and 'Stones' (Pentacles), and the Court card titles are 'Apprentice' (Page), 'Totem' (Knight), 'Lodge' (Queen) and 'Exemplar' (King). Each suit has its own power animal - 'Arrows, the Coyote', Pipes, the Eagle', 'Bowls, the Dolphin' and 'Stones, the Snake'. The Minor cards again break with Tarot tradition in that they don't bear the number of suit symbols according to the card number, and this seems in keeping with inspiring people to take a fresh look at 'the world'. There are two extra cards in the pack, one being an invocation to 'the Mother Creator' and the other, a welcome to the elemental energies, both of which come across as powerful and sincere.
I like this deck very much and have recently spent quite a bit of time with it. Although it is structurally the same as most Tarot decks, it has a different feel completely, and I have to say that I haven't found it that easy to connect with as a whole. It's a bit like being presented with a cool summer soup when you've been used to hot winter broth - perhaps not the best analogy I could have made, but I hope you get the picture.
Elemental Tarot

Several of the Major Arcana titles have been changed, e.g. 'the Magician' becomes 'the Trickster'; 'the Hermit' becomes 'the Shaman'; 'Temperance' becomes 'Peace'. At the bottom of each card is a word that complements the meaning of it's title. To either side of each image is a line from a poem, 'The Thunder, Perfect Mind', which makes up part of a number of Gnostic texts discovered in 1945. All the cards bear astrological symbols, and an egg-shaped purple symbol at the bottom of all the Major cards identifies the element of 'Spirit'.
The Minor Arcana suit names are 'Air', represented by a light green circle, 'Fire', a red upward pointing triangle, 'Water', a blue crescent, horns pointing upwards, and 'Earth', a bold green square. Each card has a name at the top and a God/Goddess name at the bottom, e.g. One of Fire/Lightning/Tien-Mu; Four of Earth/Clay/Bochicha' Six of Air/Open Air/Hermes; and Eight of Water/Well/Naaki. The Court cards are named Daughter, Son, Mother and Father. As can be seen from the photograph, many of the cards are complex and 'busy' yet nonetheless, quite pleasing to the eye.
I like this deck for it's boldness, it's confidence and it's attractive appearance.
Olympus

The cards are divided into four categories, as follow - 'Twelve Olympians', 'Three Tutors', 'Four Heroes', and 'Seventeen Indicators', each one providing a different element essential for personal growth. Each card is opulently illustrated according to the Greek figure it represents, along with the category at the top and the name of the figure at the bottom.
All-in-all, 'Olympus' provides a new slant on an ancient art, and if you are as steeped in the Tarot as I am, I recommend you take a look at it. It's a bit like learning a new dance after having danced in the old familiar way for a long time. The box for this set has slight damage to one corner, hence I got it at a knock-down price.
Tarot Sasha Fenton

The colourful card images are all contained within a wavy border set against a white background. The Major Arcana images are fun and lively, with an interesting take on some of the original depictions, e.g. 'the High Priestess' shows a woman sitting at a table on which there is a crystal ball and the four aces from a standard playing card deck; 'the Emperor' is sitting on a throne-like chair with gold coins spilling out of a bag, and a couple of account books in front of him, bringing to mind the nursery rhyme 'Sing a song of sixpence' ('the king was in his counting-house, counting out his money'). The Minor cards are partially illustrated, whilst also keeping a 'pips' formation.
Fenton's interpretations of both Major and Minor cards seem to focus mainly on prediction, with extensive use of phrases such as 'there will', 'you will', 'it will' et al, thus coming across as rather prescriptive.
Personally, I am left feeling that this set is more 'parlour-game' than serious tool and the invitation on the front of the box to 'unlock the mysteries of the cards..........' leaves me feeling a little disappointed.
Glastonbury Tarot

Although the titles of the Major Arcana are the traditional ones, each card also bears a name/phrase reflecting either the mythical figures or landscape on which each image is based, e.g. 'the Fool/Percival', 'the Wheel of Fortune/the Glastonbury Zodiac', and 'the Devil/St. Dunstan'.
The Minor Arcana suit names are 'Swords', 'Staffs', 'Chalices' and 'Vesicas', and the only change to the Court cards is that 'Page' becomes 'Maid'. Each of the Ace through Ten cards bears a single word prompt at the bottom of the card, e.g. 'Six of Swords/Perception', 'Nine of Staffs/Strength', 'Four of Chalices/Emotion', and 'Eight of Vesicas/Patience'. The illustrations have been powerfully executed and are a feast for the senses.
What a vibrant deck this is! I consider myself very fortunate to have happened upon it (I'm going to embarrass myself now) at one of my much-frequented discount bookstores. I have a strong sense of the author's emotional/intuitive relationship with the essence of Glastonbury in contrast to e.g. 'the Merlin Tarot', which seems to me to stem from a rather more intellectual stance. If you're a fan of Glastonbury, I think you'll love this deck, and if not, look anyway - you never know, you too may be captivated.
Merlin Tarot Plus

Merlin Tarot

The Major Arcana is structured quite differently from traditional decks. It is numbered from one to twenty-two, and whilst most cards retain their original titles or very close to, two of them have changed completely, i.e. 'the Devil' becomes 'the Guardian, and 'the Hierophant' becomes 'the Innocent'. The order of the Major cards is radically different, e.g. 'the Moon' is I, 'the Fool' is Vll, and 'the Empress' is XIX. Most of the card designs are immediately recognisable, although 'the Guardian' ('the Devil'), is a beautifully created picture of the naked Herne, complete with antlers and in a nature setting. Stewart says that "the numbering of the Merlin Tarot is purely for reference and is not connected to the so-called traditional numbering or ordering of Tarot trumps that appears in publication from the nineteenth century onwards". Gray's artwork is beautiful and her chosen colours are very easy on the eye. In the book, Stewart gives a number of correspondences for each card, i.e. World, Wheel, Beings, Consciousness, Partner Trumps, Spheres and Planets, Attributes, God and Goddess Forms, Key Phrases, Merlin Texts, Divinatory Meanings, and Related Number Cards.
The Minor cards are more of a mixed bag. All the Aces are exquisite, each one depicting the suit symbol - 'Birds' (Swords), 'Serpents' (Wands), 'Fishes' (Cups) and 'Beasts' (Pentacles). The Court cards are equally beautiful and although the titles are not on the cards, they are in the book, and only the 'Knight' has been changed from the original title to 'Warrior'. The ace through ten are pips and are plain line drawings against colour-appropriate backgrounds, and as such, are a little disappointing. At the bottom of each card is a single-word prompt.
Personally, I would be happy to work with this deck intuitively, but I think I would be on intellectual overload if I were to try to use much of the information provided.
Medicine Cards

The book which accompanies the cards is very informative and a good introduction to the concept of animal medicine. There are chapters on the healing power of animals, the medicine wheel, the medicine shield, and very clear instructions for how to find one's nine totem animals. Several spreads are outlined, e.g. 'The Moon Lodge Spread', 'Father Sky/Mother Earth Spread', and 'The Pathway Spread'. The intention of this system of divination is for the individual to move forward on his/her journey towards wholeness in body, mind and spirit, in complete harmony with all of nature.
The one thing that lets this set down is the inferior quality of the card stock. However, don't let that put you off as it is a really interesting deck to work with. I bought my set in 1989 for £22.75 and I have just looked at Amazon.co.uk and see that they are selling it for £16.24! There are many similar comparisons showing that, in real terms, Tarot and other oracle cards have come down in price - well, that has to be a first!
Triple Goddess Tarot

The name of the Major cards in this deck is 'Alchemy cards', of which there are twenty-six, with the four extra ones serving as "an overlighting Trinity that crowns the original cards.........The triangle actually consists of four cards..........The fourth card symbolises the Ultimate Galactic Matrix". All the card titles are different from the original Rider-Waite but nevertheless are immediately recognisable - e.g. 'the Empress' becomes 'Fullness of Life', 'the Lovers' becomes 'Open Heart' and 'Death' becomes 'Passage'. The artwork is exquisite, sensual, and so vibrant that it almost seems as though the images would rise up from the cards and stand before you. The information given for each card includes several sections, i.e. 'Traditional Tarot Image', 'Traditional Translation', 'Alchemy and Transformation', 'Awakening to the Archetype', 'Everyday Encounters', 'Nature's Healers' and 'Your Soul Message'.
The remaining seven cards are 'Chakra cards', each one being coloured according to the chakra it represents. Again, the information for each card includes several sections, i.e. 'Description of the Chakra Image', 'Chakra Attributes', 'Healing Essence of the Chakra', 'Keywords' and 'Affirmations'.
Don't be put off by the amount of information provided for each card, as it is actually very informative without being overwhelming, due to Lerner's clear writing style. It is a truly beautiful deck, and you don't have to be a woman to connect with it. The whole package is very attractive, sumptuous even!
Shakespearian Tarot

Many of the Major cards are quite dramatic, packing a punch, and taking the reader by surprise. For each card Ashcroft-Nowicki gives the background about the play from which the quote is taken, and her skill at conveying lots of information in a few words is second-to-none.
The suit names of the Minor cards are 'Swords', 'Sceptres' (Wands), 'Orbs' (Cups), and 'Crowns' (Pentacles). The Court cards are 'Lady' (Page), 'Lord' (Knight), 'Queen' and 'King'. Although there is slightly less background information about the play relevant to each card, nevertheless the images are just as lively as the Major cards.
This deck is yet another of my discount bookshop finds. I was first introduced to Shakespeare at school at the age of eleven and hated it, as my intellect was not sophisticated enough at that age to understand or appreciate it. Then years later, in my twenties, I did A-level English Literature and studied 'Much Ado About Nothing' and another one (oops - I can't remember which). I loved it. We had a teacher who adored Shakespeare (the comedienne Victoria Wood's mother, just as Victoria was starting to be well-known) and she presented it in such a way that it was impossible not to fall in love with it. Having said that, I'm afraid I fell out of love again later and the last time I saw a Shakespeare play at a theatre I left at the interval. I have resigned myself to a life without Shakespeare and I don't know how I'll cope...........
Renaissance Tarot

The Major cards are paired, starting with 1 and XX, working forwards/backwards with X/XX1 'bringing up the rear' so to speak. 'The Fool' has not been paired as this is his/her journey. Many of the images/symbols are similar to the Rider-Waite ones, yet the style and composition are vastly different and exquisitely executed. For each card there are four sections - the symbolism; an exposition of the archetype's universal development throughout history; upright meanings; and reversed meanings, along with astrological correspondences. This 'formula' is one which works well, as demonstrated in Lyle's 'The Lover's Tarot' (see review).
The Minor cards are not quite full illustrations yet not just pips. The images are powerfully simple, a great deal being conveyed through body language and other symbols, again beautifully executed. The Court cards have retained their original titles except for 'Page' which becomes 'Princess-Page'. Lyle has also included a table of correspondences for the Minor Arcana, summing up a great deal of information in a few words. For each suit the correspondences are - 'Element', 'Elemental Spirit', 'Season', 'Time', 'Psychological Function', 'Zodiac Signs', 'Keyword', and 'Highest Power'. Whilst it isn't necessary to use the table, nevertheless a more in-depth reading can probably be achieved by including some of the correspondences.
I love Jane Lyle's style, as she is direct, doesn't try to blind us with science, and knows how to pick the right artist!
Arthurian Tarot

The Major Arcana in this deck is called 'The Greater Powers' and the only cards which have retained the original titles are 'the Star', 'the Moon' and 'the Sun'. Some examples of the rest are - 'The Seeker' (The Fool), 'The Washer at the Ford' (Death), 'The Green Knight' (The Devil), and 'The Flowering of Logres' (The World). The images are very evocative and lend themselves well to meditation and/or pathworkings (guided visualisations), especially as the images are viewed through an archway. The Matthews' approach to each card is to give a description, then some background information, followed by the archetypal meaning and the divinatory meaning, all of which makes fascinating reading.
The 'Lesser Powers' (Minor Arcana) are 'Sword', 'Spear' (Wands), 'Grail' (Cups), and 'Stone' (Pentacles), whilst the four Court cards are 'Maiden', 'Knight', 'Queen' and 'King'. Each suit has a corresponding element and season. The depictions don't always pack the same kind of punch as the 'Greater Powers', but nevertheless are interesting and well-executed. As with the 'Greater Powers', each card is explained in terms of description, background information, archetypal meaning and divinatory meaning.
The Matthews' give further information about numerical attributions, and interestingly, how to read time-scales with the Tarot, this latter in extraordinary detail. Each week of the year is ascribed to a particular 'Lesser Power' card, in accordance with the suit/season. The book covers several spreads, most of which are named after various aspects of Arthurian lore, accompanied by some very useful sample readings.
This is an attractive deck and I am particularly fascinated by the Matthews' take on time-scales as the Tarot doesn't necessarily lend itself well to accuracy with time. I may well 'have a go' and see what happens.
Universal Tarot

Four of the Major Arcana titles have been changed - 'Strength' becomes 'Desire', 'Justice' becomes 'Karma', 'Temperance' becomes 'Time' and 'Judgement' becomes 'The Revelation'. Whilst Miller's artwork is vastly different from the Rider-Waite deck, he has retained many of the original symbols, making each card immediately recognisable. Also, he writes eloquently about each card, explaining in detail the elements that make up each image.
The reason that this deck has only seventy-four cards is that the 'Pages' of the Court cards have been omitted. Miller's reasoning with regard to this is that 'the keys to the system are the numbers 3 and 7'. The exposition that follows this statement has a certain kind of logic, but leaves one wondering whether any two numbers could be plucked out of thin air and made to fit. In spite of that, Miller's descriptions and explanations of the Minor cards are very interesting and informative, and he offers a single word/phrase 'key' or summary for each card.
I like this deck as it is very individual, attractive to look at and has a fresh, vibrant feel to it. I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone who is looking for a deck that is a bit different.
Harmony Angel Cards

'The Rainbow Suit' is all about the major Angels which influence day-to-day life; 'The Star Fire Suit' shows the strengths and weaknesses that are inherent in all people; 'The Quintessence Suit' is the realm of the Angels and also of the universal life source; and 'The Sacred Flame Suit' is all about the timelessness and cyclic nature of life.
Each card has a title which is shown in the book but not on the cards themselves, and they are all unnumbered. Looking at the cards, it is not immediately obvious, on the whole, which suit a card might belong to as the identifying designs are, most unusually, on the backs of the cards. Rockwood has made extensive use of bright colours and has produced some very interesting images set in a gold border.
For anyone who hasn't worked with Angels, McGerr's book would undoubtedly be a good introduction as she gives some very helpful spreads and sample readings. You may be able to see from the photograph that this set is presented in book format, whereas the actual book is inside, and attached by it's back cover to the outer 'shell', with the cards sitting in a 'well', again attached to the 'shell'. Unfortunately, all this makes the book difficult to get to grips with in a literal sense.
If you look at the photo, you will see that I got this deck from 'Bookthrift', which is a chain of discount bookshops, for £4.99, although the recommended retail price on the back of the package is £9.99. It's a shame about the book being awkward to handle.
Osho Zen Tarot

The book which accompanies the deck is in landscape rather than portrait layout, making it really easy to flick through the pages. Osho introduces a number of spreads, including 'the Paradox', 'the Key', and 'the Mirror', all of which are simply explained. In fact, the whole book is similarly written without any unnecessary adornment, making Tarot immediately accessible. For each of the seventy-eight cards there are two sections - an exposition of the name/memory prompt, which is short and to the point, plus a commentary on/interpretation of the images.
Only two of the Major cards have retained their original titles - 'the Fool' and 'the Lovers'. Some examples of the changes are - 'the High Priestess' becomes 'the Inner Voice'; 'Death' becomes 'Transformation'; and 'the Tower' becomes 'Thunderbolt'. The artwork throughout the whole deck is absolutely exquisite and has to be seen to be appreciated.
The suit names of the Minor Arcana are 'Clouds' (Swords), 'Fire' (Wands), 'Water' (Cups), and 'Rainbows' (Pentacles), whilst the Court cards have retained their original names. At the bottom of each card, is the simple single word/phrase that sums up its interpretation, with the numbers of the cards appearing within a coloured diamond shape appropriate to its suit - 'Clouds' are grey, 'Fire' is red, 'Water' is blue, and 'Rainbows' are rainbow -coloured.
I love this beautiful deck, and my attempts at describing it fall far short of doing it justice. The photograph gives only the smallest hint of the visual feast within, and many of the pictures bring to mind the classic folk/fairy tales that I grew up with. An incredible deck for meditation. On a final note, I'm embarrassed to say I got this set from one of my favoured discount bookshops, my embarrassment being on account of the number of times I've said that in my reviews - makes me sound like a right old skinflint!
I Ching Tarot

The cards have a white background, with each one having a narrow band of colour at the top and bottom, giving the original Chinese name and the book-page number respectively. The illustrations are contained within a square in the centre of the card and are simply but beautifully executed. Above each illustration is the number of the card and the appropriate hexagram, whilst underneath is the Western name and a few words pertaining to the meaning of the illustration.
The accompanying book has a 'landscape' rather than 'portrait' format which works very well. Lau has given a brief but informative introduction to the history and development of I Ching, followed by an easily understood section about the eight trigrams. He does also point out that his interpretations are not the definitive truth about the I Ching, and goes on to encourage readers to develop their own understanding through regular use of the oracle. Several interesting spreads are outlined in the book, with one of them being the attractively named the 'Plum Blossom' spread.
One of the things I really like about this deck is that it doesn't take itself too seriously, with it's simple illustrations, yet at the same time, it is possible to use the deck for even the most serious of questions. To quote Lau, "this is an ancient game of sacred play, and one must always leave space for fun".
Lovers Tarot

The cards are painted in mostly Renaissance style overall but some of them have other elements that seem incongruous, mainly because it appears that these elements have been laid on top of the original paintings. Three good examples of this are a) in the 'Death' card, the black horse is just solid colour and looks like it has been cut out of black card and stuck on top of the picture; b) the fire at the top of the 'Tower' again looks like a paper or card cut-out which has been pasted on, almost as an afterthought; and c) the 'Star' is beautifully painted but there are seven small stars that look like little stickers which, again, have been added later.
Having said that, the cards are beautiful in their own right. It is not the easiest deck to handle as the cards are extremely big, measuring roughly nine inches by four but on the other hand it means that a lot of the small details are much more visible than in some smaller decks.
The book which is part of the package is excellent. Lyle gives astrological and elemental correspondences to the cards, and looks at each card in detail. Her interpretations could perhaps be seen as prescriptive, but nevertheless are very interesting. For each card there is a brief description and explanation of what some of the symbols mean, along with detailed interpretations summed up as follow -
sections entitled, About You, About Your Partner, About the Relationship, About the Future,
and within each section Lyle looks at both the Gift (upright interpretation) and the Challenge (reverse interpretation).
Whilst all this sounds like a lot to take in and perhaps quite complicated or complex, Lyle's writing style is direct and explicit, and her sample readings of 'the Lover's Tree' and 'the Lover's Pyramid' are excellent examples of how the deck can be used.
Motherpeace Tarot

The names of two of the Major cards have changed - 'the Hermit' becomes 'the Crone' and 'the Hanged Man' becomes 'the Hanged One'. The composition and style of the Major cards are very different from traditional Tarot imagery. Some of the cards appear quite childlike, whilst Vogel and Noble have managed to convey both the strength and the gentleness of women everywhere.
The Minor cards are fully illustrated, again with very interesting depictions which are truly unique. The Court card titles are 'Daughter, Son, Priestess and Shaman'.
This deck interests me because it is so different from many other decks. As you can see from the photograph, I have the mini version of the Motherpeace Tarot, although, given the small size of a lot of the images, it would probably be easier to read with the full-size version. It is surprisingly difficult to shuffle circular cards and I always feel I am in danger of ending up with seventy-eight cards spread all over the floor!
Necronomicon Tarot

At first glance it might appear that this deck has much in common with the Wormweird Tarot (see review), but the difference is that Tyson has gone to great lengths to explain his intention with this deck, including information about the parallels with and the differences from the Rider-Waite/Golden Dawn-based decks. Tyson conveys a strong sense of boundaries between himself and his work, whereas Higham's deck could be seen as an act of gratuitous degradation.
The Major cards show not only the original titles, but also each one bears the name of the god/monster/creature that it portrays, e.g. 'the Hanged Man/Well of the Seraph'; 'Judgement/Guardian of Eden'.
The Minor cards are on the whole not quite so gruesome as the Major ones, and each suit follows a storyline from Ace through Ten, in keeping with the meaning of the suit.
Although this deck is dark, in my view Tyson has done everything he can to ensure that anyone using it for divination bears in mind that a reading is likely to be negative due to the nature of the deck. In other words, he has conducted himself with a great sense of responsibility. There is so much else I could write about the Necronomicon Tarot, but Tyson has given so much fascinating information in his book that I can only say - read it!
Karma Tarot

The names of some of the Major cards have been changed - 'the Magician' becomes 'the Juggler', 'the High Priestess' becomes 'the Wise Woman', 'the Empress' becomes 'Lilith', 'the High Priest' becomes 'Grand Master', and ''the Wheel of Fortune' becomes 'the Wheel'. The composition of each card sticks quite closely to the Rider-Waite cards, but the style is hugely different as you can see on the photograph.
The Minor Arcana bears little resemblance to the Rider-Waite cards, summed up perfectly by Stuart Kaplan in his Introductory words to the booklet - '.....Erfurt describes the world as she sees it, with all of its distortion and contradiction'. The emotions portrayed are shown in their most raw state and Erfurt's vivid descriptions in the instruction booklet bring the cards to life in a dramatic way.
I am captivated by the surreal nature of the whole deck and absolutely love it. On the side of the box is a sticker which shows that I purchased the deck for £12.95, in the early 1990s. It is a must for anyone who likes surrealism and I can't recommend it highly enough.
Wiccan Cards

A few of the cards look like they would be more at home as illustrations in children's books, but there are a couple which I particularly like, i.e. 'the Horned One (number six) as shown in the photograph); and number sixteen, 'the Three Wise Ones' which depicts three women at a spinning wheel, (she who spins the web of life, she who measures it's length, and she who cuts it - my words). There isn't much more to say about the Wiccan Cards, except that the photograph shows the front of the box and it is the back of the box that actually gives the name 'Wiccan Cards'.
Flowers Tarot

I haven't been able to find out who the author and artist are so if anyone out there has this information, I would be very happy to hear from you. The deck was first published in 1989 in France and I bought it at a 'new-age' shop in Oldham, England, where I was doing Tarot readings in 1990. There really isn't anything else to say about this deck, except, perhaps, that I can't see myself ever wanting to use it.
Tarot the Complete Kit

The colourful imagery of the Major Arcana is for the most part similar to traditional Tarot symbolism but quite simply drawn. Two of the cards merit a special mention - 'The Chariot' depicts a a young boy (?) on a bicycle, with one knee on the seat and the other up in the air; 'Judgement' shows a large butterfly-like insect in flight, clutching a key between two little 'arms'.
The cards of the Minor Arcana show some very interesting images, e.g. 'the Five of Swords' shows two clothed mice, one of which has stuck a sword through the other with four other swords, two above and two below, which look like they have been thrown at the 'victim'; 'the Eight of Wands' shows eight wands forming the spokes of a wheel at the centre of which is a clock displaying the time of five minutes past ten; 'the Knight of Cups' shows a young man riding on the back of a dolphin, 'no-hands' style; and 'the Four of Pentacles' depicts a clothed fat pig in upright position, clutching four pentacles, apparently walking in a stealthy manner.
I hope the descriptions give you a feel for how different this deck is from so many others. It is definitely a deck that doesn't take itself too seriously as many of the faces, be they human or otherwise, have cheeky looks. A lot of the cards wouldn't look out of place in children's books and all-in-all it is a truly delightful deck.
Wormweird Tarot

The Major Arcana cards bear the usual titles, apart from 'Justice' which becomes 'the Scream'. Anyone who has never seen Tarot cards would have no idea what the original images are and would be very hard-pressed to understand the meanings. Higham does state that the deck was created for people to use for divinatory purposes if they so wished, but any attempt on his part to disclose generally-accepted interpretations is completely swamped by his descriptions and stories attached to each card.
The Minor Arcana suits are 'Flames' (Swords), 'Shadows' (Wands), 'Absinthe' (Cups) and 'Nails' (Pentacles); the Court cards being 'Fetus', 'Knight', 'Lady' and 'Lord'. Higham's 'numerical attributes' offer fairly straightforward interpretations of each card, although the depictions are just as gruesome as the Major cards. There is also a 'wildcard' accompanying this deck which is a picture of 'Baron Alchymus' around whom the story is built.
If it seems like I must be exaggerating when I say this deck is gruesome and stomach-churning, believe me I'm not! Having said that, I feel a mixture of revulsion and fascination when I look at the cards. It is definitely not a deck for the faint-hearted so if you're easily spooked I recommend that you steel yourself before looking, hang garlic round your neck, wear symbols of psychic protection all over your body, or whatever else you need to do to feel okay. My son bought me this deck so if I descend into a life of depravity and corruption by bedtime, I hope he'll come and rescue me! Having reviewed this deck, I have to admit to feeling just a tiny bit contaminated so I'm off to smudge myself for the next couple of days. ...............
Awareness Cards

The accompanying book gives very clear descriptions of each card along with various possible interpretations, although Halliday does make it clear that they are only suggestions and each person can find their own meaning. There are several interesting spreads which can be used either for personal awareness and development, or to help read for others. There is also extra information about the cards, i.e. 'Card Opposites', 'Cards in Seasons and Elements', and 'The Cards in Moons and Signs', all of which add further dimensions, thus enabling greater depth of understanding.
It was when I tried doing a reading for myself that it dawned on me that there is so much more to these cards than I had first thought. I was initially attracted to the deck because of the boldness of the images and it just goes to show that you really can't judge a book by it's cover!
Alchemical Tarot

The cards of the Major Arcana are easily recognisable, although some of the depictions are worthy of particular note - e.g. 'the Devil' shows a two-headed person, half of which is female and the other half male, standing on top of a fiery dragon, which in turn is standing on top of a what appears to be a black winged eye-like symbol called the 'nigredo'; 'the Chariot' shows a back view, so that it is moving away rather than towards.
The suits of the Minor Arcana are Swords, Staffs, Vessels and Coins, whilst the Court Cards are Lady, Knight, King and Queen, along with many interesting and powerful illustrations.
Renaissance art isn't something that excites me, but I have to say that this deck is something special, and it is a great deck for anyone from beginner to adept. It's not necessary to use all the information in the book right from the start, but the possibilities to go deeper and further are there for anyone who is interested.
Green Man Tree Oracle

The cards are accompanied by a one-hundred-and-twenty-five page book, the quality of which matches the cards themselves. The edges of the pages bear a pencil-drawn image of the Green Man and the book gives information about the origins and importance of the alphabet and the sacredness of trees. The chapter on divination is titled 'Turning the Leaves, Receiving the Wisdom of the Woods', which is a very appropriate phrasing for this kind of deck.
Each card has a key phrase, e.g. ' Apple - vision lights the way ahead'; 'Aspen - where all are gathered, strength is strongest'; 'Spindle - destiny moves us to do great things'. The explanations of each card all give divinatory meanings and lore-of-the-tree, along with other sections as appropriate e.g. 'faery fruit', 'Goddesses of the Woods', 'Trees of resurrection' and 'The Many-Gifted God'.
This deck is absolutely beautiful, sumptuous even. In my opinion it is a misnomer to say the pictures are 'illustrations', rather, they are works of art. I can't recommend this deck highly enough. Work with it and you will soon be finding green men everywhere you go!
Simply Tarot

The sixty-four page book that makes up part of this set shows all the cards in full colour, whilst the accompanying forty-six minute DVD, again in glorious colour, is a complete read-through of the book.
The demonstration of a reading using the Celtic Cross appears rather complicated because Hall has added numerous cards, turning it into a twenty-six card spread rather than the usual ten/eleven cards. However, it is really interesting to see Hall interpret the cards in relation to a question, as she speaks clearly and simply - hence the title of the set.
Hall has treated the Court cards in a way which is not often used these days, i.e. she has assigned physical characteristics to all of them, e.g. the Queen of Cups is a woman over twenty-five years, with fair or brown hair; the King of Pentacles is a man over twenty-five years with dark eyes and dark hair.
This was yet another of my discount bookstore finds, costing about £7. You can probably see on the photograph that there is a gap where the DVD should be. However the DVD is inside a plastic sleeve attached to the inside of the front cover of the book. I would definitely recommend this set to anyone starting out with the Tarot.
The Tarot Set

The book gives a lot of detailed information, including astrological and elemental correspondences, combination card meanings, and most unusually, it is illustrated with both the Marseilles Tarot and the Rider-Waite Deck. The Minor Arcana is approached by commenting on all the aces, all the twos, all the threes and so on. A keyword for the number is given, followed by individual keywords and interpretations for each card separately.
A newcomer to the Tarot might find so much information a bit confusing, but it is a great book for anyone wanting to pursue a deeper study of the Tarot.
As you can see from the photograph, this set was reduced from £14.99 to £5.99 from a discount bookstore chain. Meg bought if for me a couple of years ago when we were on holiday.
The Tarot Kit

The following two examples of Struthers' approach to reading the Tarot are typical of her style - e.g. The High Priestess gives a short traditional interpretation, followed by two longer sections - one on 'finding your inner high priestess', and the second, 'meeting the high priestess in others; e.g. The Seven of Cups gives a traditional interpretation plus two longer sections, 'making a careful choice' and 'wishful thinking'. Struthers also gives a step-by-step account of how to conduct a reading, which is very practical and easy to follow.
The strange thing about this kit is that the illustrations in the book show one of the Rider-Waite decks (Universal?), yet the deck provided is the Royal Tarot, and the back of the box shows the Moon and the Sun from that deck. As in my review of the Royal Tarot, I have been unable to find the identity of the artist.
This deck was one of my 'lucky finds' - I got it from a discount book-store, for the princely sum of £6.
A Tin of Tarot

Tarot Jonathan Dee

The Minor cards are drawn in 'pip' formations, although a few cards in the suit of Wands (two, three, four, five, six) do have extra symbols. What this deck lacks in terms of finesse, is compensated for by the accompanying book. It is an easy read and is well-organised. The written descriptions of the Major cards are very interesting and informative, whilst the information for the four suits is compact, incorporating a single-word prompt for each card.
I have two editions of this deck. This is the one I bought first, and although I didn't realize I was buying the same deck when I got the second edition, I would probably have bought it anyway, as it is 'A Tin of Tarot' and I like tins! You can see a photograph of that just above this one.
Russell Grant AstroTarot Pack

When I was looking through the deck, I noticed that card fifty-three, 'New Moon' actually shows a waning moon, as you can see on the photograph. I bought this deck recently from Amazon Marketplace, still in it's sellophane wrapping, for £5, which I consider a great bargain. If you're looking for something just that little bit different, you need look no further than this deck.
Ancestral Path Tarot

The Minor cards are similar to the Tarot of the Ages, in that each suit is based on individual cultures. The suit of Swords tells the story of the Japanese and Ainu cultures. The suit of Staves (Wands) is all about Egyptian culture. The suit of Cups, the Arthurian legends; and the suit of Sacred Circles (Pentacles) , the American Indian legends. In the Court cards, 'Page' becomes 'Princess'. There are some stunningly beautiful illustrations.
My favourite suit is the Sacred Circles, simply because there are many snow-scenes, and I like to see anything that has a 'snowy' setting, be it film, picture or postcard.
Tarot of the Ages

Each suit of the Minor arcana uses imagery from particular civilizations - Viking for Swords; African for Batons; Aztec for Cups; and East Indian for Coins. The Viking theme of the Swords is exquisitely presented with some quite unusual depictions, e.g. The Eight of Swords shows seven swords connecting the two sides of a chasm and a blindfolded man running along the swords carrying a sword in his hand.
The African theme of the Batons (Wands) depicts fiery images throughout the suit, which convey an amazing sense of energy and dynamism, e.g. the Four of Batons shows a man sitting on a high plinth supported by four batons, with a leopard sitting underneath him.
The Aztec theme of the Cups is very lush and vibrant, and the cards convey wonderfully the rise and fall of the emotional life of all human beings. The King of Cups, as seen on the photograph, is a great example of the verdant nature of this suit.
The East Indian theme of the Coins (Pentacles) conveys a sense of heat and parched earth, using orangey coloured clouds against the sky, along with shades of brown in the foreground. The Five of Coins shows a group of five people - a mother and her children, looking towards the horizon where only dry earth can be seen. One of the children is standing sideways, showing her/his distended stomach - a very moving scene.
I love the rich and varied imagery of this deck, and the sense of being right there, whichever card I am looking at. I bought this deck from a specialist shop in Manchester, England, in the late eighties. The shop is no longer there as a bomb went off in the centre of Manchester in 1996 and the building which housed the shop was badly damaged. When the restoration work had been carried out, the 'alternative' shops were replaced by much more mainstream ones.
Barbara Walker Tarot

The Court cards of the Minor Arcana are 'Princess', 'Prince', 'Queen', and 'King', and each one depicts various gods, goddesses, mythical figures and archetypes, e.g. 'Princess of Swords' is 'Skuld' (leader of Norse death angels); 'Prince of Wands' is 'Dagon' (the dual-natured consort of the cyclic goddess Atargatis); 'Queen of Cups' is 'Virginal' (the Ice Queen); 'King of Pentacles' is 'Baal' (the Mountain God). It has to be said that the Minor cards pack quite a punch and are not for the faint-hearted. The 'Queen of Swords', 'Kali', is shown squatting on the body of a man, eating his internal organs!
I find this to be a really fascinating deck, very emotive. Barbara Walker has had a rich and varied career, with one of her greatest successes being that she produced ten books of knitting patterns and designs. For more information on this deck and its author, read 'The Secrets of the Tarot', by Walker herself.
Ancient Tarots of Lombardy

The Minor Arcana cards are 'pip' formations, with the Court cards depicted in neo-classical style, and 'Pages' now being 'knaves'. The information and instruction booklet that accompanies most decks is printed on cards, (in English, Italian, French and German) and gives only the most basic overview. Having said that, the use of cards rather than a booklet does work well.
When I got this deck out to review I found that the cards were still wrapped in sellophane and I feel almost shame-faced that I hadn't bothered to look at them. Although it isn't a deck I would want to work with, I do like the Major cards, especially as some of the Major cards are a bit quirky. If you've read the review of 'Ancient Minchiate Etruria' you will see that I have mentioned that it says on the box that these are 'the most famous cards unusual and rare'. To my surprise, I discovered that it says the very same words on the box for this deck. Both decks are published by Lo Scarabeo, so it may be something to do with that, but I don't know for sure. If anyone does know, I would love to hear from you.
Ancient Minchiate Etruria

The Minor Arcana cards are in 'pip' formations, and 'Wands' have become 'Clubs', whilst 'Cups' have become 'Chalices'. The only change in the Court cards is that 'Page' has become 'Valet'. The leaflet that comes with the deck gives all the names and meanings of the cards, and one spread. The instructions for shuffling are as convoluted as those for the spread, and it states that this spread is 'to respond to a simple question regarding a specific area of life'.
If this were my first Tarot deck, I think I would have given up after the first five minutes, so confusing is the whole package. On the back of the box it says, "The most famous cards, unusual and rare", which ,for some reason, amused me. I bought this deck about two years ago from a discount book shop, for the princely sum of £2.99
Archetype Cards

The deck consists of seventy-four Archetype cards, plus six blank ones for people to add their own if required, and are quite large with a high gloss finish. Each card is individually named, e.g. 'Guide', 'Destroyer', 'Judge', and 'Poet', and features a relevant picture in the centre, enclosed within an octagonal shape. Just above and just below each picture, 'Light Attributes' and 'Shadow Attributes' are placed accordingly, with a few words about each as a guide. The booklet which comes with the deck is very informative.
Although the deck is cumbersome to shuffle due to its larger-than-average size, don't let that put you off as it is a great tool for personal development. The photograph of the box is an excellent indicator of the quality of the whole package.
Tarot Arista

Throughout the Tarot Arista, each card has been created using a single colour. In the Major Arcana, the colours chosen for each card appear to be random, whilst each suit of the Minor Arcana has its own colour i.e. Swords are green, Wands are purple, Cups are orange/reddish, and Pentacles are blue. I have been unable to determine who the author and artist are.
I have to say I find this deck monumentally uninspiring. The cards have too much written information, which detracts from the images, and those, in turn, seem to me to be flat and lifeless. My deck came to me second-hand (you can see the £3 price ticket on the photograph) and the instruction leaflet is missing. Also, the cards are like new but the box is held together with sellotape. Even if I were fluent in the French language, I wouldn't want to use these cards and bought them purely for my collection.
Gareth Knight back

Gareth Knight Tarot

Two of the Court card names of the Minor Arcana cards have changed - 'Page' becomes 'Princess', and 'Knight' becomes 'Prince'. All the Court cards are beautifully illustrated and bear little resemblance to the Rider-Waite deck. The ace through ten are 'pip' cards, drawn in formation, although all the aces pack quite a punch.
I bought this deck from Gareth Knight in the 1980s when I went to a weekend Tarot workshop with him at Hawkstone College in the Cotswolds, England. I found him to be a dignified and charismatic man, very generous in sharing his knowledge. The picture accompanying this review shows the front of the deck, but there is also another picture, showing the back with his autograph on it. One of the reasons I really cherish this deck is that it holds lovely memories of a dear friend who went on the weekend with me, and has since passed on to the spirit world.
Oracle Tarot

The Minor cards are at times sensual, sometimes childlike and always enchanting. All in all, it is a very feminine deck and the author's use of vivid colours is truly inspired.
I'm not sure I agree with Cavendish that the Major cards are a good replacement for Court cards, especially as these days, the Court cards aren't necessarily seen as just representing people. Nor do I particularly agree that the Major cards always indicate powerful people. It is too prescriptive for my taste, but no doubt will suit some. Nevertheless, it wouldn't stop me from using the deck as it really is beautiful - a bit like opening a box of chocolates and finding all your favourites and none of the ones you don't like so much!
Sheridan Douglas Tarot

Two of the Minor Arcana suit-names have been changed - 'Wands' becomes 'Batons', and 'Pentacles' becomes 'Coins'. The Minor cards are just as fascinating as the Major ones, and not just because of the similar use of bold blocks of colours. They are fully illustrated and whilst most of them are similar to the Rider-Waite deck, some have been changed, e.g. The 'Nine of Pentacles' shows a man, with a very contented-looking face, taking off his boots and warming his feet in front of an open fire. 'The Six of 'Swords shows a beach with four swords stuck in the sand whilst a young(?) man is wading out into the sea to get the other two that are sticking out of the sea. The whole deck is printed on very thick card and has a high gloss finish, which enhances the brilliance of the colours.
This was another deck that I bought second-hand sometime in the mid-1980s. The instruction leaflet is missing. After doing some research on this deck I found out that it is called the Sheridan Douglas Tarot. Although the box gives the author/artist details, it doesn't show the deck's name and it simply says, '78 Cards in Full Colour' on the sides of the box. I love looking at these cards because they are so attractive.
Royal Tarot

The Minor Arcana Ace through Ten are 'pip' cards, whilst the Court Cards are somewhat unimaginative, as all the Kings are very similar, as are all the Queens, and so on. I have looked extensively online and have not been able to find author and artist details, and some of the reviews I have read are quite scathing of the whole deck. The box that the deck comes in is very plain and uninviting, and, strangely, the tiny enclosed leaflet only gives information on how to play a game with the cards. To quote the leaflet - "For fortune-telling there are many books available for reference".
In spite of all the above, I was immediately attracted by the amazing colours of the Major Arcana and I can imagine them illustrating a child's book. Although I wouldn't use this deck myself, it makes an interesting addition to my Tarot collection.
Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game

The fact that this deck is also a card game may seem to some to be irreverent, but a few centuries ago people were playing the game of Taroch or Tarrochi with Tarot cards. The rules for the Lord of the Rings game are different from the original Tarrochi game, and are explained in the booklet, whilst the card accompanying the deck shows a 'Quick Guide to Victory Points'. The booklet also gives some interesting suggestions for using the cards as a focus for meditation.
This deck fascinates me and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is remotely interested in 'The Lord of the Rings'.
Egyptian Tarot Deck

The name of one of the Minor Arcana suits has been changed from 'Wands' to Sceptres', whilst all of the Court cards have been re-named and now bear the titles of 'Slave', 'Warrior', 'Mistress' and 'Master'. The Minor cards are 'pip' cards, with each card also showing two Egyptian hieroglyphs. I have not been able to ascertain who was responsible for the artwork.
As you can see from the picture, the box is well and truly battered, and although the cards are in excellent condition, there wasn't an instruction booklet with it. I bought this deck so long ago that I can't remember where I got it from. However, I do remember that I bought it second-hand, and for my comments on the subject of second-hand decks, read my blog entitled 'Tempus Fugit'.
Tarot of the Druids

The Minor cards retain their original names except for 'Cups' which are now called 'Chalices'. The suit of Wands is represented by mistletoe, whilst the suit of Pentacles is represented by an egg-shaped talisman - Anguinum - which has a wrinkled surface, believed to have been formed by snake secretions. The instruction booklet gives this information but then goes on to say it was used as an amulet in rituals, which is a bit confusing as the two are not the same thing. All the Minor cards depict scenes from Druid culture, and the whole deck has a comic/cartoon-y feel.
I find this deck to be amusing, especially as many of the Minor cards show people who look like they've had a bit too much to drink! I think I would need to know a lot more about Irish myths and legends to use it, but it is a great deck to use for writing 'prompts'.
Prediction Tarot

I remember buying this deck in the 1980s when I used to read a magazine of the same name, and was disappointed that they were not more inspiring. However, each to their own, as the saying goes.
Medieval Scapini Tarot

Normally a deck fashioned on medieval style wouldn't interest me very much but I find the Minor Arcana fascinating due to their active nature. Although the artwork is completely different, the nature of the Minor cards reminds me of the Karma Tarot. (Look out for the review of this fascinating deck later).
Titania s Star Tarot

I love this deck for it's simplicity and beauty, and would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone, be they novice or adept.
Enoil Gavat Tarot

There is extensive use of the colours orange and yellow, very ornate designs round the edges of the cards and so much going on that it is difficult to identify some of the cards at a glance. Tavaglione has numbered the cards from 0 to 77, beginning with the Major Arcana and following through Wands, Cups, Swords and Pentacles, with each card bearing its own name as well. The instruction booklet is in Italian and I haven't been able to ascertain if an English version is available.
I bought this deck in the early eighties and it has two 'High Priestess' cards and two 'Death' cards. So if someone out there has a deck without 'High Priestess' and 'Death' cards, do get in touch!
Visconti-Sforza Tarot

I acquired this deck many years ago and my copy is very large, making it difficult to handle. It is vastly different from many more modern decks and although I doubt whether I will ever use it, it is quite an impressive deck to look at.
Knapp-Hall Tarot

Personally, I find the Major Arcana quite uninspiring, whereas the Minor Arcana cards are quite intriguing and I can see why they would be good for meditation.
Dali Tarot Deck

I first saw the Dali deck in 1991 and it was priced at £70, way out of reach of my budget. At the moment (June 2009) it is for sale on Amazon.co.uk for £100, but I was fortunate to be able to get it from the same website a while ago for just £40. There is an excellent book that is sold separately from the deck, 'Dali Tarot' by Johannes Fiebig.
Runika

I find that some of the images in this deck have a childlike simplicity, whilst others are almost comic. If you've been steeped in Tarot symbolism for years like I have, these Rune Cards make a refreshing change.
Golden Dawn Tarot

I was given this deck by a neighbour who had retrieved it from a waste bin on a shopping precinct! It's not a deck I feel inspired by as I find some of the images a bit flat and the colours of some of the cards a bit washed out.
Tiny Universal Waite Tarot

I bought this deck purely for its novelty value and it sits on a shelf next to the Giant Rider-Waite deck! It is fun, but you definitely need a magnifying glass to see some of the images - or should I say, I need a magnifying glass!
Tarot of the Secret Forest

This deck was given to me by a kind friend and I am about to start working with it, so keep an eye on my blog for reports of how I'm doing.
Tarot of the Witches

As you can see from the picture, this is another of my less-than-pristine boxes. I spent about eighteen months working with this deck and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Forest Folklore Tarot

I love this beautiful deck - it is delightfully enchanting, and is very child-friendly.
Thoth Tarot Deck

As you can see from the picture, my deck is quite well-worn, and like the Marseilles Tarot, the box is held together with sellotape. Interestingly, the instruction booklet has a typo error in that the Magus is given the number 0 instead of number 1.
Pocket Goddess Tarot

This deck creates a sense of the matrix which links us all. The simplicity of the deck makes it easy to connect with as opposed to the difficulty of connecting with a much more complex deck. As such, it is an excellent deck for anyone just starting out with the Tarot. Although the term 'Pocket' refers to its size, it is a lovely reminder that all women carry the Goddess with them wherever they go.
Tarot de Marseilles

This was the first deck I worked with, for about two years before I moved onto something else. I probably wouldn't recommend it to a person just starting out with the Tarot. As you can see on the photograph, my Marseilles deck is extremely battered, being held together by sellotape. I only have the Minor Arcana as I stuck the Major Arcana cards on a kitchen cupboard door many years ago (definitely a talking point when anyone ventured into the kitchen!) and when I tried to remove them to take with me to my next abode, they succumbed to the ravages of time and more or less disintegrated. However, the deck has been with me for a very long time and is lovingly surrounded by my many other decks. To get rid of it now would be a crime of the highest order!