€ 29,95
Vieux Monde Express built this deck on the very first printing of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck from December 1909: softer, warmer colours, matte in tone, without the sharp lines and saturated primaries that define most modern reprints. The cards are printed on 350 gsm card stock with a matte finish that prevents light reflection and feels almost cloth-like when shuffled.
Printed and assembled in the United States, with attention to cut edges and colour consistency.
Out of stock
Most Rider-Waite-Smith decks available today look brighter than the original. Colours have been digitally enhanced, lines sharpened, and the vintage character stripped away. Vieux Monde Express takes a different approach.
This deck is based on the very first printing from December 1909, known as the 'Pamela-A' edition, with the familiar Roses and Lilies back design. The colours are softer and warmer than standard reprints, the tone matte throughout. Place it next to a modern edition and the difference is immediate.
The card stock weighs 350 gsm and carries a matte finish with no glossy laminate. That eliminates glare during a reading and gives the cards a tactile, almost cloth-like feel when shuffled. The size, 70 x 121 mm, is the standard tarot format.
Vieux Monde Express prints and assembles in the United States, with control over cut edges and colour consistency. That is a deliberate choice by this small company, which specialises in restoring vintage images and historical printed material.
The included guidebook is not a keyword list. It contains the core of A.E. Waite's original interpretations, supplemented with explanations of the symbolism and basic spreads. The guidebook matches the dimensions of the cards, so everything fits inside the included tuck box.
Place this deck next to a contemporary standard edition of the Rider-Waite-Smith and look at the colours on the Sun or the Chariot. The difference makes clear what 'restored to the 1909 print' actually means in practice.
Vieux Monde Express is a small American company specialising in restoring vintage images and historical printed material. Their starting point for this deck was preserving the original, aged character of the first Rider-Waite-Smith printing, as an alternative to the heavily reworked versions that larger publishers have released over the decades.
How does this deck differ from other Rider-Waite-Smith editions?
This deck is based on the first printing from December 1909, the 'Pamela-A' edition. The colours are softer and warmer than most contemporary reprints, which have been digitally brightened and sharpened. The finish also differs: 350 gsm card stock with a matte coating rather than a glossy laminate.
Is the guidebook useful if you already have experience with tarot?
The guidebook contains the core of A.E. Waite's original interpretations, along with explanations of the symbolism and basic spreads. It is written for a broad audience rather than specifically for beginners or advanced readers.
| Publisher | Vieux Monde |
| Language | English |
| Author | Pamela Colman Smith |
| ISBN | 697777768181 |
| SKU | 1810-VM26 |
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