Customer Reviews

Albano Waite Tarot Deck, Miniature Edition

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

For the more serious eoteric user of the Tarot, the Albano-Waite deck is a deck of cards which uses the drawings of the Waite/Colman Smith/Rider deck, but with colours which conform more closely to esoteric tradition. It is almost like a Waite Deck with some of the hidden or more personal choices made by AE Waite brought back to esoteric tradition. A case in point: Key 14 (Temperance) traditionally has a rainbow associated with Sagittarius in its symbolism. Waite/Smith used irises. The Albano-Waite deck has all of Waite's elements, but adds the rainbow once more. See the book by PF Case on the Tarot for the more traditional symbols and colours. This book, originally written for the Rider deck, has been rewritten for the BOTA deck, and includes comparisons between the two decks. The Albano deck to a large extent fits the BOTA colours to the Waite drawings. The colours have meanings in meditation and contemplation, and are not meant to be "natural", hence one has yellow skies rather than blue in The Fool, etc.

Most of us learn Tarot reading and symbolism from the classic Rider-Waite deck. At the same time, however, some find the traditional Waite Deck's colors somewhat drab and wanting. Well this deck is the answer to that problem. The colors on the Albano Waite deck are stunning. At the same time it uses what seems to be exactly the same artwork on the traditional Rider-Waite. All the symbols are there and all the details. But the colors are much more intense. If you like Waite symbolism but want better colors this is probably the deck for you. If you could never get into Waite decks because their "bland images" never spoke to you, you must look at this deck! If you are just learning Tarot from books and materials that refer to the Waite deck, this is an ideal version of the deck to start with. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

The colours used in this deck are beautifull. Although one reviewer had negative feelings about the sky being colours other than blue (?) I think it adds to the ethrealness that the tarot should have. After all, that is what it represents, correct? Being an artist myself, I loved the bold lines and tertiary colours used. Other types of tarot may come and go, but I believe that the rider deck will continue to be the staple.

I have had this deck now for about three years and it's the one I continue to go to for readings. I used to own bothe the Rider Waite and Universal Waite decks but I like this one much more than those. The Rider Waite tarot is very bland in its coloring and the black outlines on the cards stands out more than the images. In the Universal Waite deck the colors are softer, not bland, but almost too soft. It has a better feel to it than the Rider version but still something is missing. Finally a little over three years ago I had the oppertunity to take a tarot class and we needed one of these Waite decks. I decided to buy the Albano Waite tarot and was thrilled. Many people have tropble with the colors describing them as being sort of technicolored but I feel the colors help the reader understand more than just the surface picture, they seem to help one channel the information more clearly. Of course every reader is different and this is just what works for me. I hope you will consider this particular version of a long standing deck when you are looking for one that works for you.

The first deck Amazon.com sent me I had to send back because it was bad. If you buy this deck, make sure you check the backs of the cards for ink markings when you first get it. The Albano-Waite tarot deck has a white card back with a gold seal in the center. My first deck had five cards that had ink markings from the fronts bleed onto the backs. I sent the cards back and Amazon.com sent me a new deck.

My second deck was not damaged but I am still not happy with the over quality of the printing with this deck. The line drawing is thick and smudgy and the cards lack detail. The deck uses the Rider-Waite images by Pamela Smith. Comparing this deck to the Universal Waite deck I have, this deck looks very sloppy.

"the World" has colored half the woman's golden hair purple and the eagle has blue blotches.
"Strength" has a red lion with some green from the woman's garland bleeding into his mane. Surrealistic and makes the card look 3-D. The berries in the woman's hair are missing. Is it reinterpretation or misrepresentation that sets it apart from other R-W based decks?

The colors do not really make the cards easier to read. Many of the cards use the same color for both fore grounds and back grounds. The knight of cups and king of cups are two examples of overuse of the same color. One thing that gets totally obliterated are grapes on most of the cards that show them. Much of the detail on clothing is reduced to black only smudges. Maybe if the cards were larger these things might look better.

I don't like this deck and it doesn't add anything to the original Rider-Waite Tarot Deck. If you do buy this deck and have another R-W based tarot deck compare the two decks side by side, card for card. You will see what I mean.

I now have a set of these cards ordered from Amazon, and for me they are the best of the Rider-waite series. I also have a set of 'original' rider-waites (with the tudor rose backs)and the 'standard' rider-waite pack.

When I first got these albano version cards the colours took me aback a bit, but when using in spreads they really come alive. I have now grown fond of the pea green skies on the pentacles cards and the green and red pentacle symbols. Yes, there are some less attractive features on some cards e.g. Empresses dress is grey&black,though various cards of the other versions can have less appealing features and overall the albano version wins for me. Other good features of the albano pack include a really colourful rainbow on the ten of cups (proper rainbow colours) and red and green insets on the hilts of all the swords.The basic line drawings are also the original Pamela coleman smith versions which ,for me ,is important (no face changes as in the very attractive universal pack).

For any fan of the rider-waite cards owning a pack of the albano version is really worthwhile and you may get to like them as much as I do.

This is the version of the Waite Deck I learned from during the late '60s early '70s. I have always preferred this coloration rather than the standard Rider Waite, University Press Waite or the Universal Waite.

I agree with what others have stated that the deck symbology stands out under this color tone and enables the reader to pick up on what the subconscious mind is trying to relay.

If the standard Waite deck's color doesn't grab you but you like the symbology of the deck then you might like to try and get this version.

I Only Have One Complaint About This Deck And That Is... It's Too Bright. The Box Says "In Vibrant Full Color" But I Think This Deck Goes To The Extreme. I Like It Though Because It's A Waite Deck Which Is Similar To The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck, One of My Main Decks That I Use. I Kinda Have To Laugh At This Deck Because It's Almost As If The Deck Is Telling Me "You're Blind As A Bat, That's Why I'm So Bright!" I Would Recommend This Deck, However, Only To Those That Like Loud Colors.

this kicks the wonderful colman designs into quantum gear. love it. flat cardboard images boasting holgrammatic gestalt! eXtreme oracular!

The first time I saw the Albano-Waite tarot deck, I had to purchase it. This is what I consider to be my "working deck." To me, the colors and stylings of this deck are an appealing alternative to the Rider-Waite. As a bench-mark, I always refer back to my Albano-Waite deck when I scrutinize other decks that I'm considering for my collection. The images in the Waite decks "speak" to me more so than other "traditional" decks. I very much recommend the Albano-Waite as a FIRST deck to anyone beginning their exploration into the tarot.