Customer Reviews

Victoria Regina Tarot Companion

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

 

 

I'd seen pictures of this deck on-line before I bought it. It intrigued me, since I love collage and I love tarot. The line engraving-based montages reminded me a bit of Max Ernst. I wasn't sure about the pens for wands, the clocks for disks, etc, though. I'd planned to buy this mostly out of curiosity as an addition to my collection.

But when it arrived I was pleasantly surprised. The pens and clocks made perfect sense, and this was the first time I'd ever gotten a deck that looked better in my hands than on the web. (I've been so disappointed by so many decks before!) This is a wonderful, original contemporary deck. The aesthetic standard of so many decks is so low, it was a delight to get one in which the pictures on the cards were truly Art in their own right. But, that is not all! The whole package is beautiful. For once I got something that felt like better value than what I'd paid for. There is the nice velvet bag, and the book is substantial--well researched and informative. As well as providing little historical tidbits about Victorian society, it gives background for some of the sources of the images on some of the cards. It also has a very nice essay about collage and making your own collage deck in the back. It is obvious that the creator(s) has genuine love and passion for the medium as well as for tarot, and wants others to experience the same joy. I can't say enough good things about this one. It is intelligent and raises the level of tarot artwork to a new standard. It should become a modern classic.

The thing that everyone always tells you first about this deck is that it's black and white - which may sound less lavish than a full colour deck.

Think again.

In fact one of the many wonderful things about the Victoria Regina is the way in which the intricacy of the images feels both subdued and lush - if you thought you didn't like black and white decks try this one - it will change your mind. It manages to feel delicate and lavish at the same time. The images are fabulously well composed and have a lot of atmosphere about them.

It's also one of those rare decks with a very intelligent sense of humour - it's one of the things I most enjoy about it. The
Victoria Regina never talks down to you. Challenging to use at times - but shouldn't all good decks challenge the reader? It's also very warm, enlightening and has real depth. It's a beautifully careful, caring piece of work by someone with a great sense of artistry and the skill to realise it.

The book is also GREAT. I use it now as a general tarot book because again, it's intelligent, not too obvious - it doesn't just churn out the formulaic meanings - and it's really well thought through. It can always offer something of value to a reading - and it's a fun way to pick up some history too!

Very warmly recommended - all in all The Victoria Regina is one of my favourites and I think always will be.

- and maybe I should also just add that as a deck designer myself this is a piece of work that I very much respect - it's done with real care, skill and knowledge.

This wonderful new deck has it all...Beauty, quality and uniqueness that make it really stand out. This is a collage deck, created from Victorian-era clip art. Even if you are not a fan of collage, this deck will steal your heart. The artist has so seamlessly and skilfully merged these images, that it is difficult to identify as collage. The images are nostaligic and yet modern. It is based on the Rider-Waite system and very easy to read with. It comes with a wonderfully written (and interesting!) book, and a lovely and surprisingly high-quality velvet bag. I love it and can't recommend it enough!

Several decks have passed my way over the years, and it is always exciting to find one that is both original and friendly to use. The Victoria Regina Tarot package is a beautiful set. Cards are decorated with nineteenth-century illustrations and engravings, the black and white printing makes them look mysterious. The decks are printed in Belgium. There is a lot to say for first impressions, and the first words to come from my mouth when I opened the box were, "oh my." Finally, a set that comes with a beautiful royal purplish-blue velvet bag. No need to ask friends for Crown Royal bags anymore, this is the first set I've seen yet to come so complete, thus making it a great gift idea. In this Victorian tarot land, cups have become Mason jars, wands are now fountain pens, coins are pocket watched, and swords become guns. The Magician looks like a snake-oil salesman. Step into the Wild West, and see what your fortune reads once the gun smoke clears!

I'm not usually a great devotee of black and white decks, finding the lack of colour dulls intuition and inspiration, but this deck is an exception. The cards truly are not only stunningly beautiful but very, very easy to read, as well as being one of the most wildly original sets it has ever been my privilege to work with. The cards consist of images collaged together from original Victorian illustrations, very cleverly reworked. Pens have replaced wands, Victorian kilner type jars are cups, guns are swords and watches are coins, giving a further flavour of the Victorian era. I find the cards extremely easy to work with- they seem to speak to the reader despite the unusualness of the images. Particularly powerful is the Eight of Wands, which seems to leap out of the edges of the card, giving an impression of unstoppable movement. Famous people of the time decorate the court cards - I love Oscar Wilde as the Prince of Wands, and Queen Victoria as the Queen in all four suits (how could anyone else compete with the ruler of the then known world?!). The accompanying book cleverly explains the way the cards have been designed to reflect the ethos of the time, when technology and industry were drastically changing the way people viewed the world and lived their lives. I particularly love the irony of using pocket watches to demonstrate the slow, steady quality of earth/pentacles. The deck is opulent and gorgeous, and beautifully presented with its black velvet storage pouch with tasselled blue drawstring cord. I love it!
Elen Hawke author of In the Circle, The Sacred Round, Praise to the Moon

This is my favourite modern deck. It's beautiful, striking and highly original, but instantly readable. Some decks need a big commitment to 'get used to' but if you're familiar with the Rider Waite deck, then this one won't be a big stretch for you to read with. Ovenall's exceptional ability as a collagist and her generosity in encouraging others to have-a-go at making their own deck is admirable too.

This deck is a rare thing - a Collector's deck to treasure, but also one you can actually use as your primary reading deck (although I admit it's a bit hard to shuffle). Gorgeous!

This has instantly become my favorite Tarot deck. I would give it five stars instead of four if the symbols/imagery on some cards was richer (the flowing bounty of the Ace of Cups, for example, just doesn't come across in this deck's solitary Mason jar). Also, the lack of color removes an important level of meaning. That said, I would recommend it to anyone who is already familiar with the imagery of the Rider Waite deck. (Personally, I detest the bad artwork of the Waite deck but have to admit the meanings of the cards are well conveyed by its images and symbols.)

With images derived from Victorian graphics, these cards are beautiful to behold. The commentary in the accompanying book about both Victorian life and history and the meanings of the cards is interesting, although some of the interpretations of the cards are a bit unusual and/or lackluster. For card interpretations, I'd recommend Joan Bunning's Tarot for Beginners and Mary Greer's book on Tarot reversals.

The cards are a bit large for my hands but I found that I simply had to shuffle them somewhat differently. An added bonus: It comes with a lovely velvet bag.

and I have over 500 decks. This set speaks to me because of the strong symbolism and the sense of history in the components as part of a modern medium (collage). The package available from Amazon is especially stunning, with book and tarot bag.

Easily 5 stars.

The Victoria Regina Tarot is a unique, interesting tarot deck from Llewellyn Press. Created by Sarah Ovenall and Georg Patterson, this Victorian style deck is both unique and enjoyable to hold and work with. The deck consists of 72 black and white stately cards which reflect collages of well-known personages and Victorian artwork. Complete with a companion soft cover book, the deck presents tarot interpretations that reflect the Victorian frame of mind and worldview. An elegant black velvet pouch completes the package, affording a soft covering and distinguished casing to protect the deck.


Sarah Ovenall and Georg Patterson are both Tarot enthusiasts, collage artists and writers living in North Carolina. Sarah is a Duke University graduate (Linguistics) and is also a graphic and web designer. In addition, Sarah works as a disc jockey at the local college radio station, WXDU where she hosts a show every Thursday morning.


This is the first tarot deck to reflect the majesty and graciousness of the Victorian era. It offers a deck that reflects mystery and grace without outright occult connotations. It would appeal to readers interested in using the deck in a mystical yet refined manner. Ms. Ovenall has exercised wonderful ingenuity in ascribing imagery to represent the trumps and suits of the tarot. For instance, her portrayal of the traditional suits - Wands, Swords, Pentacles and Cups are displayed in unique ways.

The Major Arcana is both original and elegant. It is obvious that the authors spent considerable time deliberating and choosing the imagery to convey the essence of each archtypical card. For instance, the Magician shows a Victorian gentleman, Baron Sergius Von Holsten giving a lecture to the Royal Geographic Society. The image speaks of the intellectual and scientific mindset that developed during the Victorian period. The industrial revolution promised a creative new lifestyle for modern Victorians, one grounded in careful thought and applied creativity.


The Victoria Moon card shows a lovely, mysterious yet whimsical young woman sitting comfortably in the curve of a crescent moon. She sprinkles stardust on those below, bringing dreams to the sleepy - the personification of dreams, visions and fantasies. She challenges us to realize what is and isn't a dream. The card conveys the image of the delicate female, common to the Victorian frame of mind. Yet it also shows the deep belief in visions and moving forward into the modern era that prevailed at that time in history.


Each card interpretation is carefully worded giving meaning and insight into the intricacies of the card image. In the book, the cards are individually presented with an overall description of the collage imagery, a general interpretation based on Victorian/Industrial Revolution patterns of thought and action, an explanation of how that particular card fits into the reading, and notes related to the source of the original image. The authors also include a generous section on how to conduct tarot readings to find meaningful answers to the querant's questions. The book is a nice size, perfect for quick glimpses into the meaning of the cards as one learns to use the deck. A full graphic image of each card accompanies the interpretations, making it easy to memorize the images and quickly recognize the energy of the cards. A full 262 pages, the companion book adds both clarity and value to this deck. The authors have done a wonderful job of expressing the nuances and wonder of the Victorian age in a pleasant and easy to use tarot system. The effect is mystical yet stately, reminiscent of a bygone era that continues to echo even in this New Millennium.

For years, I have been a Victoriana lover. This great deck published a few years back, and I overlooked it because of the price and it was done in black and white. I had many other decks to look at and work with. I put it on my "pick-up later" list. What a mistake! Not only did the deck go out of print, it became increasingly hard to find! I was able to get an unopened edition on E-Bay at a great rate. I was simply meant to get a copy of it. I am certainly happy with it!

Now onto the cards...The presentation is mysterious and beautiful. The images all are true to the spirit of modern tarot interpretations, in other words "Rider-Waite" accurate. The only thing missing is color that often helps in a reading. Oddly enough, it lacks nothing in a reading. In fact, the black and white illustrations feel authentic. It is as if the cards were found in some attic chest, hidden over 100 years ago. One wonders if the Queen herself influences the readings...

The suits have been effectively updated to modern Victorian Era inventions. The industrial period echos through out the deck. The Magician is an inventor of the the time. The chariot shows a fashionable lady astride a 3 wheeled trycicle. The Moon is the lady that is featured on many Llewellyn titles. The deck is feminine, graceful and beautiful. I though it would be a popular favorite for many years. Alas, it is becoming scarce. If possible, find your copy of it soon! I can see it becoming a valuable collector deck. This is a loving tribute to a splendid time.