Rating: 
Summary: Gorgeous Deck With Gilded Edging
Review: "Golden Tarot is a compilatioin of collages from artwork of the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. Poignant images of gentle beauty and human frailty came from a time of violence, pestilence, and oppression. These images speak to me of a truth that is timeless, and hope that flowers even in the darkest conditions. It is my hope that they speak to you as well." -- Kat Black, creator of The Golden Tarot.I have never been drawn to traditional Tarot decks, especially those fashioned after the Rider-Waite. Rather, I tend to go for the funky, the symbolic, and the high tech. One of the reasons for my preference is because modern life seems so far removed from the period in which traditional Tarot was created. So I wasn't sure what to expect from Kat Black's Golden Tarot. I knew nothing about the deck, other than people were giving it high praise. When I opened the sturdy box with the lid that comes off the top, I was intrigued that therein was a deck with gilded edges. Remmeber your Grandmother's Bible? The one who's pages shined so brightly when closed? This luxurious deck has that same gilt edging. The cards follows traditional Tarot, with 78 cards total. The Minor Arcana is fully illlustrated like the Majors. The images are printed on heavy cardboard with a matte golden border. The back is a tapestry of subdued shades of camel and rust. You can't tell from the backs if a card is upright or reversed. The most unsual aspect of Golden Tarot is that deck creator Kat Black has digitally collaged images from various lesser-known paintings from a period she calls International Gothic. This period of time, 1200-1500 A.D., evolved into the Reniassance. She deliberately avoided using art by well-known artists such as da Vinci and Michelangelo, and most of the paintings used for the deck are hanging in European churches. (A sight that most of us will never see!) The collaged images are so seamless, that I didn't know I was looking at a digitally collaged deck until I read the 200 page bound booklet included in the package. I even showed my artist husband, and he had no idea, either! The images on the cards are truly breathtaking. I feel like I'm looking at a masterpiece with each and every one. I'm sure that Ms. Black intends this deck to actually be read not just admired as an art deck, but they're so gorgeous I'm reluctant to read with them! (So don't expect information on how they read...I'm too busy drooling over the images!) The high-quality booklet not only contains the standard meanings for the images (upright and reversed), but also Appendices that list every part that was digitally collaged and the painting that it came from. The Hermit is one of the cards that I look at first when checking out a new deck, and its rendering in this deck resonated deeply with me: it's a picture of a gray-bearded St. Francis of Assisi standing in a darkened forest. A deer is at his side, he's holding a latern that gives off little light, and a gray cat is chasing a quail. The man's body and deer, the latern, the forest, the head, quail, and cat all come from different sources. As I mentioned, you cannot tell that this picture is collaged! An amazing technological feat indeed. Kat Black mentions that this version of the Golden Tarot took 1,500 hours to produce. This deck was originally web-only, but fans of her work urged her to create an actual deck. Tarot enthusiasts and deck collectors alike will be much richer for having Black's breath-taking creation in hand.
Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing
Review: As a fan pf the Rider Waite Tarot, I was always looking for a classy deck, that had an old feel to it, with the images used in the RWT. After searching high and low, and many disappointments I finally came upon the Golden Tarot.
This is truly an amazing deck, the art work (a collage of Renaissance Paintings) is beautiful, and looking at the deck carefully you would never think they were collages, they look as if they were painted that way.
The edges of the Deck are Gold, like those old bibles Grandma us to have, the size of the deck is standard, and are a little ruff at first, but with use they become more comfortable. This is one of those decks that are going to look better as it ages. When you give people readings, this is the deck that gets remarks of how beautiful they are. For the really affordable price, this is one of those decks you have to add to your collection.
For those who work with the RWT, this deck will be very easy to interpret, as the images are very familiar. I highly recommend this deck. Great Job Kat, this deck surly deserves the title as one of the most beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: An Amazing New Tarot set destinted to become a classic
Review: I buy a lot of Tarot decks and end up turning around and selling many of them when they don't live up to my expectations, but the Golden Tarot by Kat Black is a keeper. What an amazing deck! The collage work is nearly seamless and, because the images are taken from paintings rather than photographs, it doesn't look like a collage deck at all. It looks like someone discovered a series of Renaissance paintings on the subject of Tarot! And as others have mentioned, the symbolism is similiar enough to RWS that anyone familiar with that classic should be comfortable with this deck right out of the box. The cards themselves are smooth and silky-feeling and strong enough to hold up to use, without being overly stiff. The gilt edges give the deck a rich look. And I LOVE the packaging US Games has come up with for this set and hope they use this design in the future! The box is sturdy and attractive and easy to use without mangling the cards getting them in and out. And the book, while small compared to a "real" book, is MUCH larger and more comprehensive than the typical LWB that accompanies most decks. If I could give this set more than 5 stars, I would!
Rating:
Summary: The most splendid deck ever!
Review: I can only say that this deck is everything that all the previous reviewers have said. It is splendid, beautiful, cleverly placed in a lovely box (no need for tarot bags here!). It is so true to the Rider-Waite symbolism that anyone who keeps their RW on hand for true readings will have no problem with this gem of a deck. Like another reviewer, for years I have searched for the perfect deck that was different than the RW deck, but held onto it's symbolism and meanings. I have scads of decks and have thrown many away even. This deck is the one for me...I am in love with it's beautiful artwork, gilded edges (real gilding, not gold-colored ink), clever box...just a wonderful treasure!
Rating:
Summary: So beautiful!
Review: I just recieved this deck and I had to post a review. It is incredible! I have another deck and it can not possibly compare. If you are going to buy a deck, this is definitely the one!
Rating:
Summary: Breathtaking!!!
Review: I love northern renaissiance artwork, it's charming subjectiveness, innocent quality, and essence of a distant past. This deck is a tribute to this artwork, so often overlooked.
To begin with the quality of this deck is superb. Thick cards, high quality printing, beautiful matte finish, and gorgeous gilded edges. A bit stiff at first, but I worked them over a bit and broke them in with no problem.
The more I look at these cards, the more I am amazed at the talent that was behind them. They follow the traditional Rider-Waite symbolism so closely, it's hard to believe this is a collage deck. The images are seamless, again, it's hard to believe it's a collage deck. The images are rich, and very easy to interpret, even for the newest tarot reader. The companion book is average, as with most LWB's, but the deck works with any Rider-Waite interpretations.
It's by far one of the best decks, if not the best, ever made. It's great for the newbie, the collector, and the experienced reader alike. I really can't put the beauty of this deck into words. Just get it. You won't be dissappointed.
Rating:
Summary: You can view this gorgeous deck at this website. . .
Review: I plan to write a more extensive review, but wanted to post this link since Amazon doesn't yet have a photo and/or samples of the cards. You can view it in all its glory at www.goldentarot.com and also follow the history of the development of the deck. I'm a collector of Tarot decks and only a small percentage ever make it into my collection - The Golden Tarot holds the #1 spot for me!
Rating:
Summary: Some kind of destiny
Review: I was always told that I couldn't just go out and find a Tarot deck, that it would have to come to me. Well after a year of casually browsing and buying some absolutely horrible duds, I walked into a local bookstore and found this deck staring at me from a shelf. I am so in love. It's incredibly beautiful, with rich symbolism that evokes you to find your own reflections. The accompanying book is very well-written and helpful, and has aided me immensely in my study of these cards. I *would* recommend this to everyone I know, but I still like feeling special as the one with the best deck by far :)
Rating:
Summary: Stunning!
Review: If only I could give this deck 100 stars!! The truth is, there just simply aren't enough wonderful adjectives to even come close to describing just how supremely delicious this deck really is... Incredible collage work and design, rich extravagant colors and textures, superb packaging, gilded edges, the perfect size, perfect weight, an awesome book, a great price... Kat Black has created a certifiable masterpiece. How such an incredible deck could be sold for so little is nothing short of astonishing. I would easily expect to pay twice as much for this deck, and had I done so, I would still not be disappointed. These cards will absolutely sing to you with meaning and radiance. The love that Kat poured into this work is clearly evident on each and every card in this amazing deck. I have no doubt that new tarot decks will be measured against this deck for a long time to come. If you buy just ONE tarot deck in your life, make it this one! Well worth the nearly 2 years that many of us have been waiting to see this deck transformed to print. Many, many, many kudos to Kat and US Games for absolutely the most beautiful tarot deck I have ever seen!! A wonderful deck, from a wonderful person. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: A n amazing deck and work of art
Review: Just recieved my deck and I am astounded at the high quality of it. An incredible buy for the price. If you're a Tarot enthusiast, an admirer of Middle Age/Renaissance Art or just love owning beautiful things you'll be glad that you have this deck, it fulfills all three. I had barely opened my package at my desk before co-workers were stopping by and asking about the cards and admiring the imagery of them. The production values of the deck are quite good as well, a nice heavy card stock with a good "feel" to the cards and the gilt edging is a wonderful touch. I can't imagine anybody purchasing this deck and being dissapointed by it.
If you'd like a preview of the cards before buying be sure to visit Kat Black's(creator of the deck) website at www.goldentarot.com
| 
