Okay, let’s talk about this vintage tarot thing I got into. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and just decided I needed old cards. It kinda crept up on me. I’d been using regular decks for a while, you know, the crisp new ones you get online or in shops. They’re fine, great even. But I kept seeing pictures of these older decks, the ones with faded colors and softer lines. They just had a different vibe.
Finding the Deck
So, I started looking. Man, that was a process. Forget just clicking ‘buy now’. I first went digging through dusty antique shops. Found a lot of old playing cards, some weird board games, but no tarot. It felt like searching for a ghost half the time.
Then I tried flea markets. Woke up super early on weekends, rummaged through piles of stuff. Mostly junk, let’s be honest. But the hunt was kinda fun in its own way. Felt more real than just ordering something online. Finally, after weeks, I spotted one at this little stall run by an old lady. It wasn’t perfect, the box was battered, but the cards themselves looked mostly there.
Getting It Home
I grabbed it, paid what she asked – probably too much, but I didn’t care by then. Took it home. Opening that worn box felt different. It even smelled old, like dusty paper and maybe a hint of someone’s attic. The cards themselves… they weren’t glossy or slick. They were thick, a bit soft at the edges from use. The colors were muted, not like the bright cartoons on some modern decks. More like illustrations from an old storybook.
Working With It
First thing I did was just handle them. Shuffling was tricky. The cardstock was way thicker and less flexible than I was used to. No smooth riffle shuffles here, more like a clumsy overhand mix. I spent a good while just looking through each card. The artwork felt deeper, somehow. Less literal, more suggestive. You had to lean in and really look.
I didn’t do any fancy cleansing ritual. Felt weird to try and ‘clean’ something that obviously had so much history. I just sort of sat with it, shuffled it a bunch over a few days, let it sit on my desk. Trying to get a feel for its personality, if that makes sense. Sounds a bit nuts, I know.
Then I started doing readings. Just for myself at first. And yeah, it felt different. Maybe it was psychological, me projecting onto these old cards. But the readings felt… heavier? More direct, maybe less forgiving than with my newer decks. The images, being less clear-cut, sometimes sparked different ideas. Things I hadn’t considered before.
- The cardstock was a pain sometimes.
- Some images were hard to make out due to fading.
- Shuffling felt awkward, not smooth.
Why Bother Then?
Despite the clunky shuffling and faded bits, I kept going back to it. There’s something about holding cards that other hands have held, maybe decades ago. People possibly asking the same kinds of questions I ask. It feels like you’re tapping into something older, a longer conversation.
It’s not about them being magically ‘better’. They’re just different. They make me slow down, look closer. The imperfections are part of it. That worn feel, the slightly fuzzy images – it forces a different kind of engagement. It’s less about crisp, clear answers and more about pondering the feeling the cards give off.
So yeah, that’s been my journey with this vintage deck. It’s not always easy, it’s definitely not slick, but it’s got character. And for me, right now, that feels more interesting than perfect edges and bright colours. It’s a connection to the past, right there in my hands.
