This week's mail brought me an unexpected surprise: a copy of the brand-new, hot-off-the-presses Lo Scarabeo Tarot Retail Guide.
The Retail Guide will eventually be available to the general public. But Lo Scarabeo came up with the idea as a shout out to small, independently-owned metaphysical bookstores. It's pretty well established that shops providing customers with sample decks sell more decks ... but not all independent stores can afford the investment in a large library of sample Tarot decks.
The Lo Scarabeo Tarot Retail Guide addresses this issue. Essentially, it's a hardback book of Tarot decks.
The book is divided into five sections, made easily accessible by five colored tabs: historical Tarot, esoteric Tarot, art Tarot, cultural Tarot, and metaphysical Tarot. (As you might guess, debating exactly which Lo Scarabeo decks fit into which of these categories could keep a table full of Tarotphiles busy for hours.) Within each section, each deck is represented by eleven full-color, full-size images of cards: the 2 of Cups, the 7 of Coins, the Knight of Wands, the Queen of Swords, the Magician, The Emperor, Strength, Justice, Temperance, The Star, and the World (or that deck's equivalent of these cards). Oh -- and there's a full-color image of the back of the card, as well.
If the deck is one of Lo Scarabeo's exquisite decks with gold or silver foil, an actual card is affixed to the page, making it possible to experience the play of light along the accents in a way that is not possible with a flat photograph.
The book is huge! When open, the viewer's experience of the cards is remarkably immersive. With one of these books at the register, an independent store will be able to offer shoppers an up-close and personal preview of a deck ... without having to provide the deck itself.
It's a great idea ... and more evidence of how -- unlike certain Tarot deck publishers I could name -- Lo Scarabeo really does care about its products ... and the community of people buying and selling them.
Mine was a great surprise! I loved it.
My only concern is the inclusion of the erotic Tarots. I think that would be problematic for shop owners, especially here in America. The erotic, explicit Tarots should be in a separate flyer insert, IMO.
Otherwise, a fantastic job! I plan on taking it to my Tarot parties and book signings so people can get an idea of the lovely decks produced by Lo Scarabeo.
Well done, Riccardo!
Janet
Posted by: Janet | October 12, 2008 at 02:06 AM
Actually it is for sale.
Anyway, the pictures don't give it justice. ^_^
Posted by: ric | October 24, 2008 at 10:58 AM