The Dark Mansion Tarot Deck Review

Deck Title – ​The Dark Mansion Tarot
Creator – Krzysztof Wasiuk
Artist -  Magdalena Kaczan
Publisher - ​Taroteca Studio (Independent)
Date purchased - 2019

Introduction 
Does the world need another Dark Mansions Tarot Deck review? Probably not. There are a squillion of them on YouTube and Blogs already. However, as I’ve become a victim of acute FOMO (fear of missing out. We used to call it keeping up with the Jones’ in my day but your clichés have to move with the times) I couldn’t resist purchasing it. So, here’s what I’ve found with the Dark Mansion Tarot. If you’re still sitting on the fence on this one, I hope these comments help.

Image on the box

​My initial reaction when I saw Jennifer Ball’s excellent YouTube review on the Dark Mansions Tarot (https://youtu.be/XcRn6BS2eLo) was ‘that’s okay, but it’s not something I’m majorly into and I don’t think it can be used for client readings.’ I’ve found it to be an excellent deck for working with personally though and if you are keen on this artwork style, you may be happy to use it professionally. 

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What’s Good?

• The images are gothic-cute. I know everyone else mentions Tim Burton when they talk about this deck and if you are a fan of the artwork in “The Corpse Bride” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”, you will love these images. They’re full of characters with little bodies, spindly limbs and big eyes
• The card quality is excellent, matt-finish with coloured edging
• The Taroteca Studio website is straightforward and easy to use which is always a good thing with an independent publisher. A lot of the US reviewers have mentioned that it took a long time to receive their decks. I got mine in the UK in a flash! 
• There’s a choice of three options, the limited edition including a wooden box and larger size cards, the large version cards and the standard size giving customers more choice in the finished article 
• Good quality clam-shell box for the large and standard version 
• The picture on the front of the box is an original not a reproduction of one of the cards
• The cards are bordered with a fine black surround and a detailed graphite grey frame. Borders seem to be a controversial topic among Tarot users. In my opinion, the borders on this deck are the perfect finishing touch and add to the feeling that you’re looking through a portal to another world

What’s Bad?

• There’s no guide book. I would have liked to have seen a small guide book included. There’s space in the box. Although most of the images follow the RWS system closely, there are a few different takes on the theme. If a first-time Tarot user were to purchase this deck, a guide book would be invaluable
• All the live figures are white-skinned and spindly. There’s a round-faced chap in the background in the 3 of Pentacles. There is a diverse age range and a couple of characters with mobility aids but it’s not top of the diversity pops

​Favourite/Stand Out Cards
This is difficult, not because there are no excellent cards but because they are all of a very high standard. Here are the ones that jumped out at me when I first received the deck: 

X The Wheel of Fortune

VII The Chariot

Wheel of Fortune
If I was to choose a favourite of all the cards, I think this would be the one. It’s not usually my favourite but the Wheel of Fortune in this deck is so original and so detailed. From the ferris wheel with all four elements represented in its spokes and the sun and the moon at its centre to the detail in the fairground scene.  The Chariot also ​shows the incredible level of detail that really impresses me with this deck. There’s so much going on in the card, from the cobbled pavement to the inset windows and the frightened cat and its shadow. I just want to step into this strange world. I bought the standard version and you can still see the intricacy of the images in the standard size cards. 

XIII Death

XV The Devil

XVI The Tower

The Three 'Scary' Cards - ​Death, the Devil and the Tower are often the cards that make people nervous. But here we have a depressed Grim Repear, perhaps bored with the constant change that everyday life (or death) brings. In the Devil card we've got a bored little skeleton supplicant in a similar pose and an ejected previous-occupier of the Tower heading at speed to the ground, arms by her side just waiting for the chaos to stop. All new takes on those traditional images. 

2 of Wands

4 of Wands

5 of Wands

The Suit of Wands - some of the images in this suit are quite different from the traditional RWS. There's more emphasis on balance in the two rather than the traditional pull of the familiar verses the outside world. The progression from the apparent engagement in the four to the wedding in the six, is a lovely take on the celebration and success themes.

Summary
This is the best deck for…well it seems to be popular with just about everyone. As an independent deck, it does have a higher price tag but still perfectly reasonable for the product you receive and the three-tier option helps with this. Mind you, if I were a mass-market manufacturer, I’d be looking for an artist who could create images in this style at a lower price-point. It's a real crowd pleaser. 
 
Where to buy
www.taroteca-studio.com  ​(this is not an affiliate link)