The "White Whale" Wish List

[Mike Ratledge]

What's the story on those BRC cards?

See the linked post in "Site Announcements" for a look at the v2 and original (now called 'v1') decks. As far as the story, it's a group of British (and other) graphics artists that each design a card (or two) in the decks, and then market it as a whole, sort of like the "Stranger & Stranger" deck, and others.

I am GROSSLY over-simplifying on this! Anyone that knows a more detailed and/or better explanation please chime in!

[badpete69]

Any reason why it is so expensive? I am comparing this deck to the recent Playing Arts decks V1 and V2 which were available at 13 pounds (54 different artists also)

[dazzleguts]

Finally posting my white whale - the TAOTL deck. There is a 1950s original on ebay, missing the book, which is still way more than my budget will allow at almost $100 CAD with the shipping. I had hoped selling some of my own decks could get me there but that hasn't happened.

The deck has been reprinted, but the only place the reprint is currently available is DalNegro, and they only ship within Italy.

If anyone has seen a TAOTL for a reasonable price that will ship to Canada, original or reprint, please let me know.

TAOTL.JPG (42.4 KiB) Viewed 1928 times

[Sharpie]

Finally posting my white whale - the TAOTL deck. There is a 1950s original on ebay, missing the book, which is still way more than my budget will allow at almost $100 CAD with the shipping. I had hoped selling some of my own decks could get me there but that hasn't happened.

The deck has been reprinted, but the only place the reprint is currently available is DalNegro, and they only ship within Italy.

If anyone has seen a TAOTL for a reasonable price that will ship to Canada, original or reprint, please let me know.

TAOTL.JPG

Someone in Italy help this guy out!

[Mike Ratledge]

Finally posting my white whale - the TAOTL deck. There is a 1950s original on ebay, missing the book, which is still way more than my budget will allow at almost $100 CAD with the shipping. I had hoped selling some of my own decks could get me there but that hasn't happened.

The deck has been reprinted, but the only place the reprint is currently available is DalNegro, and they only ship within Italy.

If anyone has seen a TAOTL for a reasonable price that will ship to Canada, original or reprint, please let me know.

TAOTL.JPG

Dazz, I've been looking for this one for a while myself, and I found a pristine original 1954 deck in England, but in the end with shipping I went over your budget: paid about $101 in US funds for mine. I have never seen it listed under $100 recently. I was waiting to find an original one in good or great condition and the one I bought does NOT have the book that came with it originally. I'd love to find that, or at least some way to get a copy/graphics of it!

[DragonSoul]

I wonder how easy it is to find the reprints in Italy. I might actually be going there soon...

[Mike Ratledge]

I wonder how easy it is to find the reprints in Italy. I might actually be going there soon...

I really don't have a feel for that. I watched eBay long enough to know that they just don't come up very often (original ones, even more so) and that I might as well resign myself to paying $100US for it, and after the conversion from GBP (£) I paid $101 and change, and I get dinged for a 3% "foreign transaction fee" as you noted as well. Dazz, I have only seen one reprint come up, and it was $50. What kind of prices have you seen? The original ones have been $99-$110 or close. I have only seen it with the book once, and that one was $125.

[Mike Ratledge]

Finally posting my white whale - the TAOTL deck. There is a 1950s original on ebay, missing the book, which is still way more than my budget will allow at almost $100 CAD with the shipping. I had hoped selling some of my own decks could get me there but that hasn't happened.

The deck has been reprinted, but the only place the reprint is currently available is DalNegro, and they only ship within Italy.

If anyone has seen a TAOTL for a reasonable price that will ship to Canada, original or reprint, please let me know.

Dazz, I can likely get Rodolfo Pardi (Evelyn Nicod's husband, who did the Italian Cats - Piatnik #2117) to ship one. Is it on their website? (dalNegro)

[dazzleguts]

... and the one I bought does NOT have the book that came with it originally. I'd love to find that, or at least some way to get a copy/graphics of it!

I've thought that many times myself Mike. If only there were an uploaded graphic of the booklet, joker, box that goes with a deck that has lost it over the years. Sometimes you can find the joker or box but the booklets, page by page, never show.

Thank you everyone for the support (especially Eoghann). I've found a possible candidate but the condition isn't great, and the shipping seems high at $18 to Canada. The total cost for me, if I won it at the min bid, would be $37.

I am more interested in the gracious offers from Dragonsoul and Mike since that would be a mint deck, possibly for a comparable price.
Mike, the deck is on the DalNegro site for 18 euro (about $26 CAD), within sight but out of my reach:

http://www.dalnegro.com/eng/tarocco-mes ... taotl.html

I believe that deck comes with a book so maybe they would be willing to sell you an extra book for your deck? The book is in Italian though.
Another possibility is if I get the deck with a book I could scan the book and email it to you. Or, if my purchase goes through your hands, you could copy the book before sending it on.

[Mike Ratledge]

... and the one I bought does NOT have the book that came with it originally. I'd love to find that, or at least some way to get a copy/graphics of it!

I've thought that many times myself Mike. If only there were an uploaded graphic of the booklet, joker, box that goes with a deck that has lost it over the years. Sometimes you can find the joker or box but the booklets, page by page, never show.

Thank you everyone for the support (especially Eoghann). I've found a possible candidate but the condition isn't great, and the shipping seems high at $18 to Canada. The total cost for me, if I won it at the min bid, would be $37.

I am more interested in the gracious offers from Dragonsoul and Mike since that would be a mint deck, possibly for a comparable price.
Mike, the deck is on the DalNegro site for 18 euro (about $26 CAD), within sight but out of my reach:

http://www.dalnegro.com/eng/tarocco-mes ... taotl.html

I believe that deck comes with a book so maybe they would be willing to sell you an extra book for your deck? The book is in Italian though.
Another possibility is if I get the deck with a book I could scan the book and email it to you. Or, if my purchase goes through your hands, you could copy the book before sending it on.

Let me see what I can do. I bet I can ship it to Lorenzo since he has an Italian e-address. Maybe not, but I'll figure it out. A photocopy of it in Italian will be fine. I can't speak it, but I can (with great pain and Google Translate) read it enough to translate it into English or Danish - which I can read. Let's see what I can do. If I can I'll just have it delivered to Lorenzo and have him ship it to you.

OK, I tried to just pay for it and ship it to Dolf, but it won't let me. They use PayPal and it says "Dal Negro won't allow US users to deliver to Italy". Anyway, I'll order four of them, one for me, one for you & a couple extra - maybe DragonSoul wants one? $107 (for all 4) + whatever shipping to you costs, I'll cover the shipping from Milano (where Dolf & Lyn live) to me. I don't have a handle on timing, but it shouldn't take too long, typical shipment from Dolf to me time has been about 10 business days, or two weeks. I don't know how long it will take for him to get them, though. I'll go ahead and order a couple more, just to make it worthwhile. Shipping 4 decks should be around 1/2 kg - maybe more because these are 75 cards?

[dazzleguts]

Molte Grazie Mike!!

[Mike Ratledge]

Molte Grazie Mike!!

The 4 decks were already ordered. I got word from Dolf overnight, and as soon as he gets them he will ship them from Milano. I will be sending you one at cost and I have two more for sale at the same price: whatever it costs me to get them here plus shipping. I estimate that it will be $32 each plus shipping, but I don't know precisely until he ships them. It was $107 for 4 decks, plus about 15EU to ship them to me, which is around $20US. That's $127 / 4 = $31.75 plus shipping. US shipping is $5.80 for "2-to-3 day" Priority Mail. Canada won't let me ship insured for more than $20 without going to Priorty International ($20), so that's up to you dazz. As I recall "First Class" is $11 and it has to go through customs, of course. It's much simpler for Canada then outside North American, I just fill out a simple online form and it goes on the box just like any other label.

[dazzleguts]

When I translated the 18 euro into 26 dollars it was Canadian dollars using the online currency convertor. The same conversion for USD was $24.50 which would give $98 for the 4 decks. Dolf must be having to pay a little tax - something I hadn't thought of.

I never use insured and haven't had any problems. The postal systems are actually very reliable (so far).

Earlier this year postage for a deck of cards from the states only cost me $7.50, and that was much higher already than when I started ordering stuff in 2010. I had already slowed my deck acquisitions down to a crawl, but the most recent rate hikes have driven me to hunt down a few last deep desires before shutting down my online purchasing entirely. Jase very generously helped me get an Alf Cooke deck, Wildereachday had some opened decks I've always wanted to get, I recently found and am bidding on a pin-up deck I have been wanting for years now, and now I will have the Taotl.

[Mike Ratledge]

I think the extra was shipping from Dal Negro. I remember when I put two in my cart and went to check out they added a 6Euro fee, probably about 8EU for 4 decks, I suppose. I didn't quote the message he sent overnight because it was all in Italian and I figured that I was the only one that could even come close to reading it.

TAOTL has been one of those elusive decks that I knew about but hadn't really pursued until recently, and honestly I thought it was just overpriced, but after watching several of them go at auction for $130-$150 or more (in pretty good condition), the $100 fixed price just struck me as fair enough since the deck itself is in almost perfect condition - especially for a deck that is older than I am (by a few months, anyway - 1954 was a good year!)...

[PrincessTrouble]

I wish I had rich friends in San Francisco.

The Battery

[chach]

Details? Are they part of a country club membership or something. Can't just post a pic without any corresponding info.

[Sher]

Those remind me of the Monarchs. Maybe someone in San Francisco can help? I'd be interested in getting some, too.

EDIT: I just looked up The Battery, San Francisco and it's an exclusive club for rich people. I wonder what are the chances we'll come across a member of this club? Anyway, coming from a place that emphasizes exclusivity, I doubt they'd be willing to sell some to non members... But I could be wrong.

[PrincessTrouble]

They are part of the membership kit when you join The Battery in San Francisco.

http://www.mm-sf.com/work/the-battery-vol-02/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[chach]

They are part of the membership kit when you join The Battery in San Francisco.

http://www.mm-sf.com/work/the-battery-vol-02/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

Only $2400 a year but you have to be nominated by current member to join and membership limited to 1000. Sorry but even if I was offered to join doubt I would. I'd rather go to the corner pub than to pay yearly dues so I can hang out with self-important types, "Only 1 in 3 of what the Birches hope will be a membership of 1,000 will come from high tech, while others might be painters, philanthropists, doctors, lawyers, singers, actors or even drag queens, to keep the mix fun." I've always had something against groups like this. Especially being in San Francisco, would be nothing but a bunch of liberal loons.

I doubt this will become a lasting organization. But the cards are indeed quite nice.

[PrincessTrouble]

This is why I wish I had a rich friend in SF. I would never join anything like that, nor could I afford to probably in my lifetime!

[wahl0108]

Only $2,400 bucks for a membership (provided they like you), what a steal! We should all move there and take over!

[Jock1971]

I`m looking for a 1922 Waddingtons deck
The deck i`m after has the first Waddingtons Ace of Spades.

d03328sA11.jpg

This Ace was only used in the first year of Waddingtons production and was removed from circulation soon after Goodalls complained that it resembled their AoS at that time.
but there are a lot of decks still out there.
I may as well try and catch the wind. -jase-

[dazzleguts]

If I ever come across that deck I'll consider it yours Jase.

[Jock1971]

If I ever come across that deck I'll consider it yours Jase.

Thanks for looking out for me Dazzelguts

[Mike Ratledge]

I got my '54 TAOTL deck Monday, along with the word this morning from Rodolfo Pardi that the package with 4 reprints from Del Negro has been shipped:

Posta Raccomandata Internazionale RA755766436IT
a.. accettato dal centro postale il 20-GIU-2014a.. in lavorazione ai
Centri Postali dal 20-GIU-2014a.. consegnato al destinatario
stato accettato
Dettaglio
a.. In lavorazione presso il centro postale di MILANO 56 in data
20-GIU-2014
a.. Accettato dal centro postale di MILANO 56 in data 20-GIU-2014

(3 point bonus shot if you can read that - I can't, except says it's outbound from the international post centre and originally came from Milano)

The TAOTL box could be in better condition, and it's missing the pamphlet, but it's older than I am (by a few months - again, '54 was a good year)

[Maddest Hammer]

It says "Cash on Delivery... . Actually, no. It just says it was accepted, processed and dispatched on the 20th of June.

Do these folks just ship to Italy only, or the EU?

[Mike Ratledge]

It says "Cash on Delivery... . Actually, no. It just says it was accepted, processed and dispatched on the 20th of June.

Do these folks just ship to Italy only, or the EU?

ahahah - OK. Well, this is from Rodolfo Pardi, my friend the chess master and referee who's wife is Evelyne Nicod of Paris, and she is the person who did all of the artwork for the "Gatteria" (Italian Cats) decks and Tarot decks done in the 70's, 80's and 90's. They've been married for 40 years, just like I have, and we exchange postcards and pictures during the holidays with our children (el Gatto). I have one sitting in front of me now, actually. The familiar deck was also Piatnik #2117 and 15,000 tins were made between 1995 & 1998, but I just bought the remainder of Lyne's Gatteria decks in December. There were only some 20 decks left, and I had her sign them mostly. I also got the only two Black & White 'gatto' decks from her earlier 1989 series which was self-published by Modiano. Those are the only two of that deck I have ever seen, and all of these are in pristine, un-opened mint condition.

Mike - do you want one sent to France, I suppose? Del Negro only ships to Italiano addresses, but 'Dolf did this as a personal favor. He, Lyne and I go way back, long before I ever knew that she was his wife, and I review his chess books for good grammar, technical accuracy and 'rhythm', so he can sell the English translation on Amazon's ebook service for Kindle, etc. He's writing a book called "FCM - A Handbook" (Fundamenal Chess Moves) which is for an A/B level player looking to be more along the Expert or Junior Master level, although he 'retired' a GM in 1985, he still plays at a high B level, and acts as the librarian for the FCI (Federacion Chess Italiano) and has for almost 20 years. The thing about chess for those not familiar, your rating changes with every tournament.

As I've noted before, "Inspector KT" AKA "Acadia", the monster Maine coon cat sometimes even leaves enough room for me to breath: (and yes, that's a swordfish bill behind me - I live on the coast)

[Maddest Hammer]

That's a HUGE p...uh, cat! The one picture you get clear as a bell on here is of your cat and your nose...hmmm

Germany, not France. More was just curious that they ship ONLY within Italy. It would be a cool deck to have, but it seems a pain in the butt to get them. Hmmm... If your friends could get their hands on a few more, I would gladly pay for them

[vasta41]

I wonder if USPCC was trolling here because their new contest for Club 808 is "What's Your White Whale" hahaha Imitation is the best form of flattery

[nECr0MaNCeD]

I wonder if USPCC was trolling here because their new contest for Club 808 is "What's Your White Whale" hahaha Imitation is the best form of flattery

Hah! I was thinking the same thing! I suppose we should be flattered.