The Guild Of Artisans by Theory11

[BMPokerworld]

Received my Artisan box today.
It really isn't much more than a quality cigar box (I feared this from the image but hoped otherwise)
The worst part, in my opinion, is that the little placard on the front is actually a sticker that seals the box shut. So the box is sealed and now I face the collectors dilemma, do I break this seal so that I have my 4 decks ( 2 for collecting 2 for opening) and therefore reduce the collectibility of my box, or do I leave it sealed and never get to see the decks. Or at this point due to my frustration with T11, do I carefully remove the seal, take out the decks, take a crap in the box, re-seal it and then send it back to them?
So many decisions to make

I would leave the seal on so you can make your money back. Then pick up some individual decks.

The collectors boxes are not worth buying when:
1. The decks can be bought individually OR
2. The box set costs more then the value of the decks inside.

I don't agree that the box set is never worth buying when the the box set cost more than the decks inside. It depends on the box. This is a wooden box and should be more than buying 4 individual decks. Expecting it to be the same price as 4 individual decks isn't realistic.

Thanks!

[wsop_legacy]

"I don't agree that the box set is never worth buying when the the box set cost more than the decks inside. It depends on the box. This is a wooden box and should be more than buying 4 individual decks. Expecting it to be the same price as 4 individual decks isn't realistic."

@BM: The box is worthless compared to the price you end up paying. Its not like they were hand carved boxes made from expensive wood. You will have a tough time making your money back on these. Unless Theory 11 pulls them from their website, it could be a few years untill these box sets are worth what Theory 11 is asking.

I question if your opinion has anything to with you trying to sell them? I don't know if you are or are not?

[BMPokerworld]

"I don't agree that the box set is never worth buying when the the box set cost more than the decks inside. It depends on the box. This is a wooden box and should be more than buying 4 individual decks. Expecting it to be the same price as 4 individual decks isn't realistic."

@BM: The box is worthless compared to the price you end up paying. Its not like they were hand carved boxes made from expensive wood. You will have a tough time making your money back on these. Unless Theory 11 pulls them from their website, it could be a few years untill these box sets are worth what Theory 11 is asking.

I question if your opinion has anything to with you trying to sell them? I don't know if you are or are not?

No I am not trying to sell them and I don't let me opinions be swayed by that anyway. Its not about getting your money back, it is about having a collectors piece. Clearly that is something you can not see. Nobody would buy the decks individually if the wooden box was the same price as buying the 4 decks individually. Common sense. This is strictly a collectors piece that I have added to my collection and I think it was a wonderful idea.

Thanks!

[wsop_legacy]

@BM: I guess I'm not as amused by the word "collectible" as most. The decks are collectible enough on their own. I'm not saying the box set has to be "the same" price as much as it should have value. You see value in the box for what you paid and that's your opinion.

I did buy Smoke and Mirrors v7 but the value for me was getting 6 different redesigned classic decks that are ONLY avalable as a set and signed by Dan & Dave. Your basically paying double because of a cheap wood box. What ever floats your card collecting boat. More power to you.

[BMPokerworld]

@BM: I guess I'm not as amused by the word "collectible" as most. The decks are collectible enough on their own. I'm not saying the box set has to be "the same" price as much as it should have value. You see value in the box for what you paid and that's your opinion.

I did buy Smoke and Mirrors v7 but the value for me was getting 6 different redesigned classic decks that are ONLY avalable as a set and signed by Dan & Dave. Your basically paying double because of a cheap wood box. What ever floats your card collecting boat. More power to you.

Absolutely. There are many examples of this. The new seasons deck has the same cards but a different tuck box. The Aurum white box has the same cards but a different box and cost significantly more money. Collecting a particular item or not, really is an opinion and not a fact, as you seem to be stating. The reason you are giving is your opinion and you are entitled to that. Just like you think it is worth it for the reissued Smoke & Mirrors decks. My opinion is it will hurt the value of the original decks, just like reprints have done in every other hobby. But then again, that is my opinion and I don't state it as fact.

Thanks!

[Collector]

Due to @wsop_legacy and @BMPokerworld I have a grandiose idea for further progress of playing card collecting:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[badpete69]

Just got my box finally...Looks nice I like it

[Encarded]

The box is nice, very decent price IMO. I also like that if you smell the engraved part it's like being at a campfire.

The deck is fine. Very nice box, nice back, meh everything else. So, normal fare. My expectations were met and I'm happy with it on the whole, glad I got one.

[badpete69]

Paul

You just made me smell my box haha

[Encarded]

... I take umbrage at your previous assertion but cannot be arsed to respond appropriately. ..

Um, if that doesn't make any sense it's because I didn't write that part. Word filters gone bananas? Only the bits and bytes can know for sure.

[MagikFingerz]

What did you write originally, Paul? I think Russell's been working on that filter whenever he's bored, the little smurf.

[CBJ]

if you type "m e h" (with no spaces).. this comes up "I take umbrage at your previous assertion but cannot be arsed to respond appropriately"

[Andrei Jikh]

meh

^ Woah. That worked.

[Russell]

Muahahaha

'lol' used to say something to the effect of: "I'm too lazy and dumb to type an actual reply."

[Sharpie]

mèh, I take umbrage to your previous assertion but cannot be asked to respond appropriately.

[hystericalguy]

I just received my box and I am happy with the product. The decks look great and its also sealed with the month I was born

[michaelveatch]

hey did anybody else get decks with off center back designs.....like really off center.....one end is like a standard border and the other end is like a thin border.....its hard to explain.....anyways just wondering

[wsop_legacy]

hey did anybody else get decks with off center back designs.....like really off center.....one end is like a standard border and the other end is like a thin border.....its hard to explain.....anyways just wondering

I purchased 6 of these beautiful decks. I opened ONLY ONE of them. The deck I did open was NOT wrapped in cellophane entirely, exposing the side of the tuck box. The cards themselves however were flawless and perfectly centered. The other 5 of the 6 decks have NO external defects.

[Sharpie]

hey did anybody else get decks with off center back designs.....like really off center.....one end is like a standard border and the other end is like a thin border.....its hard to explain.....anyways just wondering

I received mine. Only opened one and it was as you described.
Kind of a bummer.

Haven't had the time to follow up with T11 yet.

[Andrei Jikh]

Can you guys both post a picture of these off center cards? Would love to see it. If it's as bad as you say, I can forward this info along to our guys and ship out a brand spanking new deck on the house. Cool beans, thanks.

[Sharpie]

Here you go. I ordered 6 decks and only opened this one. Do I have to open them all?

The issue occurs throughout the deck.

[michaelveatch]

here you go......I wasen't complaining or anything but if you guys are willing to send a new deck thats awesome.....the entire deck is off center btw

[Strag]

here you go......I wasen't complaining or anything but if you guys are willing to send a new deck thats awesome.....the entire deck is off center btw

Wow, if these are ALL off-center it makes this a horrible error by T11.

Of course, it's been a month and I still don't have mine so I won't be able to tell.

[michaelveatch]

here you go......I wasen't complaining or anything but if you guys are willing to send a new deck thats awesome.....the entire deck is off center btw

Wow, if these are ALL off-center it makes this a horrible error by T11.

Of course, it's been a month and I still don't have mine so I won't be able to tell.

I mean they still look great, and im sure its only a handfull that slipped through undetected (im hoping) but keep in mind T11 doesn't print the decks so the error falls on USPCC, you would think they have a quality control person making sure that it doesn't happen but hey some things happen

[MJF]

Doesn't USPCC have any automated quality control systems that take images of each card during production, analyzes them and looks for this kind of error... from watching numerous "How's it Made" on the Science channel and from discussions with my engineering colleagues, these systems are pretty standard in todays production lines... my jaw dropped when I saw the way off center prints... that's like baseball card standards from 1952... then add the 10+- over/under production, just makes me think they aren't where they should be with technology and QA control...

With what's available today, you should pretty much expect close to perfection, because with automated QA systems its easily attainable... someone should introduce USPCC to six sigma production...

[Josh]

to me, those pics really don't look that bad. i thought when people were saying they were off centered they meant that part of the back design was missing because it was sooo off centered. I've had that happen to me once with the mystery deck.

the pics that are shown just look like these decks had the same quality control as standard bics.

[michaelveatch]

to me, those pics really don't look that bad. i thought when people were saying they were off centered they meant that part of the back design was missing because it was sooo off centered. I've had that happen to me once with the mystery deck.

the pics that are shown just look like these decks had the same quality control as standard bics.

Yeah it really doesn't bother me at all, there still awesome....but when you look at it bics are what 3.50 a deck and these are almost double that.....but either way im still happy with them

[alric]

to me, those pics really don't look that bad....the pics that are shown just look like these decks had the same quality control as standard bics.

And that is exactly the problem. T11 certainly spends enough time trumpeting how dedicated to perfection they are, so we should hold them to that same standard. I think all the pics posted show enough production defects to warrant complaints when you consider T11's advertising and the price they're charging for these. Having said all this, I found in my experience that T11 is usually pretty good about replacing defective decks.

[Fluffykitten]

here you go......I wasen't complaining or anything but if you guys are willing to send a new deck thats awesome.....the entire deck is off center btw

ouch! did you get a replacement?

[Russell]

Those images of the card cuts are within acceptable tolerances by USPCC. This is not a T11 issue.