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Sola Busca Tarot

Deck Notes

deck:
Sola Busca Tarot
artist:
Late 15th-centry Italian Artist
author:
Paola Gnaccolini
publisher:
Lo Scarabeo
artwork:

intuition:

lwb:

quality:

purchase:

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This deck is a reproduction of the earliest known tarot deck with fully-illustrated numbered cards (pips). It's dated to around 1490 and appears to have been produced in Northern Italy. The major arcana depict a number of infamous men of the Roman Empire (and its mythos). The courts likewise depict famous Roman men and women. The illustrations in the minors have been the inspiration for tarot decks produced much later. The most obvious example of this is in the three of swords, with its suspended heart stabbed through with three swords.

I don't recommend this deck for reading, unless you're a hardcore traditionalist. The imagery is very Roman. I do recommend this deck - and this particular copy of it from Lo Scarabeo - for collectors, because of its historical value.

Production Quality

Lo Scarabeo “museum quality” standards are high. These are oversized cards with high-quality printing on glossy, heavy cardstock. Unlike most Lo Scarabeo decks, the included book is comprehensive, although card descriptions are still succinct. There is at least context provided for the individuals pictured in the majors (and courts). The storage box for cards and book is very nice and fits well on a bookcase.