Visconti Tarot

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 17 Jan 2005, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Alice23	17 Jan 2005
Hi everyone. In my quest to decide about another deck!!, I stumbled across the Visconti deck, does anybody own these and what do they think of them? The 'older' not reproduced into modern times looks beautiful.....but also a bit difficult to read.....does anybody else own a deck? Thinking of buying this set so any views would be gratefully recieved! Thanks, Alice x

truelighth	17 Jan 2005
Hi Alice, I own one of those, but I don't read with it. It is a wonderful deck though, because it is part of the history of tarot. If you plan on purchasing one, I would investigate first before deciding which one to buy. From the original Visconti-Sforza deck there are 4 cards missing and each new version has it's own interpretation. There is also a Cary-Yale Visconti, which is a reproduction of another very similar antique deck. I personally would go for the normal Visconti-Sforza. There is a U.S. Games version of this one, one by Il Meneghello (very nicely executed, like it is really old) and one by Dal Negro. The art of the missing cards on the Dal Negro is very much in the same style as the deck. And there is the Visconti Tarots.. a gold leaf reproduction.

rachelcat	18 Jan 2005
I got the Lo Scarabeo gold leaf Visconti, and I like it very much, although I do feel the replacement Devil to be a bit too different in art style. I like the titles and numbers in a small black strip/border on the left side. Very inobtrusive but helpful when you feel foolish counting all those swords! And the book is good. It has a nice history and some interesting card interpretations. I have done a few readings with it with good success, but people I read for all like more "illustrated" pip cards. Plus, the posts here have gotten me so confused, I feel sheepish applying my home-made Golden Dawn-based meanings to the pips of historic decks. And that brings us back to the question of different decks different meanings? I lean toward no. I just try to get hold of decks in which the illustrations are not too different from my interpretations. With pip cards, I'm home free! Good luck with your search for a new deck.

The Visconti Tarot thread was originally posted on 17 Jan 2005 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.