Soprafino Tarot

Patrick Booker

I have never seen this deck other than online, but I find it extraordinarily beautiful.

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/soprafino/index.shtml

There is a version available on Alida, but the link does not take you to the actual deck - you need to put the name in the search box.

http://www.alidastore.com/indexen.html

Apparently an original copy was W. B. Yeats own personal deck (see Kathleen Raine, 'Yeats, the Tarot and the Golden Dawn').

Anyone lucky enough to own it? Or want to?

Patrick
 

avalonian

I have the Il Meneghello one, from Alida, and yes, it is beautiful. Scans don't do it justice, the card it is printed on is amazing, it feels wonderful, and the more you shuffle it, the better it gets.

:) :) :)
 

Le Fanu

Patrick Booker said:
I have never seen this deck other than online, but I find it extraordinarily beautiful.

http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/soprafino/index.shtml

There is a version available on Alida, but the link does not take you to the actual deck - you need to put the name in the search box.

http://www.alidastore.com/indexen.html

Apparently an original copy was W. B. Yeats own personal deck (see Kathleen Raine, 'Yeats, the Tarot and the Golden Dawn').

Anyone lucky enough to own it? Or want to?

Patrick
Of course I own it. How miserable must be the life of one who doesn't own the Soprafino. I would feel very sorry for anyone not having this jewel...

Yes, it's extraordinarily beautiful, but then I'm sure you've seen my review here. ;)

I had heard that W.B Yeats' personal deck was the Dotti. Almost the Soprafino, but not quite. A kind of Soprafino with wooden figures, a bit stilted, not quite anatomically correct, but when I received the Meneghello Dotti (ignoring the lamination issue) it was much more beautiful up close than I had expected from scans.

The Soprafino, however, is - without doubt - as someone, somewhere said, "the most beautiful tarot deck in the world". Or maybe it was me that said that...

Whatever, but it really is...
 

Flaxen

Yes, I have the Il Meneghello one. It's is beautiful. It's a deck I love to just hold in my hand, shuffle and gaze admiringly at the pictures.
The court cards are so full of expression and personality.

This deck is one of my top ten that I would never get rid of. :)
 

Patrick Booker

Yeats' Deck

Le Fanu said:
Of course I own it. How miserable must be the life of one who doesn't own the Soprafino. I would feel very sorry for anyone not having this jewel...

Yes, it's extraordinarily beautiful, but then I'm sure you've seen my review here. ;)

I had heard that W.B Yeats' personal deck was the Dotti. Almost the Soprafino, but not quite. A kind of Soprafino with wooden figures, a bit stilted, not quite anatomically correct, but when I received the Meneghello Dotti (ignoring the lamination issue) it was much more beautiful up close than I had expected from scans.

The Soprafino, however, is - without doubt - as someone, somewhere said, "the most beautiful tarot deck in the world". Or maybe it was me that said that...

Whatever, but it really is...

Yes, I have read your review, Le Fanu.

Actually, Kathleen Raine refers to 'Yeats' Italian deck', and I took it be be the Soprafino from the images. Thanks for the link.

Patrick
 

Rasa

I adore the Soprafino.. to me, it's the most perfect Tarot ever produced, my all-time favourite deck!
The art and the colors are absolutely lovely; all the utility of a Marseilles, only ten times as elegant and sophisticated.
There are a ton of little details that make each card worth a careful look.
Meneghello's packaging is gorgeous, as is the cardstock.

At first, the Dotti seemed like an awkwardly-drawn Soprafino knockoff to me and I avoided it for quite awhile. But after I came across a copy of the large De Vecchi edition (the one that's just called 'El Tarot', 'Le Tarot', or 'I Tarocchi', that comes in a nifty little hard box with a crummy book), I fell in love with it, too! If you like big cards, I'd recommend it-- in addition to a Meneghello Soprafino, that is, not instead of. ;)
The textured cardstock is dreamy, and there are a number of subtle differences that you'll enjoy comparing with the Soprafino... if you're into that sort of thing.
 

Moonbow

I don't have the Classical Patrick, but I do have the Soprafino Meneghello and its a beautiful deck.

As with all (I think) Meneghello decks the cards have pointed corners and are unlaminated. The Soprafino cards are small, and mine came in a ribboned case with inner cardboard cover, its beautifully packaged. I do use mine, but if I were a reading with it regularly perhaps the Classical is more durable and also would cause less worry if there was any damage, I wouldn't want mine to get too used. If you love the deck enough and if you can, it would be worth getting both.
 

Patrick Booker

Thanks Evie. That sounds a good idea. The Classical (also called Classic on some sites) seems to be slightly larger, and both have the same creator (Carlo DellaRocca). I will have a think.

Patrick