Ancient Italian Tarot

Le Fanu

sravana said:
Actually, no! You don't have the Del Solleone Vacchetta deck

Funny, but I think of the Vacchetta in a different league. Not quite Soprafino. The fact that it is watercolour rather than engraving sets it apart for me and the whole feel of the artwork is different.

I don't understand why I can't get on with the Vacchatta/T of the Master. Just too darn decorative perhaps. Too much superfluity, excess, flourishes, virtuoso detailing and fluttering ribbons. But I normally like that kind of thing, but here it bothers me...

I like the roughness and size of the Ancient Italian. Like you say sravana, the backs are perfect.

Did I ever mention that I have an Ancient Italian which has Scarabeo titles in Spanish/ Dutch/German/ French etc? At the top and bottom of the cards. I found it in a shop and it was titled "Classico", 1880 (a Scarabeo publication). I didn't have the Classical Tarot at the time and as Ricc had said here they were the same deck, I bought it. But, yes, it is the Ancient Italian. If I have time this week I could scan it here. It is quite bizarrre. Nobody would want it of course as the whole joy of the Ancient Italian is that it has no multi-lingual titles!
 

faunabay

Manda said:
Llewellyn still lists them, but they do not actually have any, which I found out the hard way.
Uh Oh! Thanks for letting us know Manda!

(Now really beginning to scramble!!)
 

sapienza

Le Fanu said:
I don't understand why I can't get on with the Vacchatta/T of the Master. Just too darn decorative perhaps. Too much superfluity, excess, flourishes, virtuoso detailing and fluttering ribbons. But I normally like that kind of thing, but here it bothers me...

I don't understand either. But I agree, it does have a completely different feel to the Soprafino style. It seems far more 'modern.'. I guess for starters the pips are quite detailed and very different from the Soprafino/Marseille style. I guess this deck only came out 17 years before the RWS, which is also interesting. The Majors are different too. Take the Sun and Moon, which have departed from the traditional Marseille format and now depict Diana and Apollo. This is one of the things I love about the deck.

Le Fanu said:
Did I ever mention that I have an Ancient Italian which has Scarabeo titles in Spanish/ Dutch/German/ French etc? At the top and bottom of the cards. I found it in a shop and it was titled "Classico", 1880 (a Scarabeo publication). If I have time this week I could scan it here.

I'd certainly be interested to have a look.

I'm also beginning to wonder if two copies of the Ancient Italian is going to be enough. I'm kind of using this as my primary reading deck now and imagine if that lasts and I want to use it forever :)bugeyed: imagine that!). Would two decks last the rest of my lifetime??? Maybe better to be safe than sorry.
 

Le Fanu

sapienza said:
I'm also beginning to wonder if two copies of the Ancient Italian is going to be enough. I'm kind of using this as my primary reading deck now and imagine if that lasts and I want to use it forever :)bugeyed: imagine that!). Would two decks last the rest of my lifetime??? Maybe better to be safe than sorry.

Now, now, calm down. It was my fault over at de-enabling. There's no need to buy another. The Ancient Italian is a deck that looks fabulous when it is a bit battered and worn. Two is enough. You won't need a replacement as it won't ever wear out. Keep a spare in case you lose a card. But a deck like this won't ever wear out. It will just go on looking better and better.

Wow, the Vacchetta.. just 17 years before the RWS. Amazing. I know what you mean about the Sun and Moon cards too...
 

sapienza

Of course you are right :) Two will be plenty. I'm sure everyone who loves this deck should at least have TWO of them....but three would be crazy :laugh: I'm probably not helping you am I?
 

Le Fanu

sapienza said:
Of course you are right :) Two will be plenty. I'm sure everyone who loves this deck should at least have TWO of them....but three would be crazy :laugh: I'm probably not helping you am I?

If it's any consolation, every single deck which I ever got three of, I ended up getting rid of one. All of them, without exception. Even my Minchiates. The only deck which I haven't done this with is my 3rd Victorian Romantic, and only because Im waiting till the time is right for some serious bartering! ;)

But two copies is enough to relax about using a deck (which is why Im thinking of getting a 2nd, but not 3rd, Ancient Italian!)
 

SolSionnach

Le Fanu said:
Funny, but I think of the Vacchetta in a different league. Not quite Soprafino. The fact that it is watercolour rather than engraving sets it apart for me and the whole feel of the artwork is different.

I don't understand why I can't get on with the Vacchatta/T of the Master. Just too darn decorative perhaps. Too much superfluity, excess, flourishes, virtuoso detailing and fluttering ribbons. But I normally like that kind of thing, but here it bothers me...

I like the roughness and size of the Ancient Italian. Like you say sravana, the backs are perfect.
re: the Vacchetta wasn't watercolor originally - you can see that from the Del Solleone version. And to me it looks like fine engraving, fwiw. Interesting you don't get on with the Vacchetta, given your tastes. ;) Perhaps some day? Who knows.

I wish that LS had just used variations of that back for all their Italian repros: the Tarot of the Master, the Classical, etc rather than just monochromatic of one card. But they didn't ask me!

Since perusing this thread I've gotten the AIT back out again - my oh my. What a *lovely* deck, even if the 4-color printing is a bit wonky. All those squiggly decorative bits on the pips! Makes the 8-9-10 of Cups look like they are from another deck, given the lack of decoration.I can't wait to study Mel's TdM Pips & Courts meanings thread (http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=112327) to use with all my pip decks. :D :D :D

I'd *almost* consider getting a backup of the AIT... but I'm not going to. I'm not going to read with it enough to ever wear it out (though if I lost a card I'd be *destroyed*!), so someone else can have the joy of owning one. Now, if I read with it all the time... that would be a different thing entirely! :bugeyed:
 

Aerin

I blame this thread.

I now have an Ancient Italian, a Bologna (understated and gentle and rather lovely http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/ancient-bologna/review.shtml) and a Classic too.

All because I once let my Minichiate go and have never really replaced it.


There's something about Italian decks that is warm and welcoming and friendly. They give you some wine and food and are very hospitable, I feel. French decks give me more of a snooty vibe.

Aerin
 

SolSionnach

Aerin said:
I blame this thread.

I now have an Ancient Italian, a Bologna (understated and gentle and rather lovely http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/cards/ancient-bologna/review.shtml) and a Classic too.

All because I once let my Minichiate go and have never really replaced it.


There's something about Italian decks that is warm and welcoming and friendly. They give you some wine and food and are very hospitable, I feel. French decks give me more of a snooty vibe.

Aerin
I have the Bologna, too - it's just as you said, gentle and understated. My only problem with it is that all the facial expressions are so similar, with not a lot to differentiate them. But the colors, cardstock, backs, etc are great. :)
 

Le Fanu

I love the Bologna, but what are those silly dots down the side of each card? Really no need...