Tarocchini Giuseppe Maria Mitelli (1664?)

[Le Fanu]

Does anyone know anything about this deck? I came across one this morning (Dal Negro). It´s a beautiful deck (LWB in Italian). When I opened it up, I realised that the pip cards do not contain pips 2-5 in all suits. I thought it might be a dud copy, but it was shrink wrapped so I suppose it isn´t. I managed to decipher some of the LWB (something about Louis XIV? Cardinal Mazarin?) I couldn´t find a date, but I have a book The Art of The Tarot which had it listed as being from 1664.

Does anyone know anything? When was it published by Dal Negro? Is it a recent publication? Any info gratefully received...

The engravings are stunning; real high baroque gesturings. No titles, no numbers, two Hierophants; one standing and one seated. The Hanged Man is someone sleeping and about to be smashed over the head with a hammer and is called (in my book) "Traitor! And the matt finish is a dream, shuffles exquisitely, firm cardstock.

A beautiful deck and fascinating imagery...

 

[thinbuddha]

I only know that some tarot games don't use all the pips, so there are decks out there that don't contain 78 cards.

http://www.eberhard.at/html/tarock_e.html

 

[Abrac]

Here's some info I found in the Encyclopedia of Tarot, Vol.1:

Tarocchini
Tarocchini of Mitelli
Cards (Description)
Cards (Pics)

I couldn't find a date of publication for the Dal Negro edition. Tarot Garden lists it as 'Unknown.'

I've never really noticed this deck before. It looks like a nice find.

 

[Le Fanu]

Don´t know if this link will work, but Le Pendu sent it to me (hope he doesn´t mind me sharing it with you...). It´s just that the link you showed me didn´t have the cards in colour. The cards illustrated here:


http://www.tarothistory.com/2008/06/20/the-most-beautiful-deck-in-the-world/

.... show the edition I bought. It´s a wonderful deck. But the irregularities are what prevent it from being more widely known I expect. It has (what is no exaggeration to say) the best cardstock ever seen in a deck. So smooth, shuffles like liquid and yet is really sturdy. Some inner voice tells me this isn´t contemporary cardstock. MUST be 1980s or before...

The lack of pips 2-5 mean that when you try reading with it, you can´t help wondering how the cards can express the "meanings" which are missing. It throws numerology right out of the window. But the artwork is stunning... It really is a contender for "most beautiful deck in the world"...