Tarots of Marseilles
This Tarot of Marseilles deck is based on a deck produced by Claude Burdel in 1751. The initials CB can be seen on the front of the chariot on card seven and also on the two of cups. The original cards were woodblock prints and stencil colored by hand. In Marseilles decks, the cardmaker's name and location is usually given on a scroll on the two of pentacles. Burdel followed this tradition, but the original has been changed to Lo Scarabeo, the new publisher. The scroll now says "Edizioni D'Arte Lo Scarabeo Torino 1987." (See below.) Card names are given in five languages with Italian at the top and English, French, German and Spanish at the bottom. The original card titles were in French only. Suit card numbers are given in roman numerals on swords and wands, but not on chalices (cups) and pentacles. In Marseilles decks, wands and swords appear similar, but swords are curved while wands are straight. This deck is also included in the Comparative Tarot. The Tarot Classic is another verison of the Burdel deck.
Number of Cards |
Size |
Copyright |
Card Back Design |
78 22 major/56 minor |
2 3/8" x 4 1/2" |
1996 |
|
Language of Card Titles: Italian, English, French, German, Spanish
Style of Suit Cards (2-10): suit tokens
Also Included: instruction cards in 5 languages, title card, publisher information
Major Arcana:
Fool, Magician, High Priestess, Emperor, Empress, Hierophant, Lover
Chariot, Strength (card 11), Hermit, Wheel, Justice (card 8), Hanged Man,
Death, Temperance, Devil, Tower, Star, Moon, Sun, Judgement, World
Suit Names: Wands, Chalices (Cups), Swords, Pentacles
Court Cards: King, Queen, Knight, Knave (Page)
See Also:
SAMPLE CARD IMAGES:
Reference - The Encyclopedia of Tarot: Volume 1, page 137 and Volume 2 by Stuart Kaplan, pgs. 183-185, 225, 326 and 328