Tarocchi di Valentina Visconti

The record

Recently, as an entirely unjustifiable present to myself, I acquired this deck. Ironically, it arrived on my birthday, emphasising its gratuitous nature, which quite pleases me. What with exchange rates and freight it cost me over $300, which is why I didn't get a hold of it when it first caught my eye a couple of years ago, but seems to me to be quite reasonable now that it is in my hands. It is made of a yellow/cream acid-free card, thicker than average, and is unlaminated. The beauty of being unlaminated is that over the decades, the chemicals in the lamination won't be damaging the cardstock or the inks. The down-side of being unlaminated is that I can never handle the deck in the warmer months, as I won't want the moisture and chemicals in my sweat damaging the cards. An eighty-eight card deck, sandwiched between the Major Arcana and Courts and the Minor Arcana, there are ten extra cards. Like the rest of the deck they are delicate black and white line-drawings and have the Italian titles Anchovies, Racing Silks, Rooster, Freedom, Astuteness, Intrigue, Courage, Spurs, Money and Acquaintance. (No, I don't speak Italian, I have the dubious benefits of an online translator availa

Source & full review →