Here is a selection of historical interest decks currently available in commerce. This is a work in progress, far from complete at the moment. I hope, however, that it will be helpful to those considering purchasing historical interest decks.
Each deck is identified according to type (rep = reproduction, photographically accurate copy of a surviving original deck; res = restoration, old deck has been restored to remove signs of age, but with an attempt to faithfully recreate the appearance of the original; rec = recreation, a copy based on a historic model, not necessarily faithful in detail; mod = modern designs with historical interest)
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Tarot of Milan |
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Visconti-Sforza Pierpont Morgan Tarocchi Deck |
rep |
"Visconti-Sforza Pierpont Morgan / Bergamo", Bembo, Milan, c. 1450 |
Milan (luxury) |
US Games ($40) |
original size reproductions, a must for students of the Visconti-Sforza cards |
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Visconti Gold Tarot Deck |
res |
"Visconti-Sforza Pierpont Morgan / Bergamo", Bembo, Milan, c. 1450 |
Milan (luxury) |
Lo Scarabeo ($25) |
small size, paintings extensively restored (lots of gold), with titles added; very rich looking |
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Cary-Yale Visconti Tarocchi Deck |
rep |
"Visconti Cary-Yale / Modrone", Bembo, Milan, c. 1440 |
Milan (luxury) |
US Games ($40) |
original size reproductions, with many replacement cards by Luigi Scapini |
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Tarot de Marseille |
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Ancient Tarots of Marseilles |
rep |
Nicolas Conver, Marseilles, 1760 |
Marseille (IT-1) |
Lo Scarabeo ($20) |
attractive reproduction of a worn but colorful classic Marseilles deck |
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Camoin Tarot de Marseille |
rec |
Conver, Marseilles, 1760 |
Marseille (IT-1) |
Camoin ($25) |
attractive modernization of the classic designs, which attempts to show occult symbols "hidden" in the originals |
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Fournier Tarot de Marseille |
mod |
. |
Marseille |
Fournier |
classic designs, recolored as "paintings" rather than flat zones of color |
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Tarot de Besançon |
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Swiss Tarot |
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Swiss 1JJ |
mod |
. |
Swiss (IT-4.1) |
AG Mueller / US Games ($14) |
modern deck based on classic 19th-century engraved designs |
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Tarocco Piemontese |
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Ancient Tarots of Liguria-Piedmont |
rep |
Giovanbattista Guala, 1860 |
Piemontese (IT-1.2) |
Lo Scarabeo ($20) |
. |
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Tarocco Piemontese |
mod |
. |
Piemontese (IT-1.211) |
Masenghini ($10) |
modern double-ended designs |
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Lombardy Tarot |
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Ancient Tarots of Bologna |
rep |
Zoni, Bologna, c. 1780 |
Lombardy (IT-1.1) |
Lo Scarabeo ($20) |
nice reproduction, browns, dark blue, and green prdominate; nice back design |
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Tarocchi di Gumppenberg |
rep |
Gumppenberg, 1840 |
Lombardy/Milanese (IT-1.1) |
Il Meneghello ($25) |
beautiful woodblock designs, showing some influences from the Dellarocca deck |
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Tarocchino Milanese |
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Tarocco Soprafino |
rep |
Dellarocca-Gumppenberg, Milan, 1835 |
Milanese (IT-1.3) |
Il Meneghello ($25) |
gorgeous engravings, sumptuously colored, very classy |
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Tarocco Dotti |
rep |
Eduardo Dotti, 1845 |
Milanese (IT-1.3) |
Il Meneghello ($25) |
lovely engraved designs |
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Tarocchino Milanese |
rep |
. |
Milanese (IT-1.31) |
Modiano ($10) |
modern double-ended form; reproduction of a late 19th-century deck |
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Belgian Tarot |
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Tarot Jacques Vieville |
rep |
Vieville, France, c. 1650 |
Belgian (IT-3) |
Heron ($16) |
fascinating old deck, good reproduction |
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Vandenborre Tarot |
rep |
Vandenborre, Brussels, 1780 |
Belgian (IT-3) |
Carta Mundi |
authentic-looking reproduction; excellent exemplar of the pattern |
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Tarocco Bolognese |
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Tarocchini di G. M. Mitelli |
rep |
Mitelli, Bologna, c. 1665 |
Bolognese (luxury) |
Dal Negro ($19) |
beautiful, colored reproduction |
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Tarocco Bolognese |
mod |
. |
Bolognese (IT-2) |
Dal Negro ($9) |
modern double-ended designs |
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Minchiate |
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Ancient Minchiate Etruria |
rep |
"Etruria", Florence, 1725 |
Minchiate (IPM-5.1) |
Lo Scarabeo ($20) |
rich engraved deck; good reproduction; original back |
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Minchiate Fiorentine |
rep |
c. 1820 |
. |
Il Meneghello |
woodblock, colored backgrounds |
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Minchiate Fiorentine |
mod |
Constante Constantini, 1981 |
Minchiate (luxury) |
Solleone ($39) |
modernized designs, wood box |
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Nuove Minchiate Fiorentine |
mod |
Constante Constantini, 1981 |
Minchiate (luxury) |
Solleone ($40) |
small, woodblock-like card designs, includes board game |
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New Minchiate Tarot |
mod |
Brian Williams, 1999 |
Minchiate (luxury) |
Inner Traditions |
lovely artistic rendition of Minchiate designs, with book |
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Tarocco Siciliano |
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Tarocco Siciliano |
mod |
. |
Siciliano |
Modiano ($8) |
delightful little cards |
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unique designs |
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Tarocchi del Mantegna |
rep |
Ferrara, c. 1465 |
. |
Il Meneghello ($31) |
fascinating and lovely early engravings; classy reproduction |
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Ancient Illumating Tarots / Sola Busca Tarot Deck |
rec |
"Sola Busca", Venice/Ferrara, c. 1470 |
. |
Lo Scarabeo ($20) |
based on a c.1900 copy of original cards; designs close to original engravings, but inexact and less detailed |
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Ancient Tarots of Lombardy |
rep |
Gumppenberg Neoclassical Tarot, Milan, 1810 |
. |
Lo Scarabeo ($20) |
very pleasing artistic 19th-century deck with some interesting variant designs |