TAROQUIS 'MARCA OBELISCO'

by Mario Colombo, Rodriguez Peña 335, Bs As

Above: 78-card 'Taroquis Marca Obelisco' published by Mario Colombo, Buenos Aires, during the 1950s, 60s & 70s, in the style known as "Tarocco Piemontese" which had been developed by Italian cardmakers during the nineteenth century. Similar Piemontese tarot packs had already been produced in Buenos Aires during the early 1900s by Fabrica de Naipes La Primitiva, and a similar Tarok pack with Spanish inscriptions was also published by Cappellano S.A. in the 1970s. Only the packs published by Mario Colombo have the title "Marca Obelisco".

This example has inscriptions in Spanish instead of Italian, and the green 'Impuestos Internos' tax stamp on the four of cups over the legend 'Tipo Español 78 cartas' suggests a date somewhere between 1954-68. It is printed in black/red/yellow only on cheap-grade card. The reverse has a pattern of small black diamonds forming a trellis. Size: 64 mms x 107 mms.

Left: The Obelisk, as shown on the ace of coins (above), was built in 1936 in commemoration of the first founding of the city. It is located in Avenida Nueve de Julio in Buenos Aires.