Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)
Colourful version of a standard French (‘Bourgeois’) Tarot.
The colour palette used in this standard French Tarot pack of the 1960s is both bold and diverse – much more so than in the version by Héron . In particular, strong greens, reds and blues stand out. These give strength to the images on the trump cards. On those same trump cards one can find the manufacturer’s initials ‘C’ and ‘F’ intertwined in opposite corners. There is no mention of the manufacturer’s name on any of the other cards. However, some other packs in Catel & Farcy’s range, including “Clavecin”, are listed on one of the extra cards. The box carries the wording “Nouveau Tarot”. This may simply be Catel’s way of indicating that the drawing and colouring of their Tarot are a bit different from those of their competitors. See the box
Above: standard French ‘Bourgeois’ Tarot made and published by Catel & Farcy, France, c1965. 78 cards + 2 extra cards + leaflet with Tarot rules in French, in tuck box.
This version of the Jeu de Tarot by Catel & Farcy is thought to have been in print between 1958 and 1973. See the leaflet
By Roddy Somerville
France • Member since May 31, 2022
Roddy started collecting stamps on his 8th birthday. In 1977 he joined the newly formed playing-card department at Stanley Gibbons in London before setting up his own business in Edinburgh four years later. His collecting interests include playing cards, postcards, stamps (especially playing cards on stamps) and sugar wrappers. He is a Past President of the Scottish Philatelic Society, a former Chairman of the IPCS, a Past Master of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards and Curator of the WCMPC’s collection of playing cards. He lives near Toulouse in France.
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