Austrian Tarock by S.D. Modiano

In 1868, the young Saul David Modiano (1834-1922) founded a company in Trieste to import and export cigarette papers. The cosmopolitan environment of the then 4th largest city in Austria-Hungary offered business opportunities even for immigrants from Macedonia (at that time part of the Ottoman Empire), which he was. His dynamic company flourished and adopted the new lithographic printing process which facilitated diversification into production of postcards. In addition, the acquisitions of competing companies also benefitted the playing card department. Today, Modiano is one of the two (main) remaining manufacturers of traditional Italian card designs.

As this deck demonstrates, at the beginning of the 20th century, one of S.D. Modiano’s products was a deck of Austrian tarot cards. The trumps contain a set of genre scenes that correspond to the Type B typology according to Sylvia Mann. This classification is also used by the International Playing-Card Society.

The tax stamp visible on the ace of hearts dates the deck to the period 1900-1920. The old company trademark with a centaur can also be seen there. Further identification of the manufacturer is given on the jacks of diamonds and clubs - quite in keeping with the traditional Austrian tarot design.

Above: Austrian Tarock type 'B', produced by S.D. Modiano, Trieste, 1914.

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The reverse side with a pattern called wienerbitz (Viennese lightning) in a more recent production is shown below. During this period, Modiano used black lines on the reverse side that were much thinner than is common with other manufacturers.

Even today, after a hundred years, a Modiano deck can be purchased under the name Tarocco Nr. 500 with the same set of genre scenes typical of Austrian Tarock Type B. This pattern is now a minority; the majority of production contains scenes corresponding to Austrian Tarock Type C.

After the Second World War, the manufacturer’s trademark and the name was changed. Today, Modiano’s production is associated with the typical jumping deer motif.

Above: modern Austrian Tarock, produced by Modiano, Trieste.

When comparing these two products, I have doubts whether the digitization of the printing process can be described as progress.

References

History of Modiano www.modiano.it/en/our-history►

Peter Endebrock’s tax stamp database►

I.P.C.S. pattern sheet specification: Austrian Tarock Type B►