The World of Playing Cards Logo

Tarocco Piemontese by Giovanni Rossi

Published December 13, 2022 Updated December 13, 2023

18th c. Piedmont Tarocchi by Giovanni Rossi, Turin.

Italy Rossi Tarot Tarocco Piedmont

An Italian-suited 78-card, single-ended Piemontese tarot pack produced by Giovanni Rossi, Turin, containing four suits of 14 (ace, king, queen, knight, jack and 2-10) plus 22 trumps. No turnover edges.

18th c. Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. © The Trustees of the British Museum 18th c. Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. © The Trustees of the British Museum

The courts and numeral cards

An inscription on the font-like ace of cups reads “Rossi Torino” on the 2 “Fabrica di Rossi in Torino”. On the aces of swords and clubs can be read “Rossi Gioni. conda. [?contra] dei Peliciai Porta No. 8 Torino”, and on the ace of coins “Rossi”. The names of the court cards and trumps are in Italian. The coins numeral cards (danari) have their values in the centre of each coin.

18th c. Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. © The Trustees of the British Museum 18th c. Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. © The Trustees of the British Museum 18th c. Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. © The Trustees of the British Museum 18th c. Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Above: Piedmont Tarot by Giovanni Rossi, Turin. 78 cards, hand-coloured woodcuts, backs printed with a check pattern in blue and white. 18th c. In original leather box lined with decorative paper. © The Trustees of the British Museum • Museum number 1896,0501.4

See the leather case

References

O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber, (Italian 21), Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 [digital version here]

avatar
1,474 Articles

By Simon Wintle

Member since February 01, 1996

Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.

Related Articles

Lyon pattern made in Italy by Pietro de Santi

Lyon pattern made in Italy by Pietro de Santi

The Lyon pattern was initially developed in France during the 16th century. As Lyon was a trading hu...

1975 Mountain Dream Tarot

Mountain Dream Tarot

Groundbreaking Tarot created by Bea Nettles, using photographs and photo montage.

Laurenzo Propagine

Laurenzo Propagine

Spanish-suited cards made in Italy by Laurenzo Propagine.

1988 Il Tarocco Mitologico

Il Tarocco Mitologico

Fully pictorial Tarot designed by Amerigo Folchi with figures mainly from Greek mythology.

1875 Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples

Neapolitan pattern by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples

Two versions of the Neapolitan pattern from the British Museum by Luigi Pignalosa, Naples, 1875 & 18...

1984 The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds

The Millenium Tarot: Tarot of the Four Worlds

First Australian Tarot, designed by Mary Susan Chamberlain, with artwork by Ziba Vilmanis-Westenberg...

1981 Motherpeace Round Tarot

Motherpeace Round Tarot

An original and imaginative feminist tarot based on Goddess energy.

1965 Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)

Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)

Colourful version of a standard French (‘Bourgeois’) Tarot.

1995 Dylan Dog

Dylan Dog

Characters and objects from the Italian comic book series Dylan Dog, written by Tiziano Sciavi and d...

2006 Royal Britain

Royal Britain

Pack devised by Pietro Alligo depicting English monarchs from Alfred the Great to Elizabeth II.

2024 Paris 2024 Olympics 2

Paris 2024 Olympics 2

A standard French Tarot game pack with passing references to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

2024 Tarot – Images du Pays Basque

Tarot – Images du Pays Basque

Seventy-eight photographic images of the French Basque Country on a pack for playing the game of Tar...

2023 A Million Dollar Tarot: The Alleyman’s Tarot

A Million Dollar Tarot: The Alleyman’s Tarot

The Alleyman’s Tarot successfully raised $1,404,172 on Kickstarter. This unique 133-card deck includ...

2022 Quên Tarot

Quên Tarot

A mystical voyage of love and self-discovery created by Duy Khánh Võ.

2021 Le Monde Primitif Tarot

Le Monde Primitif Tarot

Facsimile edition produced by Morena Poltronieri & Ernesto Fazioli of Museo Internazionale dei Taroc...

1996 I Tarocchi del Buongustaio

I Tarocchi del Buongustaio

A less-than-serious set of major arcana on a gourmet theme, with designs by Cosimo Musio.