Serravalle-Sesia Tarot
Serravalle-Sesia Tarot published by Fratelli Avondo, c.1880.
This beautiful and inspiring late 19th century tarot set was produced by an anonymous artist and published in Serravalle-Sesia, Italy in 1880. The publisher is believed to be Fratelli Avondo. The designs are inspired by an earlier pack created in 1835 by the Lombard engraver Carlo Dellarocca. The cards have fine detail with plenty of old world charm, and the colouring, costumes and backgrounds are all richly detailed, which makes them very attractive for card readers. The numbers on the Trump cards are shown in all four corners, with the lower right numbers upside-down to aid in interpreting reversals.
Above: Serravalle-Sesia Tarot originally published by Fratelli Avondo, c.1880; facsimile edition by Lo Scarabeo, 2000. The card titles are in Italian. The Ace of Coins has the Italian duty stamp which reads: "Cartiera Italiana, Serravalle-Sesia". Size = 106x58 mm.
See also: “Tarocco Neoclassico” c.1810 • Carlo Dellarocca's “Tarocchino Lombardo” 1835 • Mitelli Tarocchini • Tarocco della “Corona Ferrea” • Tarocco Piemontese • Matarelli Transformation • Tavaglione Stairs of Gold Tarot • Minchiate • "Etruria" Minchiate • Tarocchi di Mantegna • Tarocco Bolognese • Visconti Tarocchi.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
View ArticlesCurator 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.
Leave a Reply
Recommended
Jeu de Tarot Pocket Fantasy/Science-Fiction
Tarot game pack with fantasy sci-fi artwork on the trumps published by Pocket SF, France.
Carte da Gioco Toscana
Carte da Gioco Toscana souvenir deck, 2002.
Bolzani e Spagnolo
Stylish monochrome designs by the Archinstudio of Guido Bolzani and Gian-Piero Spagnolo, printed by Masenghini, Bergamo, Italy, 1977.
A. Dougherty’s Triplicate Recreation
A recreated of the original 1876, No. 18, Triplicate deck by A. Dougherty by Michael Scott in 2014.
Gó Succo
Gó Succo fruit juice promotion deck featuring Walt Disney cartoons.
San Marino Souvenir
San Marino stamp designs combined with photographic views by La Fotometalgrafica Emiliana, c.1975.
Myriorama
Myriorama of Italian scenery, 1824.
La Sibylle des Salons
La Sibylle des Salons facsimile of 19th century deck published by J M Simon, 1979.
Portraits of a Lady
Portraits of a Lady by Lo Scarabeo, 2003.
Alice
Alice with artwork by Jesús Blasco, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2003.
Liberty
Liberty playing cards designed by Antonella Castelli, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2003.
Il Circo
Il Circo illustrated by Jules Garnier, published by Lo Scarabeo, 2004.
William Tell
Facsimile of Swiss William Tell deck from c.1870 published by Lo Scarabeo.
“Deck with French suits”
A facsimile of an early 19th century French-suited deck from the collection of F.X. Schmid.
Le Destin Antique
Le Jeu du Destin Antique, originally published by Grimaud in XIX c., republished many times since...
Baracca & Burattini
Baracca & Burattini puppetry deck printed by Dal Negro, 1998.
Martin Mystère
Martin Mystère based on the comic book by Alfredo Castelli. The cards were designed by Giancarlo Alessandrini.
Caleb Bartlett
Caleb Bartlett patriotic deck (reproduction), around 1835-40.
Heraldic playing cards
Reproduction of Richard Blome’s Heraldic playing cards, 1684, presented to lady guests at WCMPC Summer Meeting in 1888.
Tell Wilmoś
Facsimile of ‘Wilhelm Tell’ Hungarian deck by Salamon Antal, Keczkemét, 1860.
Le Jeu de la Guerre
Facsimile of “Le Jeu de la Guerre” designed by Gilles de la Boissière in 1698.
Egyptian Tarot
Egyptian Tarot published by Naipes La Banca, Buenos Aires, c.1980.
On The Cards
A Motley Pack - transformation playing cards & ‘On The Cards’ book facsimile published by Sunish Chabba, 2019.
Tyrolean Playing Cards
Facsimile of patriotic 1878 Tyrolean playing cards published by Piatnik in 1992.
Iohann Christoph Hes Tarot c.1750
Facsimile of Tarot de Marseille by Iohann Christoph Hes, Augsburg, c.1750.
Le Avventure di Pinocchio
Avventure di Pinocchio by Dal Negro, based on Carlo Collodi’s famous 1883 novel “The Adventures of Pinocchio”.
Musikalisches Kartenspiel
Facsimile of Dondorf’s “Musikalisches Kartenspiel” (c.1862) published by Lo Scarabeo, 2004
Pinocchio
Pinocchio fairy tale playing cards illustrated by Iassen Ghiuselev for Lo Scarabeo, 2003.
Jeu Grotesque
Jeu Grotesque was first published in France c.1800.
Dal Negro Bridge set
Dal Negro Bridge set featuring old Vienna pattern courts.
Carte Romane
“Carte Romane” designed by Giorgio Pessione, 1973, celebrating the history of Rome.
Cuccù
Cuccù or Cucco, an ancient Italian card game, published by Masenghini, 1979.
Sarde Pattern
Sarde pattern published by Modiano, c.1975, based on early XIX century Spanish model.
Triestine Pattern
The Triestine pattern is derived from the Venetian (Trevisane) pattern but with its own characteristics.
Trentine Pattern
Trentine Pattern
Primiera Bolognese
Primiera Bolognese by Modiano, c.1975
Bergamasche Pattern
Bergamasche Pattern by Modiano, 1970s.
Bharata Major Arcana Tarot
Bharata Major Arcana Tarot by Ishan Trivedi & Sunish Chabba, 2018. Inspired by Indian art forms.
Johannes Müller c.1840
Facsimile edition of Swiss suited deck first published by Johannes Müller in c.1840.
Tarocchini Bolognesi by Carlo Zanardi
Tarocchini Bolognesi by Carlo Zanardi, c.1850