Encyclopaedias of historical Tarot images?

Hello all..
As a beginner on my journey into tarot research for the painting of my own deck.. I wondered if anyone could recommend any good books full to the brim with colour images of tarot cards (mainly from antiquity, because I find so many modern ones so ugly...)
I've noted the Dover edition with digital versions and Stuart Kaplan's 4 volumes... but I can't tell what's best without looking inside.
Thoughts and suggestions very welcome!
Thanks :)

Re: Encyclopaedias of historical Tarot images?

Hello Rima,

Here is a good catalogue with an historical part from very good authors.

Schweizer Spielkarten 2
Das Tarockspiel in der Schweiz - Tarocke des 18. und 19. Jahrhunderts im Museum zu Allerheiligen
2004, 222 Seiten/pages, 40.00 CHF

Pictures are small but well printed and most of them are not frequently showed.
This museum (Museum zu Allerheiligen) has more than 7000 decks....
I visited it and took hundred of pictures in 2007 by appointment.
It's in Swissland/ Schaffhousen

Vsit their website and you can order it here:

http://www.allerheiligen.ch/index.php?o ... Itemid=162

You may also visit my website as to see some nice decks:
http://tarot-de-marseille-heritage.com/ ... llery.html

I like your paintings too and wish you all success in this new travel on Tarot road.

Salutations from Marseille City Capitale of Tarot :ar!

Yves LM
Personne n'est au dessus de l'obligation de dire la vérité.
Nobody is above obligation to tell truth.

Re: Encyclopaedias of historical Tarot images?

What wonderful paintings!

Kaplan's encyclopedias are as definitive as you can get but the images aren't always clear. On the other hand, they're not too expensive, and you might get one from your library before ordering your own. Vol. II has a terrific collection of the older decks.

I don't know about contemporary Slovakian tarot. There are a fair number of fortune-telling decks (30-something cards) with multiple languages, often including Czech & other E. European languages along with German, French, and sometimes English. Here's a thread elsewhere showing one http://www.tarotcollectors.com/view_top ... forum_id=9

And a very nice link with lots of pics. This is old, I don't know if any are still for sale http://www.muenzgalerie.de/kataloge/pdf ... n_2007.pdf

Re: Encyclopaedias of historical Tarot images?

Thank you Yves and Debra for your kind compliments and helpful suggestions...
I will indeed order Kaplan's volumes from the library first, I think... useful to hear that vol 2 might be a good place to start. Have found a used copy of the little Art of Tarot book for £2 so, thanks! :)
Yves - your Marseilles site is fantastic, and thank you for the link to the Museum zu Allerheiligen - it sounds an amazing place, and I shall think about ordering that book too.
Debra - you're probably right about the web being the best encyclopaedia, I just enjoy leaving through a hefty tome so much more than sitting in front of a screen!
That said, I'm looking forward to hanging out here - something about the design and colours of this forum makes it much more conducive to typing longer and feeling restful.. It must be the lack of purple ;)


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