Di Gumppenberg 1810-1890 variations

Cerulean

I've been searching for any place that discusses or at least gather links for the Milan-based or variant di Gumppenberg designs.

These are generally Italian Marseilles variants and their trump, courts and pips do have various patterns, but do not reflect Etteilla variations..

A partial list, with version links to be gathered by anyone...or by me as time permits...I'm starting with the 1810 design, then listing Corona Ferarra, Trade Sites, 1845 Della Rocca variants and 1880 Serraville...as far as I know. I think there's a Di Gumppenberg reviewed by Mark Filpas that looks more like a working-class Marseilles or Bologna variant with three or four ink colors, which I will include. That's six or seven?

Here are my notes for the Neoclassical/Ancient Tarots of Lombardy--I'll fill it in as much as possible and list the others later this summer 2003:

1. Neoclassical, version one, also known as Ancient Tarots of Lombardy.

a. Kaplan lists two dates, 1806, 1810. He pictures the Il Solloene version yellow background and light yellow backs with a blue-inked graphic of a sun rising.

b. Lo Scarabeo's Ancient Tarots of Lombardy-comes in a kit with a blue-covered book in Italian (Berti and Chiesa) with the 1995 small version of the cards. The background is yellow with a white frame, a white back with red flower motif. No booklet, only nine cards in various languages.

C. From 1996-2000, the small LS Ancient Tarots of Lombardy in the blue box is distributed by Alida and Trigono. From 2001, Llewellyn distributes in the U.S. From 2002, Llewellyn and TarotGarden, Amazon Borders, etc., begin to distribute.

D. Beginning in 2002, a new LS. edition in a green box and larger beige background: backs are blue and white with the Sun card on the backs. The light yellow background and bright colors now has a faded appearance.

E. Beginning in 2003, Il Menghello distributes an Oswald Mezzenghalli limited printed edition with the Wheel of Fortune on the cover. The printing is actually follows the Lo Scarabeo version.

Reviews for version C:

Mark Filpas, Pasteboard Masquerade
Wicce.com

Reviews for version D:
Aeclectic.net

Online link to all cards in this deck, Version C:
Aleph.com
http://www-uk.aleph-tarot.com/c1.php?id=3&karte=1

Anyway, I hope this will become a resource as people begin to explore their historical interests.

Mari Hoshizaki
 

Cerulean

Di Gumppenberg 1830-1840

1. This French site has card samples from the Di Vecchi edition published in 1999 and 2000:

http://membres.lycos.fr/tarobat/mesjeux/gumppenberg/gumppenberg.htm

Tarotgarden.com sells this version with a book by Isa Donelli, deluxe packaging and great, uncoated card stock. Trigono.com also sells this version.

2.
Mark Filpas has the Il Menghello edition:

http://www.spiritone.com/~filipas/Masquerade/Reviews/gumpp40.html

Il Menghello editions normally do not come with books, but nice, small covers and a ribbon tie and uncoated stock. Trigono.com and Alidastore.com sells this edition.

3.
A low cost, cruder and yet with similar coloring is the Ancient Tarots of Bologna printed by Giacomo Zoni in 1780, from Lo Scarabeo. I was attracted to this Italian Marseilles version because of the coloring and kept it.

http://www.trigono.com/tarots/tarocchi-di-bologna.htm

I bought the di Vecchi edition after reading a translation of the French website in the first link--the coloring commentary and the cards posted seemed interesting. I have a few di Gumppenberg variations in my collection and each seems to have unique design
patterns.

Di Vecchi cards have great packaging and the book-deck sets seems to have books just written for the decks. Whether the esoteric slant is apt or not, this the first Di Vecchi set where the information is simple enough for me to pick out some information. The swords and wands for instance look like Visconti patterns and the meanings written down seem similar to Stuart Kaplan's keywords. I haven't analyzed the cups and denari yet.

As I find more, I'll post.
 

Ross G Caldwell

There is another version printed by Di Vecchi that comes on sale here occasionally, usually around Christmas. I missed buying it last year, but I'll get it this year and give a description on this thread.

Ross
 

Cerulean

Edoardo Dotti variations/Bologna pattern

1.Eduardo Dotti review links to Di Gumppenberg design
a. Pasteboard Masquerade review of Il Mengello unlaminated cards:
http://www.spiritone.com/~filipas/Masquerade/Reviews/dotti.html

b. Di Vecchi edition of unlaminated cards and Laura Tuan's Italian language book in set - the cards are the Giant Dotti shown separately at the Trigono site:
http://www.trigono.com/cgi-bin/fron...anguage=ita&command=details&itemcode=TUA 4559
c. Tarotgarden.com's Giant Dotti/Il Trigono's listings:
Il Trigono-regular size of 78 cards from Il Menghello:
http://www.trigono.com/tarots/tarocco-dotti.htm
Il Trigono-22 giant cards:
http://www.trigono.com/tarots/arcani-giganti-dotti.htm

2. Dotti designs and Bolognese pattern

a. TarotHermit (Tom Tadforlittle) list of Bolognese/Milanese patterns:
http://www.tarothermit.com/milanese.htm
b. Theodoro Dotti/Eduardo Dotti engraved patterns from
Andy's Playing Cards:

http://it.geocities.com/a_pollett/cards65.htm


3. Mentions of Edoardo Dotti cards in William Butler Yeats playing card collection:

Raine, Kathleen. Yeats, the Tarot, and the Golden Dawn . Dublin:
Dolmen. Describes Yeats' personal Eduardo Dotti ca. 1867 deck; also George's; and some unique Golden Dawn perspective.

http://groups.google.com/groups?q=y...=3B94E1A8.31752D34@ulster.net&rnum=2&filter=0

Note: Mary Katherine Greer's analysis uses the Dotti Tarot in a picture example of Annie Horniman's tarot readings that helped inspire efforts to found the Abbey Theatre with Yeats productions. Pictures include pages 287 and 399 of her "Women and the Golden Dawn" text. MKG read the descriptions of the colors of the tarot cards and the analysis of the readings in papers now archived in the Yeats Collection of the National Library of Ireland.

4. Stuart Kaplan's collection of Eduardo Dotti cards:
a. Pennsylvania Gazette article and links to cards:

(These are Dotti stencil/woodblock prints, not engraved, so not as refined as the sets put out by Il Menghello and De Vecchi:

http://www.upenn.edu/gazette/0397/collector_story.html



b: Mention by Catboxer on Aeclectic regarding Stuart Kaplan's ebay sale of Eduardo Dotti plates in 2002

--respectful snip----
An Incredible Bargain!
I looked up the Eduardo Dotti deck in Kaplan, V. II. These are nothing short of the highest quality woodblock cards I've ever seen. Ordinarily, you'd have to go to engraving to get definition this clean and clear. There are also pictures of all the blocks on pages 371-2. They appear to be in pristine condition, except for the block that has five impressions each of the five of coins, ace of swords, and ace of clubs, which has a vertical crack. Still, there are four each pristine pictures on that block.

Dave B

-------------------------
 

full deck

Del Solleone version?

Mari, I noticed a Del Solleone version that is sold through playingcards.co.uk (Roderick Sommerville), however there is no picture of this version. It is only listed under "Italian - general" for publisher and listed as a "facsimile" of the Di Gumppenberg (Tarocchi Neoclassico Italiano).

Are there any pictures of this version? I'm not familiar with this one at all.
 

full deck

Del Solleone is nice

The Del Solleone is lovely indeed. Thanks for the link. I will consider a copy since it is not very expensive and the art and reproduction looks very nice.

I must say, so far I have been very pleased with the decks from Del Solleone. Their quality is excellent and their card stock is indestructible (darned near). Now if only Scarabeo could match this . . .
 

Cerulean

Dotti sets

My Eduardo Dotti engraved tarocco arrived today, titled Tarocco Italiano from the Fabrica Dotti Milano 1845. Once or twice I have also seen references to a printing with the date 1865--but I'll go with the earlier date on the card title for now.

It is actually reprinted by Edition Il Meneghello of Milano in 1985. Nice packaging and smooth feel to the front, card size is 4.25 x 2.25 inches with straight corners. This was ordered from Tarotgarden.com

I had realized my previously ordered Laura Tuan set was going to arrive from De Vecchi contained fairly large cards. I wanted a smaller Dotti set of 78 to carry around. The smaller Il Meneghello set was shipped quickly from TarotGarden while I awaited my Alida order.

I think the differences of the Dotti are just to my taste. I liked the restrained coloring of the engraved Di Gumppenberg cards of 1810 (Neoclassical/Ancient Tarots of the Lombardy) from other publishers. I also had developed a liking to the limited coloring and stenciled/woodblock prints of the 1830-1840 De Vecchi set.

Sometimes I like the vibrant coloring of the the fancy Soprafino engraved Classical Tarot/1845 and also the nice antique feel of the 1880 Sessia Serraville. But lately I had been yearning for something in between the older decks and delicate engraving of the 1810 Neoclassical.

Incidently, my 1810 Neoclassical and 1845 Dotti have darker-haired people, mostly black and brown hair or even the balding, white haired hermit. Brunettes and the quiet feeling that one gets from their expression may seem just too archiac or somber in comparison with more expressive modern tastes.

The Laura Tuan book with the Giant Dotti cards isn't historical in terms of the card designs: see my Dotti summary above for better online links to the designer. Laura Tuan does present some historical reading methods for divination exercises. My limited Italian is stretched, but I like it very much. I decided it makes a nice companion to the Kathleen Raines book with the Yeats Dotti deck illustrations and the Dotti Menghello cards.

I don't know why, but it's a more peaceful set than most. This is part of a Bologna pattern that Andy's Playing card terms as 'obsolete' for playing cards. However I am glad that I found the reference to Yeats having it in his personal collection--it also gives me a quiet, friendly feeling.
 

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Thanks Mari!

I finally got my Solleone version of the "Tarocco Neoclassico Italiano" (1810) and it is delightful. The backs have the light yellow and blue Solleone mark with the Moon, Earth and Sun. It handles nicely and the 4-color reproduction is quite nice. The whole color scheme is lighter and reminds me of natural outdoor light -- it's almost pastoral. I guess the cream-colored card stock does make a difference!

Playingcardsales.co.uk still stocks the Solleone version even though it is out of print.

This really is closer to the traditional Marseilles pattern in some ways (the little illustrations on the 4,3,2,1 pips in all the suits, though it varies a bit between suits)

Thanks again for your help Mari!
 
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