An outstanding and mysterious TdM... and I miss it

[Philippe]

Sunday I lost an ebay auction for a really extraordinary Tarot of (probably) great historical significance. This upset me, I can't forgive myself for having been so stingy... anyway, the deck was near complete with beautiful stenciled colours reminding the Bernardin Suzanne's ones but the engraving was dissimilar in details.

For instance Le Monde :

Monde by PhilBeDaN, sur Flickr

The deck is on the left; center : Conver BN; right : Suzanne BN. I've chosen Conver because the two men (Nicolas & Bernardin) knew each other. As you can see, Suzanne colouring is very similar but one of the ox's nostrils is missing, the muzzle of the lion is different, no more black points on both sides of the word "Monde", etc... The androgyne is very well drawn, the quality of the engraving in this mysterious deck surpasses many well-known TdM.

And Le Bateleur :

Bateleur by PhilBeDaN, sur Flickr

Here I noticed the differently hatched table legs, and the shoes

None of the cards that would allow us to identify a cardmaker were shown in the pics. I've contacted the seller but I guess I won't get any answer.

Does anybody have an idea ?

 

[eltarot78]

Hello Philippe

It is the Feautrier

 

[eltarot78]

something interesting , Yves has had access to several Feautrier, none was Le Bateleur , it is the only card he needs to get to make a facsimile, and this is in perfect condition

 

[Yves Le Marseillais]

Hunting

Hello all,

Yes I am hunting Feautrier deck and I miss this one.
But I have another serious track and just neeed some more time.

I hope to be in position to publish a very nice Feautrier facsimile in coming years....

Any info will be welcome.

Salutations from Marseille City,

Yves

 

[Philippe]

Thank you Pablo

The colours and the yellow in particular induced me to think that it was an unknown XIXth century's tarot and I couldn't put a name to it. Now I see that I was mistaken but I feel comforted : Feautrier is well documented and not so exceptional after all.
It remains the buyer made a good deal : 77 cards for 300€, cheap compared to what ugly Jerger are sold for

 

[eltarot78]

Hello all,

Yes I am hunting Feautrier deck and I miss this one.
But I have another serious track and just neeed some more time.

I hope to be in position to publish a very nice Feautrier facsimile in coming years....

Any info will be welcome.

Salutations from Marseille City,

Yves

Hello amigo


Shame , we keep waiting

 

[eltarot78]

Thank you Pablo

The colours and the yellow in particular induced me to think that it was an unknown XIXth century's tarot and I couldn't put a name to it. Now I see that I was mistaken but I feel comforted : Feautrier is well documented and not so exceptional after all.
It remains the buyer made a good deal : 77 cards for 300€, cheap compared to what ugly Jerger are sold for

The documentation about Feautrier there is little , very little,
in Gallica there is a deck that has survived as a deck of 52 cards
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b10537350k.r=

I took several years collecting slowly, of grains of sand
I find it exquisite taste,
small details carving makes it very special and distinctive, uses several very personal cliches


I ask you, by chance, just out of curiosity to see the photographs of the cards,
the link of the auction is still available?

 

[Philippe]

Yes Pablo : I know I should have bought it and it's easy to see the deck is much nicer than the one Marteau gave to the BN (and also much more complete)

I feel very stupid all the more so as I think the buyer is a compulsive collector not very interested in the history of tarot. I won my precedent historical deck for 1 €, it spoiled me. Silly silly I am.

I persist in thinking this yellow can't be from 1762. It has to be a print from the following century. The back of the cards and the 2 de deniers were not visible so very difficult to give a date.

Now I know it's Feautrier, I should have scanned the Chosson besides it rather than Conver.

A lot of details are exquisite indeed. I don't know how I vill recover from it

 

[Yves Le Marseillais]

Feautrier facsimile

Yes Pablo : I know I should have bought it and it's easy to see the deck is much nicer than the one Marteau gave to the BN (and also much more complete)

I feel very stupid all the more so as I think the buyer is a compulsive collector not very interested in the history of tarot. I won my precedent historical deck for 1 €, it spoiled me. Silly silly I am.

I persist in thinking this yellow can't be from 1762. It has to be a print from the following century. The back of the cards and the 2 de deniers were not visible so very difficult to give a date.

Now I know it's Feautrier, I should have scanned the Chosson besides it rather than Conver.

A lot of details are exquisite indeed. I don't know how I vill recover from it

Bonjour Philippe,

To assist you recovering from this shock be sure I will do my best as to get a fresh source of Feautrier deck )

Feautrier is an interesting tarot of Marseille but not the best one for me.
So my priority are for two other tarot of Marseille decks and they will be issued prior it.

I think also that BnF uncomplete Feautrier is not the best exemplary to use.
This "yellow" version may not be the best one also to use.

I put all my wishes in a serious source that I will reveal if I succed to get it.

For the moment there is a possibility I study.

Bear in mind that I have about 14 tarots in project that I organise step by step.

This is why I decided to do two tarots per year if possible.

By the way could you PM me you contact details and phone because I have some additional questions for you.

Have a nice day,

Yves

 

[Philippe]

Yes Yves it's good to know but I wanted a real one, not a facsimile and this one even if it was not not an original from 1762 with its 1840's colours was so fresh and appealing. I will regret it for a long time. I think the profound reason why I missed it is that it doesn't belong to my personal and familial constellation but time may pass before seeing another deck of that quality.

A comparison that makes more sense : Feautrier and his father-in-law

Chosson Feautrier by PhilBeDaN, sur Flickr

a great improvement in the drawing of the breast :

Monde Cho Fea by PhilBeDaN, sur Flickr

Chosson is possibly the real engraver of this deck signed Feautrier. Who knows ?

(Yves, I thought that you had my email address. Let me know in PM if it's not the case)