Antique Tarot Cards are hard to come by. Even if you are lucky enough to come across a pack, they will be expensive. This applies to tarot cards that have been discontinued, and are out of print.
Collectors Forums
However if you are a collector looking for Antique Tarot Cards, it is a good idea to visit some of the online Tarot collector’s forums. Here you will find places where you can exchange or trade, tarot decks and books. There is a members want list, to post requests for particular items that you want to add to your collection. You can also post information about your own collection.
Giovanni Vachetta
If you are only interested in the design of Antique Tarot Cards, then why not consider a reprint, such as the Tarot of the Master. This is a reprint of, The Naibi of Giovanni Vachetta, an Italian deck that was first published in 1893 in Turin. The Italian titles have not been translated, but you will find that each card has a keyword printed on the face.
The 21st century re-cuts of these Antique Tarot Cards, showcase the original artwork, but a narrow green border has been added, plus in the bottom left hand corner, there is a keyword, in five different languages. The Magician card is mirrored in black and white, on the backs of the cards.
Vachetta’s original art on the Antique Tarot Cards was painted in bright, yet harsh primary and secondary colors. However the modern deck is delicately printed in a soft palette of pale blues, greens, pinks and grays, which accentuates the elegance of the illustrations.
Suits
The suits on the copies of these Antique Tarot Cards are:
Coppe –> Chalices
Spada –> Swords
Bastoni –> Wands
Denari –> Denari
The magician in these Antique Tarot Cards is portrayed as a conjurer, more of a charlatan than a wizard. This is probably because The Tarot of the Master was made in an era, which was not influenced by Waite and Crowley, neither was it linked to any specific esoteric discipline, but it is a significant historical deck.
Color your own Tarot cards
There is another way for those who like the design of Antique Tarot Cards. Why not color your own deck of tarot cards. This is also the most effectual way to familiarize your self with the multifaceted symbolism of the Tarot Deck. As you painstakingly color you own card, you will notice every detail, and this can help you develop your intuition. You will create your own unique deck, totally unlike any other.
There are a few websites offering new decks in the design of Giovanni Vacchetta, and 1910 Coleman-Waite, ready for you to color and decorate as you please. You will receive all the instructions necessary to print and color, plus two sets of black and white graphics.
How to…
Simply copy the given picture on to your hard drive. Trim the cards with a pair of scissors. Use spray adhesive to apply decorative paper backing and trim to fit.
Then color, use your imagination; you can add foil, glitter, decorative paper and metallic leaf. Spray with several coats of sealer, or why not laminate your cards? You very own unique re-cut of Antique Tarot Cards.