Tarot 1JJ - Müller

Tarot 1JJ- Müller- 78c.
 As this post will both mark my blg's first anneversary, and 100th post, I decided to do something special..............
 The following deck I am about to present holds a rather special place in my heart and collection- The tarot 1JJ by Müller.This deck was the first deck in my collection, and the circumstances surronding it's purchase are worthy of some explanation:
  It was in late 2009, Whilst I was shopping in London . Entering a toy shop, ( since defunct) I noticed a deck which was markedly different form the others. It was taller than other decks for one, and printed on it's label was the legend

TAROT 1 JJ

under which was the illustration form "the sun". Armed with the knowlede that such decks were once used for games ( Gratis the QI annual), I seixed upon the chance and purchased it.

 When I peeled back the cellophane wrapper, I was in for a bit of a shock. I knew that other countries ( like Italy & germany) used different suits than hearts, diamonds, spades & clubs. However, nothing could prepare me for the sheer amazement as I viewed the cards one by one...

I first noticed the delightful illustrations on the trumps- The grace of the figures, the gaiety of the colours, and the exotic french titles to the cards

( Incidentally, I later learnt that JJ in the deck's name, 1 JJ , stood for "Junon"and "Jupiter"- taking the place of the usual Popess and Pope. The change was in part due to political correctness)

More trumps-

The top 5 trumps and the fool

Next were the court figures. They were rendered as elegantly as the trumps, brandishing their suit symbols with grace- never had I seen more beautiful cards!

The kings & fool (again)

Queens

Cavaliers

Jacks

Nor did the pip cards themselves lack illustrations......

And With such a beautiful deck, How is it not possible to resist trying to find more like so?

French tarot ( Grimaud), part II

French tarot ( Grimaud), 78c.  -part II-  the trumps.
( for part I, discussing the court cards , see http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2012/02/french-tarot-grimand-part-i.html)
The trumps in the French tarot/ tarot nouveau , are markedly diffent from the mysterious images of the italian suited ones. Gone are "death", "temprance" and "the world", replaced by "13", "14" and "21"respectively. The cards bear innocent scenes for rural/city life.
The only card that has not changed drasticaly in both decks is the fool or excuse. The card in this deck is represented as a jester with a lute.

French tarot ( Grimand) Part I

French tarot ( Grimaud), 78c.

The french tarot,  Bourgeois Tarot   tarot nouveau is the tarot deck which is used in france ( and sometimes denamark) today, for gaming, as opposed to divinatory uses. It may be found in all types and qualities, from ones printed on cheap pastebboard, to those with gilt edges. This is surprising, give that the design is said to have been inspired by ones made in germany....

The french tarot is identical in structure with the Italian tarot ( see http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2011/11/on-tarot.html)
Note the following;

I- the cards are french suited , using spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds instead of the italan suits of swords, batons, coins and cups.

II the cards have indexes, with V for the valets =jacks, C for chevaler = cavaliers,  D for Dame = Queen and R for roi = king

Some pip cards

For part II, dealing with the trumps, see;

http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2012/02/french-tarot-grimand-part-ii.html

tarocco piemontese (modanio) part 2

For an introduction to this deck by modanio, see  http://anthonylesq.blogspot.com/2011/11/tarocco-piemontesi-modanio-part-1.html

Now, in this post, I shall discuss the trump cards of this deck.
The trump cards are a series of 22 cards. 21 of them are numbered from 1-21, and there is one unnumbered one, called the fool (or "matto") . this series is known to the fortune tellers as the "major arcana"

the picture above shows the first 5 trumps, including the fool ( numbered 0)

note the card marked "2" it bears the text "la papessa"- "the popess " this is intended to refer to pope joan, who was said to have reigned ( disguised as a man) in the middle ages. also , the card marked '5" depicts " il papa"- "The pope"

the top 5 trumps. in most games played with the deck, the 20 ("judgement") is regarded as the highest trump-

the trumps of 10-13. here you see the effect of making the cards double faced.

trump 12, "the hanged man, " is usually depicted as a man suspended by his foot from a gallows ( see below) .  however, when the deck became double-faced, all that was left was his pants and legs!

the hanged man, before becoming double faced.