Tarot de Marsella 22 Deluxe by Le Mat at House of Tarot

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Submitted By: Susan on 02/18/2006
Tarot de Marsella 22 Deluxe Edition
By Daniel Rodes and Encarna Sanchez

Eagerly awaited and enthusiastically received, this deluxe Major Arcana edition of the Tarot de Marsella was created by the highly regarded and internationally renowned Tarot instructors and specialists of the Marseilles Tarot, Daniel Rodes and Encarna Sanchez.

Marseille decks hold an important place of prominence in Tarot. In creating the Tarot de Marsella, Mr. Rodes and Ms. Sanchez painstakingly sought to piece together what the original Marseille Tarot looked like by extensively researching and studying original historical documents from the thirteenth century as well as the oldest Tarot decks in existence. Thus, rather than simply being a reproduction or restored copy of a single deck, the Tarot de Marsella decks are reconstructed. Clearly a labor of love, every aspect and detail of the Rodes/Sanchez decks have been carefully considered and attended to, with a firm foundation of fastidious research supporting their use of color, proportion and, indeed, every line one finds on the cards.

In the course of their studies, Mr. Rodes and Ms. Sanchez noted that the oldest preserved Tarot cards all have one thing in common, a gold background color reminiscent of baked bread. This golden background serves to highlight the cards images while suggesting a spiritual light. Thus, in a marked departure from Marseille decks produced by others, the first thing one is likely to notice upon seeing a Rodes/Sanchez Tarot de Marsella is the gold background color of the cards. In the first two editions of the deck, a full 78 card Tarot and a Major Arcana deck, the background color is a burnished, non-metallic gold.

Though all three Tarot de Marsella decks by Le Mat are produced to the highest standards in the industry using only the finest materials, in the Deluxe 22 Card Edition the Tarot de Marsella, Mr. Rodes and Ms. Sanchez completely pulled out the stops. Using an innovative heat stamping technique, the background of the Deluxe Tarot de Marsella’s cards is an opulent, highly reflective, metallic gold. Touches of metallic silver add definition to the cards images. As in the first two editions of the Tarot de Marsella, all of the card’s colors are clear and strong, but set off by metallic gold and silver, the Deluxe Edition’s images take on a vibrant energy. Succinctly stated, this is a sumptuous and altogether extraordinary version of what is universally agreed to be a very important Tarot deck.

A very complete and beautifully produced booklet accompanies the deck. Written in Spanish, French and English, it provides a concise history of Tarot, as well as a fascinating account of the reconstructing of the Tarot de Marsella. Interpretations of the cards, including reversals, round out the information provided.

The deck\'s oversized cards measure 6 1/8” X 3 3/16”. Note that this is the same size as the non-metallic 22 Major Arcana Tarot de Marsella but is larger than the full 78 card deck, both of which are published by Le Mat. The blue card backs contain a thin white geometric pattern that is reversible.

Collectors, historians, and anyone smitten by the appeal of Marseille style decks will want to add the Deluxe Tarot de Marsella to their collection. So, too, will individuals attracted to metallic Tarot decks. As one who is fascinated and inspired by earlier Tarot decks, but who isn’t yet comfortable working with non-scenic pip cards, I find this offering from Le Mat to be very appealing. One would be hard-pressed to find a Marseille Majors only deck that is as extravagantly beautiful as this Deluxe Edition of Le Mat’s Tarot de Marsella.

5 of 5 Stars!

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