| Suit System: | IT |
| Recommended Name: | no recommended name. |
This pattern was originally classified as IT-1.1.
No suitable overall title for this pattern exists, and so far, none suggests itself.
The use of French captions on Tarocco cards made by Italian makers during a particular period is strong evidence that the revival of popularity of the game in Italy resulted from French influence. This phenomenon was apparent in two distinct areas at about the same time (18th century), in Piedmont (see IT-1.2) and in N.E. Italy as well as adjoining parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the latter two areas cards were made in the Italian, narrow format, almost invariably with the strengthening turnover edges. The designs depended almost entirely on the Tarot de Marseille (IT-1) but on certain cards the influence of other patterns can be detected, as well as a few features entirely its own.
In the 18th century, while French captions were employed, examples of these cards are known from Bologna, Modena, Padua, Gorizia, Trieste and Wels, as well as the one exception that proves every rule, Serravalle in Piedmont. Later, interest in playing with such cards seems to have transferred itself to Milan where, until the closing years of the 19th century, the cards were made with Italian captions. It has now been replaced in the area by the Piedmontese Tarocco (IT-1.211).
78 cards. 4 suits of 4 single-figure court and 10 pip cards, plus 21 single-figure trumps and the Fool which, together with the court cards are captioned in French or Italian. Distinguishing cards: Trump II = Popess; V = Pope; XV, the Devil has furry trousers; XVIII, the Moon shows a full face; XX, "tears" emanate from cloud; the Fool is called "Le Fol" in French-captioned packs, "Il Matto" in Italian ones; the ace of Cups resembles a straight-sided font.
"Al Mondo" (c.1780), "Alla Columba" (c.1750), both of Bologna;
F. Manbrini, Modena (c.1800);
AngeloValla, Trieste (c.1780);
Anon, Wels (c.1800);
G. Chastelano, Serravalle (1744);
Bordoni & C. (c.1889), Eduardo Dotti (c.1880), Fratelli Tensi (c.1890), G.&F. Rossi, (19th century), P. Negri (c.1880), Gumppenberg (c.1860), all of Milan.
| Upper two rows: 18th-century cards with French inscriptions,
from Bologna; lower two rows: 19th-century cards with Italian inscriptions, from Milan. |
| The International Playing-Card Society | Undated |