Tarot

1900 · 136 — <p>CARDS TO PREDICT "THE PAST THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE"<br />A COMPLETE DECK BELONGING TO AUSTRIAN TAROCK PATTERN TYPE C</p><p>THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THE "WORK AND PLAY" TAROTS PRODUCED IN EUROPE.</p><p><em>Austrian Tarock Pattern Type C</em><em> </em>Wien Ferdinand Piatnik & Söhne 1900-1920.</p><p>54/54 tarot cards 114 x 62 mm chromolithography backs of the cards enriched by a double-ended neoclassical decoration round corners French suits. Tax stamp and printer's device with "Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne Ag – Wien – Registrirte Schutzmarke" on the Ace of Hearts "Ferd. Piatnik & Söhne Ag" on the Jacks of Diamonds.</p><p>The deck belongs to the pattern called Austrian Tarock pattern Type c. Four suits of 8 cards each King Queen Knight Jack and Hearts and Diamonds Ace–4 and Spades and Clubs 7–10 plus twenty-two trump cards. The trump cards depict scenes of outdoor life in various countries. The trumps and court cards are double-ended and the trumps display a different scene at each end. They are numbered with Roman numerals. Trump number II invariably has at one end the picture of a crowned eagle sword in claw perched on a rock inscribed with "Industrie Und Glück" Trump No. I the Fool is always portrayed as a stage musician.</p><p>Provenance: Tax stamp known as <em>Kartenstempel</em> named after the inscription on the upper part of the stamp which is commonly found <em>on antique decks of playing cards particularly in Austria and the</em> territories of the Austrian Empire. The stamp guaranteed that the deck had been legally produced and that taxes had been paid. The type of stamp present on this deck was in use between 1900 and 1920 and the value of 60 Heller indicated "a deck of more than 36 cards not lacquered not washable." Endebrock 2000.</p><p>REFERENCE: KATHLEEN WOWK Playing Cards of The World Lutterworth Press 1983 pp. 137-140; Peter Endebrock Playing-card Pages website 2000; SYLVIA MANN Collecting Playing cards Arco Publications 1966 pp. 105-108</p> Ferdinand Piatnik & Söhne