Wenn Sie wollen, können Sie diese Seite in deutscher Sprache sehen.

 

 
     Peter Endebrock's Playing-card Pages

       home   -   cards from Hannover   -   taxes   -   collection   -   societies   -   my publications

 

  home   >   collection   >   Minchiate


Minchiate 'Carte Fine'

This is a Minchiate pack made presumably in the first half of the 18th century. The maker's name ('Al Mondo'), which is more of a brand name, is on the back. He was presumably working in Bologna. A possibility might be David e Fratelli from Bologna who worked in the 18th century using 'Al Mondo' - this would mean that the cards are earlier. Another maker using 'Al Mondo' was Antonio de Maria from Milano, he worked 1811 to 1817.

The pattern is more correctly a 'Florentine Minchiate', a version of Italian tarot cards. It consists of a complete pack of 56 Latin-suited cards, and in addition 40 trumps or tarots, and a 'Matto'. This means that there are 19 more trumps than in most other tarot patterns. Besides the addition of trumps, some trumps have also been re-ordered. Note that the trumps 36 to 40 do not carry their number.

Update: I am pretty sure now that the cards were made in Bologna. In Minchiate packs there is normally a view of the city on Trump 40, and in this pack it is Bologna; compare the photo by Paolo Monzi (you may click on the photo to get a larger image and copyright information):


© Peter Endebrock, 05 Oct. 2019