Anytime I encounter a tarot deck by Menegazzi, it's always a complete treat for the eyes, and this one is no exception.  Most of his decks are 22-card Major Arcana only, but this is a full 78-card deck featuring both Major and Minor Arcana.  A numbered limited edition, I am reviewing number 1220 out of 2000 decks created.  Menegazzi always keeps the number of editions low each time he creates a deck, going for quality over quantity.  The decks come packaged in a "signature" style hardcover slipcase which is tied with silk ribbons and the cards are held in place in a folded wrap inside this.  With trappings such as this, they never fail to disappoint the connoisseur of tarot!
 
The Tarocco delle Collezioni is a tarot deck made up of marionettes.  Often referred to as the "puppets" deck, Collezioni translates to "collections" and it seems to me that what is actually pictured on these cards may be rare and valuable theatrical collectibles from the many years of Italian stage and opera, sometimes dating as far back as the late Renaissance period.  I see watches, vases, masks, harlequins, statuary, and stage props.  Some of these items are actually shown with wording on the side which indicates what they are, for example, the Lovers card shows a lovely marionette of a young girl with long blonde hair in a suit of armor, and along the side of the image it says "Pupo Siciliano" which I *think* means it's a Sicilian puppet, or a puppet from a Sicilian collection.
 
Traditional titles are used in Italian throughout the Major Arcana.  The only exception to this is the varied interpretation of the Judgment card, here it is called "L'Angelo" (the Angel).  While this is not an uncommon theme for the card, it is not usually the title itself.  Numbering is done with large black Roman numerals floated right against the image in the upper left hand area.  Justice is 8 and Strength 11, following the European tradition.
 
The Minor Arcana in this deck are done much the same way as the Major Arcana, in that they showcase various collectibles.  Aces in each of the four suits (Bastoni/Batons, Coppe/Cups, Spade/Swords, and Denari/Coins) feature a clown or harlequin of some sort, a jester who cavorts happily around the suit icon.  The numbered cards are essentially attractive images of the same suit icon.  This differs from the European tradition in that the number of icons on each card corresponds with the number of the card itself, for example, the Seven of Cups would feature seven cups on it.  In this deck, the Seven of Cups shows just the one cup, the same cup that is shown in the two through ten.  This is also the case with the other suits.
 
Then you get to the court cards, and these are different again.  The King of each suit features an antique collectible pistol of some sort, each suit has a different type pistol but they are all pistols for the Kings.  The Queens all feature different rare carved masks of various forms.  The Knights all show a different type of collectible toy transport, like a chariot, a train, a motorcycle, a car.  And finally, the Pages of *three* of the four suits feature a carved collector's pipe, like the type Meerschaum has become famous for.  Except for the Page of Coins, who is an image of a man, with the name "Francia 1800 - Radica policroma" underneath it.  This is the one that stumps me -- anyone who can offer an explanation of what this means is welcome to email me at wicce@wicce.com.
 
The cards themselves are slightly smaller than standard size but are printed on a thick, inflexible card stock which has been coated only on the front side.  The edges are cut straight but not polished smooth, and have little nubbies where they feel like they were punched out of a sheet.  The corners are rounded off.  This deck is difficult to shuffle if you are trying to read with it, but it's really meant more to be a showcase collectible itself, rather than a reading deck.  It's actually quite comfortable to handle in this fashion.  The back design is essentially the underside of the card stock and is unfinished, in a bland pale green color which makes me feel a little like you're looking at the deck's undergarments or something.  There's no pattern or print on it.  Instead of a little white booklet, the deck comes with a folded sheet all in Italian which gives brief fortunetelling meanings for each of the cards in the deck.
 
I recommend this deck highly for anyone who is interested in collecting tarot decks.  A Menegazzi is always among the jewels of any collection and this one is no exception.  Since it's a numbered, limited edition from several years ago, it's not an easy deck to find now, but there are still copies floating around out there and every now and then one pops up on ebay.  I would not recommend this as a beginner's deck, but it is one that will always delight.
 
Click here for pictures

or here to return

Please use your browser's back button to return from pictures

Review Copyright 2000 by Gina M. Pace

Tarocco Delle Collezioni by Osvaldo Menegazzi and Giovannino Scarsato
published by Edizione Il Meneghello, Milan, Italy