Jean Noblet Trumps Deck & Pouch - the first Marseille tarot
Most Marseille decks you buy now are based on designs from the 18th or 19th century. This one goes back two centuries further. Around 1650, Jean Noblet printed a tarot set in Paris that is now considered the oldest known complete Tarot de Marseille.
This edition by Artisan Tarot has been restored based on the only surviving copy, preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. You see the original French spelling, the hand-coloured woodcuts, the irregularities in the lines. This is not a polished reissue. It is a document.
What you see on the cards
The images are crude and powerful. The lines are uneven, the use of colour sparse. Many later Marseille decks are more refined, but here you see the blueprint: what the archetypal images looked like before generations of cardmakers developed them further.
This set contains only the 22 Major Arcana, plus one extra card: the Two of Coins. It bears the printer's name. A common place to show your trademark in the 17th century.
The cards are compact, 57 by 89 millimetres. The cardstock is sturdy and uncoated. They feel matte, which suits the age of the design.
Who this works for
This deck comes without a guidebook. That fits. If you want to study the history of the Marseille tradition seriously, you will turn to sources like Jodorowsky, Place or Decker anyway. These cards form the starting point of that line.
Many people who read Marseille tarot work only with the Major Arcana for deeper questions. This set is specifically compiled for that purpose. No Minor Arcana to distract from the core.
Draw one card and place it next to a later version of the same arcanum from the Conver or Dodal deck. Look at where the imagery has changed and where it has remained the same.
About Jean Noblet and Artisan Tarot
Jean Noblet was a Parisian cardmaker whose work is regarded by historians as the foundation of the Marseille style. Only one complete deck of his has survived.
Artisan Tarot restored these cards with attention to the original colouring and typefaces. The result is not a reproduction, but a usable reissue that preserves the essence of the original design.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 23 (22 Major Arcana + Two of Coins)
- Size: 57 × 89 mm (pocket size)
- Cardstock: Professional cardstock without coating
- Language: French
- ISBN: 850055447186
- Extra: Supplied with protective pouch
- Guidebook: None
- Publisher: Artisan Tarot
Questions we often get
Why is there no box with this deck?
To keep it compact and portable, it is supplied with a pouch. That also suits the artisanal character of this edition.
Is this suitable for beginners?
The deck has no guidebook and assumes you will seek out sources on the Marseille tradition yourself. For those not put off by that, it is a direct introduction to the origin of the system.
