Mini Sola Busca Tarot - the oldest fully illustrated tarot deck in pocket size
The Sola Busca Tarot dates back to the fifteenth century and is the first tarot deck in which all cards, including the minor arcana, received figurative representation. This mini edition from Lo Scarabeo was created in close collaboration with the Pinacoteca di Brera in Milan, the museum that holds the original deck.
The format is 50 x 81 mm. Small enough to carry anywhere, large enough to see the details. The cards weigh 140 grams together.
What you see on the cards
No pentacles, swords, cups or wands as you know them from Rider-Waite-Smith. The Sola Busca shows historical figures from classical antiquity: warriors, philosophers, characters from Greek and Roman mythology. Each card carries a name, often a reference to a specific story or character.
The imagery is dense, almost overwhelming. Many symbols, many details, often multiple layers of meaning in a single image. The style is typically fifteenth-century Italian: sharp lines, full of ornament, a mixture of alchemical and historical references.
This is not a deck you read intuitively like Rider-Waite-Smith. It asks for time, for study, for curiosity about what those figures are doing and why they look the way they do.
How this deck relates to other tarot cards
The Sola Busca influenced later decks, notably Rider-Waite-Smith. Pamela Colman Smith saw the original and adopted elements such as the Three of Swords with the pierced heart. But where Rider-Waite-Smith made the symbolism accessible, the Sola Busca remains complex and hermetic.
This is not a beginner deck. It works best for people who already have some experience with tarot and are looking for a historical perspective or a different way of seeing.
Draw a card and look up the name. The historical context of the character often provides a surprising angle that goes beyond standard tarot meanings.
About Lo Scarabeo
Lo Scarabeo is an Italian publisher based in Turin, founded in 1987. They specialize in tarot and regularly collaborate with museums to reissue historical decks. This Sola Busca reproduction was created with the Pinacoteca di Brera, which means the colors and details stay as close as possible to the original.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- Card size: 50 x 81 mm (mini format)
- Weight: 140 grams
- Guidebook: Multilingual, included
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- ISBN: 9780738777887
- Material: Sturdy cardstock
Questions we often get
Are the card meanings the same as in Rider-Waite-Smith?
No. The Sola Busca follows its own system with historical figures. You can use traditional meanings as a starting point, but the images ask for a different reading. The guidebook provides basic information, but many readers work with additional sources.
Is this mini format easy to shuffle and lay out?
The format is compact and shuffles easily, even with smaller hands. For an extensive spread you need less space than with standard cards. The details remain clearly visible, though it is advisable to work in good daylight or artificial light.
