Tarot Steinberger - a rare 19th-century German tarot deck
Many tarot decks show traces of French influence. This one does not. The Tarot Steinberger comes from Frankfurt, around 1820, and is rooted in a distinct German tradition of metal engraving and hand-coloured work.
Lo Scarabeo has restored this deck and reissued it as a numbered edition. There are 2999 copies. Each copy carries a number.
What you see on the cards
The cards are made in the engraving style of the early 19th century. Fine lines, clear contrasting planes, colours applied by hand using the classical stencil painting technique. The result is a visual language that feels different from the Rider-Waite tradition.
The scenes are figurative, mythological, and show the visual logic of another time. This is not symbolism you recognise immediately, unless you are familiar with older European tarot cards.
Who this deck is for
This is not a beginner deck. The cards follow a structure and composition that diverge from common traditions. It is useful if you study the history of tarot, build a collection, or are simply curious about what tarot looked like before it became standardised.
Because the edition is numbered and the reproduction carefully executed, this deck also holds value as a collector's item. The format is compact (59 x 109 mm), which suits historical research and preservation.
Lay this deck next to a Rider-Waite or a Marseille and you immediately see what the German tradition did differently with symbols and composition.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 54
- Card size: 59 x 109 mm
- Edition: 2999 numbered copies
- Printing technique: reproduction of hand-coloured metal engravings
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- Publication year: 2021
- Guidebook: multilingual
- Original maker: anonymous Frankfurt engraver, ca. 1820
Questions we often get
What is the difference between this deck and a standard tarot?
This deck has 54 cards instead of 78 and follows the older German tradition. The symbolism and composition differ from the Rider-Waite and Marseille traditions.
Are the cards suitable for daily use?
That depends on what you want to do with them. You can use them for readings, but the format is small and the imagery is historical. Many people keep it as a study object or collector's piece.
