An Illustrated Guide to the Tarot

Rating:
Summary: Good with Anc. Italian Tarots (Serravalle Sessia 1880)
Review: Fans of Italian Marseilles-style deck might find this a pretty companion to the Lo Scarabeo Ancient Italian Tarots. All the cards are reproduced in a larger format. The details and old-style printing are quite rich. For me, the slight smudges and misprint on some of the Courts and World add to the period feel. Some of the detail is quite delicate.
Jonathan Dee writes that his descriptions would be suitable for any deck. However I like how the feel of these Italian cards and text descriptions work together. This is a very pretty book and is printed quite well.
If you are new to Marseilles-style decks, like Italian style art and are interested in using such a deck for reading games, I'd suggest the Ancient Italian Tarots by Lo Scarabeo: it says Cartiera Italian in Serravalle Sesia 1880. The Classical Tarot from Lo Scarabeo is similar and you can use this book with that deck too. But the pastel colors and keywords on the side of the card can be slightly distracting after awhile.
This book and the Ancient Italian deck as a 'gift set' to the art collector of tarot deck could be a refreshing change. I bought it on a vacation trip. Together, I found the designs and book quite relaxing and fun.