A TREASURE HIDDEN IN
OUR LIBRARIES

The Tarot cards destined for medieval nobility – true works of art by the best artists of the time – were difficult to preserve and conserve until today.

It is therefore easy to imagine the difficulty with which Tarot cards made for the masses – and therefore of lesser quality – faced in remaining intact throughout the centuries.

Above all, consider that until the eighteenth century, there was no particular interest in trading objects of everyday use as antiques.

The Lucky Salvaging of Some Decks

In spite of the difficulty of preserving low-quality cards, today we can admire different Tarot decks in the most prestigious libraries throughout the world.

Their salvage was made possible mostly thanks to the habit of recycling whole sheets of uncut Tarot cards to pad the bindings of books.

It was only during the restoration of these books that these hidden treasures came to light.

A Patrimony Hidden in the Libraries

It is reasonable to think that most of the historic testimonies about Tarot cards is still concealed inside the bindings of books.

Indeed, it is not rare to make a new discovery that can even bring unprecedented understandings about the history of the Tarot.

It is possible for those who have something to do with ancient texts – without knowing it – to find objects of inestimable historic and economic value in their hands.