This Italian tarot is a late 19th-century example of an "Early Piemontese" pattern manufactured by Bordoni in Milan, with Ferdinando Gumpenberg's mark/initials on the decorated paper versos/backs.

This style of Italian tarot is identified and described by the International Playing Cards Society (IPCS) on "Pattern Sheet 3" and has "no recommended name" (formerly IPCS IT-1.1). It was first developed in 18th-century Italy, where it is hypothesized French influence was responsible for tarot's revival of popularity. The cards "were made in the Italian, narrow format, almost invariably with the strengthening turnover edges. The designs depended almost entirely on the Tarot de Marseille (IT-1) but on certain cards the influence of other patterns can be detected, as well as a few features entirely its own" (IPCS Pattern Sheet 3). The 18th century examples of the style, usually kept French captions, however, "(l)ater, interest in playing with such cards seems to have transferred itself to Milan where, until the closing years of the 19th century, the cards were made with Italian captions."

The tarot style is identified by the following composition: "78 cards. 4 suits of 4 single-figure court and 10 pip cards, plus 21 single-figure trumps and the Fool which, together with the court cards are captioned in French or Italian. Distinguishing cards: Trump II = Popess; V = Pope; XV, the Devil has furry trousers; XVIII, the Moon shows a full face; XX, "tears" emanate from cloud; the Fool is called "Le Fol" in French-captioned packs, "Il Matto" in Italian ones; the ace of Cups resembles a straight-sided font." (IPCS, Pattern Sheet 3)

Deck Identifiers:

· Style: "Early Piemontese," no recommended pattern name, Pattern Sheet 3 (IPCS)

· Titles: Italian

· Cards: Two of Cups with FABBRICA DI MILANO; Fabbrica di Bordoni & C., Milano and Regno d'Italia Centissimi 50 tax-stamp in use from 1883-1914 on Ace of Coins

· Colours: hand-painted stencil

· Borders: folded over paper white framed with a single black line

· Reverses: pink & red square pattern decorated paper backs/versos titled with F.G. MILANO (Ferdinando Gumpenberg, Milan)

· Paper: pasteboard card stock

· Corners: Square 

CONDITION: good condition, complete 78/78 cards, with some slight and other more serious damages mainly to the backs/versos of the cards; damages to the backs of the major arcana and court cards are consistent with likely having been mounted in frames or a book, consisting of three round lacks where paper was torn when cards were unglued/removed; some other cards with pin and staples holes, small tears, and corner damage; otherwise in good condition with minor signs of wear, age darkening, soiling and occasional stains (see photographs).