First Version 78 Cards Tarot Deck + gift cards + Number card
Original size: 12cm x 6.5cm (4 alternative cards) Made by 350 gsm high quality Card game paper, Top and bottom box, Smooth surface
References: Tarot de Marseille – type 1, Tarot of Marseille
Jean Dodal has long been one of my absolute favorite master cardmakers. His free-flowing, relaxed artistic style and lively, expressive character faces have captured the hearts of countless tarot lovers. For a long time, this deck was universally recognized as the earliest and most complete representative work of the Type I Tarot de Marseille.
Although many exceptional restoration versions already exist on the market (such as Jean-Claude Flornoy’s magnificent version utilizing modern lines and colors, which I highly recommend), I still believed it was essential to develop a version that faithfully restores the original line details and authentic, antique color palette.
Therefore, with the support of many fellow enthusiasts and friends, I partnered with top-tier card manufacturers to bring this vision to life.
The defining feature of Type I Tarot de Marseille is its wild, expressive woodcut line art, with the 1701 Jean Dodal standing out as its pinnacle representation. However, all surviving copies suffer from severe line fragmentation and blurring. This restoration took several months of meticulous work: every single line was redrawn in strict accordance with the original style, preserving its spiritual core while delivering a “first-edition” copy in immaculate condition.
The original 1701 Jean Dodal featured quite raw coloring, with hundreds of color overflows and misaligned blocks—a common flaw of woodcut tarot decks from that era. Upholding the principle of “preserving the old as old,” we drastically reduced these coloring flaws while retaining an irreplaceable antique texture. Furthermore, through precise color matching across multiple editions, we completely eliminated the original’s yellowing and dullness, while resolving the issue of blue color blocks obscuring the black lines, bringing back its breathtaking initial appearance.
Lively facial expressions are the soul of this deck. Every figure on the cards seems to be whispering an ancient story to you. When you enter a genuine state of tarot reading, I bet you will fully experience the powerful energy infused by the original creator. We have meticulously restored all facial details, strictly maintaining consistency with the original while presenting even more refined and exquisite expressions.
The Tarot de Marseille unfolds in the form of a Mandorla, possessing dynamic motion and a remarkably intricate internal logic according to certain interpretations. Compared to Type II, the irregular lines and compositions of Type I make this visual tension even more pronounced. In this restoration, we completely preserved the original’s irregular, bold style and composition, only refilling the colors to allow the energy of the cards to bloom directly and unreservedly.
Due to early woodblock wear and durability issues across the two surviving historical print runs of the 1701 Jean Dodal, 3 cards exhibit noticeable carving differences: the Queen of Cups, Knight of Wands, Ace of Wands, and Ace of Swords. To satisfy the research and practical needs of every tarot collector, this edition includes all versions of these four cards as a complimentary bonus within the deck, giving you complete freedom to choose and collect!
Additionally, there is an extra Queen of Cups card. In the original version, the depiction of her hand contained a severe error; here, it has been restored and corrected based on the hand styling of the King of Cups. The image on the left shows the original version, while the image on the right shows the corrected version. Take a look at the hand holding the chalice—can you spot the differences?
