Rare early edition of the Livre de Thot 78 Tarots Egyptiens, manufactured by Z. Lismon in Paris, France; printed c.1880-85 with lithographic painted stencils.

The deck is a Grand Etteilla design known as Type II with 21 Major Arcanum (missing #78) & 55 Minor Suits. Unbroken wreath of card #74 shows this is an earlier printing of the Lismon Etteilla Tarot Thot. The printing block of card #74 was later broken and thereby affected all later printings of this deck.

Printed on sturdy card-stock with rounded corners. Each card is framed with stencil painted blue borders. Designs are rendered with a six-colour palette of light blue, red, green, yellow, gold, and peach. The cards are French titled, with titles on either side and a single black line inner border. Numbered at each of the four corners, the cards also have upright and reversed fortunes at the top and bottom. Reverses designed with a pattern of wavy lines, red ovals, and circles.

In 1838 Simon Blocquel published a new version of Etteilla’s deck, with the title 'Grand livre de Thot.' The new version by Blocquel is now known as the Lismon Etteilla. Simon Blocquel habitually used anagrammatic synonyms such as Blismon, Z. Lismon, Zlismon.

Card Measurements: 12.6 cm X 7.9 cm

Deck Identifiers:

∙ Style: Etteilla II

∙ Titles: French; titled on either side

∙ Cards: Card #74 with unbroken wreath

∙ Colours: light blue, red, green, yellow, gold, and peach

∙ Borders: pale blue outer border; single black line inner border

∙ Reverses: pattern of wavy lines with series of red ovals and circles

∙ Paper: pasteboard card stock

∙ Corners: rounded

CONDITION: Good condition overall; incomplete, 77/78 lacking one card, No. 78 Folie (The Fool). Cards demonstrate significant use and some damp staining, with patina, smudges, markings and other issues on recto and verso of cards. See photographs for specifics.

McClosky’s Antiquarian is an independent online book and card store, located in Ontario, Canada. We specialize in old, rare, and first edition books, as well as antique playing cards, including fortune-telling and tarot decks. The majority of our collection is from the 15th to 20th century; however, we also carry first editions and collectible rarities from later centuries. Follow @McCloskysBooks or their tarot division @AntiqueTarot.