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| Joined: | Sun Nov 11th, 2012 |
| Location: | Amsterdam, Netherlands |
| Posts: | 129 |
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It is a curious object, isn't it? I agree with you that it's not related to Gumppenberg's original production, in fact the title page even gets his name wrong (Gumppemberg).
The book cover is made from recycled manuscript, oddly enough in English and from what looks like a legal document and although the writing is faded, I was able to make out a date: one thousand eight hundred and eighty. Of course, I've no idea if this was the original cover, but it places it in the nineteenth century and quite a long time after the original Gumppenberg productions.
Perhaps, as you suggest, these images are copies (made by an English traveller abroad?), of cards from a private collection, cards that they couldn't obtain.
Another possibility, given the large size of the images, is that they helped as an aesthetic or meditative exercise by someone who gained personal insight through the act of reproducing them.
If you're interested in seeing any particular card, let me know.
p.s. how are your new Pasino treasures?
Last edited on Sun Dec 27th, 2020 09:13 pm by Peter
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