The Sola Busca is an Italian tarot of 78 cards from around 1490, and the best-known precedent for illustrated minor cards. We do not make or sell a Sola Busca, but we can point you to decks that carry the same idea forward.
If you want a deck that continues that idea of a picture on every card, look at Borderless Vintage Tarot, Light Edition, and read on to see how the older Marseille tradition compares.
A scene on every card
Want a picture on every card, even the number cards?
Borderless Vintage Tarot Cards — Light Edition, 1909 Classic Art
Borderless Vintage Tarot, Light Edition uses Pamela Colman Smith's original 1909 illustrations, with 78 cards and a printed guidebook.
See the Light EditionWhat is the Sola Busca tarot?
The Sola Busca is an Italian tarot deck from around 1490. It has 78 cards, like the tarot decks we know today, and it is named whenever the history of illustrated cards comes up.
The reason is simple: before 1909 most decks showed only repeated suit symbols on the number cards. The Sola Busca is the known precedent for Minor Arcana with a picture on every card. We say nothing about other historical details here, because we prefer not to state what we cannot verify.
Can I buy a Sola Busca deck from us?
No. We do not make or sell the Sola Busca. Anyone looking for that exact deck should search generic channels such as bookshops, esoteric shops, marketplaces or the maker's own shop, and check carefully what the edition contains.
What we can do is point you to the decks we sell that follow two different ideas: scenes on every card, and the older tradition of suits and numbers. For a wider view of where to look, read our guide to where to buy tarot cards.
Decks that carry forward the idea of a scene on every card
If what you like in the Sola Busca is the picture on every card, even on the numbers, the most direct route is the illustrated tradition of 1909. Pamela Colman Smith painted all 78 cards, and the minor cards have full scenes.
Borderless Vintage Tarot, Light Edition uses Pamela Colman Smith's original 1909 illustrations. It is borderless, with the artwork running to the edge of the card, on white 350 gsm card with a matte anti-scratch lamination and a 36-page printed guidebook that covers all 78 cards upright and reversed. Cards measure about 7 by 12 cm (roughly 2.75 by 4.7 inches).
These are not copies of the Sola Busca and do not claim to be. They belong to another tradition, born centuries later, that shares the same basic choice: one scene per card. For a broader historical comparison you can read our article on vintage tarot decks.
Older tradition: Marseille and pip cards
At the other end is the Marseille tradition, codified in France during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its number cards show geometric suit patterns, Batons, Cups, Swords and Coins, not scenes. They are read through number and suit.
A Marseille deck is not Pamela Colman Smith's art and should not be confused with the illustrated decks. We do not link a Marseille product in this English version, so use our buying guide to choose one.
To decide between the two routes, read the comparison of the main tarot traditions, and for buying advice see how to choose and buy a Tarot de Marseille.
How reading changes: scenes versus suits and numbers
With an illustrated deck every card tells a situation: you look at the figure, notice the gestures, the colours and the objects, and build your answer from there. It is an intuitive method, suited to anyone starting out who wants the pictures to act as a guide.
With a Marseille deck the starting point is different. You count the suit symbols, consider the number and the position of the card in the spread, and the court cards and the Major Arcana remain the visual centre. Readers who enjoy this way of working find great freedom of interpretation in the plain design.
Moving from one method to the other is possible, and many readers end up keeping both kinds of deck. The practical advice is to begin with the one that makes you want to open the box every day: steady practice matters more than the tradition you choose.
One last note on history: the fact that the Sola Busca is the known precedent for illustrated minor cards does not mean that anyone who studies it must read with scenes. Many enthusiasts love it for its historical importance and read, in daily practice, with whichever deck they prefer.
Whatever you decide, write down what you notice in the first weeks. A short note after each reading, covering which cards you drew and what the image or the number suggested, quickly shows you whether the pictures or the suit patterns suit your way of thinking, and it makes your next purchase far easier to judge.
Which tradition suits you: comparison table
The table sums up the two directions described above, with the Sola Busca as the historical reference point.
| Tradition | Cards | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Sola Busca (Italy, around 1490) | 78 cards, illustrated Minor Arcana. We do not make or sell it. | Readers of card history who want to find that exact deck elsewhere. |
| Illustrated tradition of 1909 | A full scene on every card, with Pamela Colman Smith's original illustrations. Borderless Vintage Light Edition. | Readers who want to read from the pictures and like figures even on the number cards. |
| Marseille tradition | Number cards with suit patterns and no scenes. See our buying guide. | Readers who prefer number and suit logic and like the old tradition. |
Neither route is better in every case. The choice depends on how you want to read: with pictures in front of you, or through the logic of numbers.
If you do not know where to start, choose the illustrated deck, because the scenes help you remember. If the plain design of the Marseille appeals to you, start with a Marseille deck and its guidebook.
If you want the same 1909 scenes with a different shimmer, Holographic Crystal Foil uses the original illustrations with a holographic foil, while the Light Edition stays the more restrained choice.
With a shimmer
Prefer the same scenes with a foil finish?
Holographic Crystal Foil Tarot Cards — 1909 Classic Art
Holographic Crystal Foil uses the original 1909 illustrations, with a foil that shifts through the rainbow as you tilt each card.
See Crystal FoilHow to choose among historic decks
Before buying, check a few concrete points: the stated tradition, the card count (78), the card stock, the finish, the size, the guidebook language and the box. A well-made deck is faithful to one clear tradition and says so plainly.
For a full quality test, read how to tell if a tarot deck is good quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sola Busca an Italian deck?
Yes, the Sola Busca is Italian and dates from around 1490. It has 78 cards and is the known precedent for illustrated minor cards.
Do you sell a Sola Busca deck?
No, we do not make or sell the Sola Busca. We sell decks that carry forward the idea of a scene on every card.
Which deck is closest to the idea of the Sola Busca?
The Borderless Vintage editions reproduce the original 1909 illustrations, with a scene on every card. They are another tradition, not a copy of the Sola Busca.
Do Marseille decks have scenes on the number cards?
No, the number cards of a Tarot de Marseille show geometric suit patterns, not scenes. They are read through number and suit.
How big are the cards and is there a guidebook?
Our cards measure about 7 by 12 cm (roughly 2.75 by 4.7 inches). Every deck includes a printed guidebook, and buyers also get a free beginner course in English, German, French, Italian or Spanish.
Whether you choose the 1909 scenes or the suits of Marseille, start from one clear tradition. To compare finishes and editions side by side, browse our vintage tarot decks.
A full tarot course in English comes with every deck.
Includes a free full tarot course in English
Includes a free full tarot course in English
