Today, we would like to delve into the history of the F. F. Solesio deck. When we restore tarot decks, we always strive to uncover as much information as possible about the publishers.
What makes the F. F. Solesio deck particularly intriguing is the presence of the two initials in the publisher's name. Surprisingly, neither the cards themselves nor the museums housing the original decks provide any details about these initials.
We decided to seek more information within our community. We were fortunate to have our friend Mauricio Jaramillo provide insights into the meaning behind the initials F. F.
Here is an excerpt from an email he sent to us about his research:
“The Solesio cardmakers included many family members such as Felix, Lorenzo, Francesco, Faustino, and Maria. Some people believe that one of the “Fs” in the name might stand for Francesco or Faustino, but I believe the initials stand for something else…
Here is a list of the family members in the Solesio family:
http://elettronica.uniroma2.it/7bello/cartedagioco/fabbricanti/?maker=solesio
Weird link, but just scroll down. Look for “Faustino Solesio.” It's the third to last name at the bottom. This is what the text says:
Nato nel 1820 morì nel 1880, figlio di Francesco Gaetano Solesio. La scritta "F. F. Solesio" su alcuni mazzi sembra stia per "Fabbrica Faustino Solesio", non è il nome con le iniziali di un membro della famiglia, come ritenuto in alcuni testi.
Here is the English translation:
Born in 1820, he died in 1880, son of Francesco Gaetano Solesio. The writing "F. F. Solesio" on some decks seems to stand for "Fabbrica Faustino Solesio", it is not the name with the initials of a family member, as believed in some texts.
So, I investigated a little more. I firmly believe the F. F. stands for "Fabbrica Fratelli Solesio". This translates to "Solesio Brothers Factory", since Fratelli is the plural of Fratello (brother).
That makes sense with the evidence I found below:
1. https://www.wopc.co.uk/italy/hermanos-solesi/
As you know, the word "hermanos" is brothers in Spanish. Check out the word Hermanos on that first card in the pictures; interesting bit of history there too. Then, look at the ace of coins after the Title "another example".
You can translate these pages with Google translate.
I also found more references in Spanish to the Solesio Brothers Factory. I learned that the F. F. Solesio cards were contraband in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. I lived in the Philippines for a decade, so researching it's history is always fun. While I was in Havana, I also visited the Playing Card Museum. According to what I read, F. F. Solesio had a bit of a monopoly in that region too.
Also, I noticed the "Schreiber Collection" stamp on the back of one of the F. F. Solesio cards from the British museum. Lady Schreiber was a collector of fans, games, and playing cards, which she gave to the British Museum. The F. F. Solesio deck was included in her collection.
View Lady Charlotte Schreiber’s collection in the British Museum.
Here is a catalog about Lady Schreiber's collection of cards that was donated to the British Museum. I think it'll become a useful reference. I wonder if your Solesio Brothers deck is even older than 1865 due to many of the "18th century" references.
Check out page 13 (Solesio also has more references in the index at the end, mostly of their Spanish productions).
Well, I hope this information is useful. I now see my new F. F. Solesio deck in an even more interesting light!”
Thank you Mauricio for researching and sharing your knowledge about the F. F. Solesio tarot deck! We appreciate your insights on this amazing publisher.
If you're interested in incorporating our trumps deck into your readings, you'll find it available in our shop. We have produced a limited edition of only 500 decks. Don't miss out on this opportunity to own a unique piece of history.
Talk with you soon,
William Rader
Krisztin Kondor
