Mademoiselle Lenormand

French language ‘Mademoiselle Lenormand’ fortune-telling deck from the National Playing Card Museum in Turnhout, published by Daveluy, Bruges, 1873. Each card has a small playing card in top left-hand corner, with a prediction at the right. The bottom halves contain the 36 ominous images with a title beneath each one. The manufacturer’s name can be found on card 27.

Mademoiselle Lenormand (1772-1843) was a famous card-reader in Paris. During the time of Napoleon, she had a successful practice in a luxurious house with personnel. She used playing cards, as well as casting horoscopes and reading palms. The cards were not designed by Mlle Lenormand herself, but began to be published after her death using her name. They have been widely imitated ever since.

Cards number 28 and 29 are titled ‘Monsieur’ & ‘Dame’ respectively. The position of these cards might indicate where the reading begins, which is further determined by other cards lying nearby and so on. An extra card in the set is titled “Manière de Placer les Cartes ”.

Above: french language ‘Mlle Lenormand’ cartomancy deck printed by Daveluy, Bruges, 1873. Chromolithography, square corners, 36 cards + extra card in wrapper. The miniature court cards are from one of Daveluy’s historical decks. Card 27 has the text DÉPOSÉ / en France & en Belgique / DAVELUY, BRUGES. The design was registered at Bruges November 11th, 1873.

A Dutch version is also reported to have been published. Later editions were published by Geûens-Seaux, Bruge, c.1895-1901

References

Bibliothèque nationale de France: Jeu de cartomancie, Daveluy (Bruges)►

Bibliothèque nationale de France: Jeu de cartes divinatoire, dit Petit Lenormand►

Biebouw, Luc; Clays, Alex; Cremers, Filip; D'Hondt, Jan & Smet, Yvette: Daveluy, Brugge's Trots en Koninklijke Troef, Brussels Euro Joker Club, 2004.

National Playing Card Museum, Turnhout: object number S01006►