Nouvel Eteila ou le petit nécromancien
“Nouvel Eteila ou le petit nécromancien” cartomancy cards from France, late 18th century.
This late 18th century French cartomancy pack has full-length images depicting allegories and human figures. Each card has a title and number at the top whilst miniature playing cards in the bottom right-hand corners (later additions) suggest further possible meanings. Four of these miniature cards carry a text which reads “consultant Etéila” or “consultant pour la reussite Etéila” (Etéila success consultant), presumably referring to the celebrated cartomancer known as Etteilla who promoted theories on divinatory meanings of cards and spreads.
Card no.36 (eight of spades) shows the reaper next to Egyptian pyramids. Besides the possible influences from Etteilla and from a fortune-telling pack of 1788, some connection with Jacques Grasset de Saint-Sauveur is also possible.
References & Notes
O’Donoghue, Freeman M: Catalogue of the collection of playing cards bequeathed by Lady Charlotte Schreiber, Trustees of the British Museum, London, 1901 (French 54)
Depaulis, Thierry: Tarot, jeu et magie, exposition catalogue, Bibliothèque nationale, Paris, 1984, cat no.133 shows an earlier edition without the miniature cards in the lower right-hand corners. Discrepancies in the dating of the pack suggest the British Museum copy may be much later than the curator’s estimate. The deck has also been referred to as Petit Necromancien or Nouvel Eteila, published by Mme. Finet. Rue de l’Arbre-sec, No.26, Paris, in the 1820s, suggesting several editions over time.
By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Leave a Reply
Your Name
Just nowRelated Articles
Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern
Archaic Franco-Spanish pattern by Guillaume & Jean Grossard (Bordeaux).
Les Jeux de Pastor
Striking designs by Edouard Pastor focusing on the heads of figures from the medieval period.
Mademoiselle Lenormand
XIX century ‘Mlle Lenormand’ cartomancy deck by Daveluy, Bruges.
Le Jeu des Personnages de l’Antiquité et du Moyen-Age
Edouard Pastor’s designs in black and gold inspired by Antiquity and the Middle Ages.
Rouen Pattern - Portrait Rouennais
An attractive XV century French-suited design from Rouen became the standard English & Anglo-America...
Archaic Spanish proof sheets
2 x uncoloured proof sheets of archaic Spanish-suited playing cards produced for “New Spain”, possib...
English Pattern by B.P. Grimaud
Standard English pattern published by B.P. Grimaud with engraving by F. Simon, c.1880.
Jeu de Tarot (Catel & Farcy)
Colourful version of a standard French (‘Bourgeois’) Tarot.
Smith-Corona Marchant
Simplified yet colourful court card designs by Avoine for Smith-Corona Marchant.
Redrawn French pattern (Héron)
Redrawn French pattern retaining traditional elements.
7 Familles Le Manège Enchanté
The Magic Roundabout characters on a jeu de 7 familles designed by James Hodges.
Paris 2024 Olympics 3
Paris Games mascot Phryge engaged in different sports in a Happy Families-type game.
Paris 2024 Olympics 2
A standard French Tarot game pack with passing references to the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
Paris 2024 Olympics 1
Modern Paris pattern courts, special ace and jokers for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Tarot – Images du Pays Basque
Seventy-eight photographic images of the French Basque Country on a pack for playing the game of Tar...
Classification of Numeral Card Designs in French-suited packs
The classification of numeral cards in French-suited packs, covering various pip designs in over 400...
Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here. Your comment here.