Livre du Destin
Livre du Destin or Book of Fate, printed by B.P.Grimaud, Paris, c.1900.
France has issued a great number of fortune-telling packs, and these are usually identifiable by the language of the inscriptions and the presence of a miniature standard card in the corner of the design. The beginning of the fashion lay in the second half of the eighteenth century and during the the nineteenth century various types of fortune-telling, oracle, Lenormand, sybil and destiny cards became popular. Many decks such as the ones shown here were published in Paris.
The pictures on the cards readily suggest the influences of different types of people, such as young men, fair ladies, widows, soldiers, lawyers, as well as virtues such as hope, charity and so on so that the perplexed may hopefully find some consolation.
Livre du Destin
Above: “Livre du Destin” or “Book of Fate” with titles in French and English, published by Chartier-Marteau & Boudin and printed by B.P.Grimaud, Paris, c.1900. 32 cards. The tax stamp is dated Apr 12, 1890. Images courtesy Gilles Daigle. Download entire deck as large size images here →.
Le Petit Cartomancien
Above: three cards and wrapper from "Le Petit Cartomancien" manufactured by B.P. Grimaud, Paris. The miniature playing cards in the top corners depict full-length 'Paris' type courts, whilst the rest of the cards contain divinatory interpretations and images of different personalities. The personalities depicted do not correspond in sequence to those in the top set.
Some early evidence of the use of playing cards for predicting the future dates from the 1480s in Ein Loszbuch ausz der Karten - a book of fate from the cards. The cards were shuffled, one was withdrawn from the deck and then the Book of Fate was consulted to shed light on the matter in question.
The Fortune Teller
Above: The Fortune Teller by August Allebé, 1859. The traditional practice of card-reading involved using a so-called book of fate. Cards are drawn at random and their meaning is looked up in the book so that predictions are given using the text. Nationaal Museum van de Speelkaart, Turnhout.
By Simon Wintle
Spain • Member since February 01, 1996
I am the founder of The World of Playing Cards (est. 1996), a website dedicated to the history, artistry and cultural significance of playing cards and tarot. Over the years I have researched various areas of the subject, acquired and traded collections and contributed as a committee member of the IPCS and graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal. Having lived in Chile, England, Wales, and now Spain, these experiences have shaped my work and passion for playing cards. Amongst my achievements is producing a limited-edition replica of a 17th-century English pack using woodblocks and stencils—a labour of love. Today, the World of Playing Cards is a global collaborative project, with my son Adam serving as the technical driving force behind its development. His innovative efforts have helped shape the site into the thriving hub it is today. You are warmly invited to become a contributor and share your enthusiasm.
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