This is probably the earliest Mademoiselle Lenormand deck produced by Wüst, stencil coloured and dating from about 1860. The reverse has a dotted pattern. The inset court cards are different to later Lenormand decks, but a chromo printed version also uses these court cards. A maṇḍala of 36 cards (perhaps representing 360° of space) depicting worldly appearances and revelatory symbols for exploring inner states through intuitive vision?
Above: Wüst Lenormand fortune telling cards, c.1860. 36 cards, size 76 x 43 mm, which is slightly smaller than later versions.
REFERENCES
Shaw, Martin & Symons, Paul: Playing cards from the factory C.L.Wüst, Frankfurt, Germany (1811-1927), Catalogue of the exhibition held at the Nationaal Museum van de Speelkaart, Turnhout, Belgium, 23 September-31 December 2005.
By Paul Symons
Member since February 01, 2016
View ArticlesI'm British but I have now lived in the Netherlands for 50 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. I started collecting playing cards in the early 1980’s after speaking with my neighbour who was at that time a croupier in a casino. I started with just collecting jokers, but that soon led me to complete packs of cards and eventually to specialising in old and antique playing cards, particularly those of C.L. Wüst of Frankfurt, Germany. I am presently the Dutch representative of the I.P.C.S. and the auctioneer at the IPCS conventions.
Recommended
Fortune-Telling Cards
Comic Fortune-Telling Cards published by Reynolds & Sons, c.1850.
Cartomancy and Divination Cards
Playing cards are used for fortune-telling, predicting the future or even as a psychological adjunct to folk medicine and therapy.
Fortune Telling
Fortune Telling cards by Whitman Publishing Co., 1940.
La Sibylle des Salons
La Sibylle des Salons facsimile of 19th century deck published by J M Simon, 1979.
Le Destin Antique
Le Jeu du Destin Antique, originally published by Grimaud in XIX c., republished many times since...
Playtex
Playtex - le jeu de la beauté et du destin, Grimaud, 1971.
El Oráculo de la Bruja
“El Oráculo de la Bruja” fortune-telling cards, 2003.
Kinney Transparent Cards
Kinney Bros Transparent playing cards with hidden images and fortunes, c.1890.
Georgian Fortune Telling Cards
Georgian Fortune Telling Cards, c.1800.
Black Cat Fortune Telling Cards
Black Cat Fortune Telling Cards published by Parker Bros, 1897
Wüst Lenormand deck, c.1860
Wüst Lenormand deck, c.1860
Il Destino Svelato Dal Tarocco
The Cagliostro Tarot was first published in 1912 as “Il Destino Svelato Dal Tarocco”.
Fortune Telling playing cards
English Fortune Telling cards probably published c.1770.
Le Grand Tarot Belline
“Le Grand Tarot Belline” after drawings by Edmond Billaudot (1829-1881).
Aleister Crowley Tarot – the sombre luminary
Aleister Crowley Tarot - Crowley and Lady Freda Harris worked on the illustrations between 1938 and 1943
Cartas Gitanas
The designs of these fortune-telling cards are largely taken from nineteenth century Austrian "Rural Scenes" Tarock cards.
Nine Lives Tarot
Nine Lives Tarot by Annette Abolins, 2013
Housewives Tarot
The ‘Housewives Tarot’ designed by Paul Kepple & Jude Buffum, published by Quirk Books, 2004.
Naipes Tu Destino Cartomancy Cards
“Naipes Tu Destino” Cartomancy Cards from Peru will ease any stress in your interpersonal relationships c.1975.
The ‘Mystic’
The ‘Mystic’ Fortune Teller card game by Clifford Toys.
The Playing Card Oracles
The Picture Book of Ana Cortez is an original work of art designed to facilitate Divination.
Gipsy Fortune Telling Cards
“Gipsy” fortune-telling cards with original artwork by Hylton Cock, published by Thomas de la Rue & Co Ltd., c.1910.
Tarjetas de la Felicidad
“Tarjetas de la Felicidad” containing positive mental affirmations by Lauro Trevisan, Buenos Aires (Argentina) c.2001
Playing Card Oracles - Alchemy Edition
Playing Card Oracles - Alchemy Edition - by Charles J. Freeman and Ana Cortez
Baraja Cartomántica Chocolates Nelia
Some examples of playing cards made in Catalonia from the collection of Iris Mundus, Barcelona.
Austrian Cartomancy Cards
During the 19th century a system of fortune telling arose in Europe using unnumbered, pictorial cards depicting popular imagery with subtitles in several languages.
Art Deco Gypsy Oracle
Art Deco fortune telling deck published by Piatnik, 1936.
Hafez Fortune Telling Cards
Fortune Tellers use the Hafez Cards by interpreting the Hāfez poems printed on the card backs when cards are selected randomly by their consultants.
Grand Jeu Lenormand
A pack of 54 playing-cards for fortune-telling each card containing a number of zodiacal, classical and modern images with a miniature card of the conventional type at top left and a letter of the alphabet at top right.
Cartomancia Astrología Quirologia Tests
A set of rather unusual and non-standard cartomancy cards from Argentina with religious connotations and imaginative artwork
Kadar Playing Cards
The Kadar deck designed by Christopher J Gould aims to break the norms of playing card design. The vibrant and fun pack has drawn inspiration from travelling fortune tellers and gypsies.
The Fortune Teller's Deck
The Fortune Teller’s Deck was published in 1995 in conjunction with a book written by Jane Lyle. The deck was designed by Neil Breeden and the court cards incorporate traditional symbolism.
Stairs of Gold Tarot
Whilst the titles of the cards are in Italian, the Hebrew and Sanskrit letters on the Trump cards denote, respectively, associations with the Cabbala and Vedic metaphysics.
Ye Witches
Ye Witches Fortune Telling Cards published by the United States Playing Card Co., 1896. 52 cards + Joker + extra card in box.
Wahrsage-Karten
In this version an explanatory verse is printed at the top of each card.
Carreras Fortune Telling Cards
Carreras Fortune Telling Cards, 1926
Cartes Lenormand
“Cartes Lenormand” published by H. P. Gibson & Sons Ltd, London, printed in Germany by B. Dondorf, 1920s.
Fortune Telling Cards
Fortune Telling Cards - wondrous scientific divination poker cards.
Buena Suerte Cartomancy
Buena Suerte Cartomancy cards published by Difusora S.A., Argentina, c.1975
Buena Suerte Cartomancy leaflet
Buena Suerte Cartomancy leaflet.