by Faust » 18 Jul 2022, 04:30
I've only really just begun looking at Lenormand; didn't know about it at all until a random question on another site prompted a bit of research. Got to say I do prefer it vastly to the Tarot because of its flexibility. Disclaimer though: I'm not a cartomancer, I'm a storyteller that occasionally uses 'oracle decks' and so forth for inspiration when writing fiction, so what is desirable for me may not be entirely what is desirable for anyone else.
Anyway! I have a few favourites:
Ur-Lenormand (Alexander Gluck) - I don't actually have this deck, but I will get it at some point because I collect (and make) ancient and historic games. This is a reproduction of the first Lenormand deck, which wasn't originally used for cartomancy at all, but for a simple race game called 'Das Spiel Der Höffnung'. It's based on an actual deck from the British Museum.
Gilded Reverie (Ciro Marchetti) - really, really beautiful cards, nice thick stock, gilded edges and a sturdy magnetic flap box - nothing I hate more than tuck-boxes when it comes to card decks! That said, a lot of the images are a bit esoteric (in a bad way!) For example, the 'heart' is two swans touching bills, forming the heart shape with the space between their necks, but glancing at it casually you see the swans first. It's all too easy to think it's 'Birds' instead. Lovely art, though. I also like the minimalist 'card inserts' which don't get in the way of the art - though that's a common feature on many decks.
Maybe Lenormand (Ryan Edward) - though the art isn't highly ornate or hyper-realistic in this deck - if anything it's a bit sketchy and scribbly - it IS charming and extremely simple and to-the-point. No ambiguity. It's also really unpretentious and has a lovely atmosphere all in all. Still, I would have liked it better if it had alternately-gendered Man / Woman cards.
So far, though, if I had to pick one and only one, I'd go with Maybe.
I've only really just begun looking at Lenormand; didn't know about it at all until a random question on another site prompted a bit of research. Got to say I do prefer it vastly to the Tarot because of its flexibility. Disclaimer though: I'm not a cartomancer, I'm a storyteller that occasionally uses 'oracle decks' and so forth for inspiration when writing fiction, so what is desirable for me may not be entirely what is desirable for anyone else.
Anyway! I have a few favourites:
[b]Ur-Lenormand (Alexander Gluck) -[/b] I don't actually have this deck, but I will get it at some point because I collect (and make) ancient and historic games. This is a reproduction of the first Lenormand deck, which wasn't originally used for cartomancy at all, but for a simple race game called 'Das Spiel Der Höffnung'. It's based on an actual deck from the British Museum.
[b]Gilded Reverie (Ciro Marchetti) -[/b] really, really beautiful cards, nice thick stock, gilded edges and a sturdy magnetic flap box - nothing I hate more than tuck-boxes when it comes to card decks! That said, a lot of the images are a bit esoteric (in a bad way!) For example, the 'heart' is two swans touching bills, forming the heart shape with the space between their necks, but glancing at it casually you see the swans first. It's all too easy to think it's 'Birds' instead. Lovely art, though. I also like the minimalist 'card inserts' which don't get in the way of the art - though that's a common feature on many decks.
[b]Maybe Lenormand (Ryan Edward) -[/b] though the art isn't highly ornate or hyper-realistic in this deck - if anything it's a bit sketchy and scribbly - it IS charming and extremely simple and to-the-point. No ambiguity. It's also really unpretentious and has a lovely atmosphere all in all. Still, I would have liked it better if it had alternately-gendered Man / Woman cards.
So far, though, if I had to pick one and only one, I'd go with Maybe.