Item Details

[Fortune Telling] Mlle. Lenormand’s L’Oracle and Appendix: 36 Illuminated Cards with English and German Description.

New York: Joseph Koehler Publisher, c.1890. First Edition. The dual function playing or divination cards are designed for both fortune telling and gaming, handcolored engraving illustrations, with an inset miniature playing card printed on the top left corner of various suit cards. Both in German and English text. 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 The cards were shuffled, one was withdrawn from the deck and then the Book of Fate was consulted to shed light on the matter in question, similar to the Lenormand method of divining. Each card is composed of two different images which complement each other: on the top left are the ordinary playing card symbols and in the centre of each card is an allegorical image accompaning the symbol. The style is a near exact replica of one of the earliest Lenormand decks: black & white cards from Kunst-Comptoir in Berlin, Germany in 1854. This particular deck is notable not only for the fine coloring of the scenes but also for the lovely pink and blue sky. The deck is a standard poker size.--Mary Greer.
Joseph Koehler, New York, NY; Founded as a printing firm 1892-1911, they later began publishing view-cards in both continuous tone and halftone lithography as well as real photo cards. They have been well known for their early hold to light postcards, mechanicals, and exposition cards, since publishing an unofficial postcard set of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. While most companies stopped using the expensive chromolithographic printing method in favor of the cheaper halftone printing process, Koehler (a pioneer in halftone technology) had returned to producing chromolithographs. Koehler postcards have a very distinct style to them and is the reason why Koehler postcards are so sought after by serious collectors. All of their postcards were printed in Berlin Germany.”. Very Good+. Light wear, else bright and unmarred. 36 full color cardstock with squared edges. Approx. 11x7.2cm. Chromolithographic illustrations. Housed in a faded/torn purple box with a printed label on top. Includes instruction booklet with light wear. Item #13947

Price: $350.00