There are Tarot decks. There are Oracle decks. Then there are the Lenormand cards. Although you can find many versions of this cartomancy system, the one touted as the top seller is the Mlle Lenormand Blue Owl. It was published in the 1920's.
An interesting fact about the Lenormand cards is that the first deck was actually published after Mademoiselle Marie Anne Adelaide Lenormand (Alençon, 27 May 1772 – Paris, 25 June 1843), aka Mlle Lenormand, died. It is said that she read for more than 40 years. By her own accounting, she read for Robespierre, the Empress Josephine and even Czar Alexander among others. She lived through the French revolution. She did see some prison time but only short terms.
Though this is a French deck, the country where it is the most popular is Germany. Mlle Lenormand claimed that she got her first deck of cards from Gypsies when she was a young girl. She designed her own 36 card deck and those images still grace many of the Lenormand decks.
This Blue Owl version is one you want to own if you are a Lenormand aficionado. And even if you aren't, try your hand at this intriguing system. The meanings of each card change by where they are in relationship to the person card that is being read for. Many Tarot enthusiasts study this system as a companion to Tarot.
Mary K. Greer shares a bit about Madame le Normand and the cards here. Liz Hazel did an astrological chart for Mlle Lenormand that is fascinating. You can see that in the comments on MKG's blog. We here at U.S. Games Systems, Inc. are delighted to announce that you can now get this famous little deck.
Mlle Lenormand Blue Owl deck is the English language version of the famous fortune-telling deck used by Mlle Lenormand.
The 36-card deck is packaged in the traditional tuck box with its original Blue Owl design. The pack includes a small instruction booklet with a brief explanation of each key card and sample readings.
In a reading, meanings are determined by the relationships between cards in a spread, as well as by individual cards.
Mlle Lenormand rose from humble beginnings in 19th century France to become the most prominent fortune teller in Europe. Her clients included Napoleon, about whom she made bold and astonishingly accurate predictions.
Her card-reading methods are still popular today.
Are you a Mlle. Lenormand fan? Want to become one? Check out the Mlle Lenormand Blue Owl deck at your local retailer. If they don't have it, send them to U.S. Games Systems, Inc. Here are a few images.
If you like online oracles, check this Lenormand one out.
© April 2011 U.S. Games Systems Inc.
Hi, I have a question for you. Do you only have the Blue Owl Lenormand deck with verses as in the pictures above or do you also have one with the playing card insets?
Posted by: Helen | 04/08/2011 at 08:34 AM
I know what you are referring to Helen. But we don't have those right now.
We have these Blue Owl ones with the verses. We also have the Mystical Lenormand deck by Urban Trosch.
The artwork is interesting and there is no text on those.
http://www.usgamesinc.com/search.php?mode=search&page=1
Posted by: Lynn | 04/08/2011 at 09:24 AM
I own the Mystical (very nice egg tempura artwork) and the Pixie as I'm fond of this rendition with Pamela Colman Smith's artwork. Sometimes we need to drop the tarot and its spreads for a few in order to free up the psyche a bit, and the Lenormand can help!
Posted by: Rae della Luna | 04/08/2011 at 01:02 PM
Rae, I so agree! I keep the Mystical in my purse. It's such a nice small deck and I can break out of the Tarot doldrums. I also like to pull a card just to see every now and again. I'm not one to do full spreads though. May have to try that!
Posted by: Arwen | 04/08/2011 at 01:26 PM
I strongly recommend the casting of all cards to let them play with (and against, lol) each other. You can gauge timelines, the direction things are going, and where challenges may lie for the querent. And frankly, it makes a pretty sweet tapestry to share over!
Posted by: Rae della Luna | 04/08/2011 at 02:15 PM
I like the blue owl. Stunning. Think to have one.
Posted by: tarot reading | 05/04/2011 at 01:49 AM
My mother used to buy the Blue Owl deck from you back in the 1980s. It's good to know that you're starting to carry them again. Too bad you don't stock the version with the playing card insets instead of the poems. The version with the playing card insets is more popular with professional readers.
Posted by: Lenormand Learner | 08/28/2011 at 11:26 PM
Thank you for your input. We will let the front office know.
Posted by: Stella | 08/30/2011 at 02:01 AM
By the way, the poems on these are by none other than Stuart Kaplan himself.
Posted by: lynn@usgamesinc.com | 08/30/2011 at 09:21 AM
Any word if you are going to bring over some of the other decks? The Bartachi, The Melissa and the Pixie Lenormand are some of my favorite ones. I love Lenormand and would love to be able to get decks for friends easier here state side. Please try and get the Blue Owl with the cards and no verses mine needs to be replaced soon...lol.
Posted by: Joey Gables | 10/26/2011 at 07:52 PM