... HAS BROUGHT ITS own genre of cards. This page focuses upon those packs which were conceived and/or published in England.

The cards (shown right) of about 1690 are an example of English Divination or Oracle cards from this period.  They involve looking up the prophecy by following a series of rules, reminiscent of numerology and dice throws, so that the answer is read on a specific card.

Generally, that is to say in a large majority of packs, the 'fortune' is printed at the bottom of the card, beneath an allegorical illustration depicting the predestined outcome.  Some packs are more engaging than others.

Left: Queen of clubs - "A generous lover will posess your charms; but wedlock's bands will stifle all alarms", Queen of Spades - "Corruption's shaft will poison quite thy heart; and from the great thou wilt receive the dart" from a Fortune Telling pack published in c.1800 with miniature playing cards in the top corners. Illustration right: "You will be happy together" from a Fortune Telling pack published by Reynolds & Sons, London, c.1870.

rtists and seers are drawn to design even more compelling fortune telling and tarot packs, drawing upon esoteric philosophies, religion, mysticism, egyptology or inspired speculation. In some cases the theories are sublime: some purport higher authority or even a secret manuscript as their basis, whilst others rely upon correspondences with cabbalism, astrology, numerology, witchcraft, and so on.

est known amongst the French cartomantic fortune tellers of the revolution era was Madame Lenormand, who had designed her own variant version of the tarot, and was said to have been consulted by Napoleon and predicted military disaster. There are several popular fortune telling narratives similar to the Madame Lenormand account found in booklets.  It usually runs like this:

"At the end of the 18^th century there lived a famous gypsy who had a great reputation as a fortune teller... she predicted the downfall of Napoleon and many other historical events... after her death her cards were found and are now reproduced here..."

[From "The Gypsy Bijou Fortune Telling Cards" guide, by Minetta.  Published by Foulsham & Co., London, c.1910 (36 cards)].

Illustration right, card no.6: "Clear clouds a sign of contentment. Dark clouds announce trouble." Minetta was the author of another published work on the 'Science of Card Fortune Telling' which claims to make the reader become an adept. A crystal ball is also advertised in the booklet, to be sold separately. Click here to see Lenormand pack by Müller.

The Carreras Fortune Telling Cards (36 cards) were published in 1926 for W.D. & H.O. Wills, Bristol, and issued by Carreras Ltd in various sizes and formats, and are of the same type as the above example. A single card was enclosed inside every packet of "Black Cat" cigarettes.

Cards illustrated right: cards nos.6 and 7. Clouds are a sign of good foreboding although unpleasantness may soon turn up; the serpent warns of bad luck, hypocrisy, treason and loss.

The booklet accompanying the pack describes the cards as "those used by Mlle Silvia d'Arville's grandmother, who predicted Napoleon's victories, and his ruin...", and then gives instructions on using the cards.

The Picture Show fortune telling pack was presented with the magazine 'Picture Show' in October 1930, and shows popular personalities of the day as the court cards, whilst the pip cards are combined with zodiac signs or the seasons of the year.

Left: King of Diamonds/Lewis Stone: "... a kind hearted, loving man of fair complexion considering marriage or some important change.".  Eight of Clubs/Cancer (The Crab): "People born under the sign of cancer are very difficult to understand..."

The pack comes as a series of uncut sheets of 16 cards each, printed in red and black only.  The full divinatory interpretation for each card - upright and reversed - is printed on the back of the cards.

The Rameses Fortune Telling Cards were manufactured by Chas. Goodall & Son Ltd, London, c.1910.  They are presented in a mock snakeskin box.

Left: back design from "The Rameses Fortune telling Cards" showing an Egyptian scene.  Jack of Hearts: "Your dearest friend (pay attention to the cards nearest)"  Reverse: "A pleasure loving bachelor; a fickle lover".

The pack comprises an ordinary pack of 52 cards, plus one Joker or 'Subject' card, with interpretations printed at the top and foot of each playing card.  An Instructions leaflet contains a treatise on how to give readings.

The Romany Fortune Telling Cards were published in 1935 by Thomson-Leng Publications for readers of women's magazines of the day (Red Letter, Red Star Weekly, Weekly Welcome, My Weekly, Secrets, Woman's Way, etc.), and printed by The Universal Playing Card Company, Leeds.  Original price: 2/6d.

Left: box from "The Original ROMANY Fortune telling Cards" showing a gypsy by a campfire, reading cards.  Jack of Hearts: "A fair man will bring you much happiness"  Reverse: "Someone interested in you is fickle".

The pack comprises an ordinary pack of 52 cards, plus one Joker, with complimentary and uncomplimentary interpretations printed at the top and foot of each playing card.  The extra card accompanying the pack describes the "Original Romany Way of Fortune Telling".