Maybe Lenormand - 52 cards, minimalist black-and-white design
Most Lenormand decks stay at 36 cards. Ryan Edward added 16 more. Not as a novelty, but as a deliberate reference to the history of fortune-telling cards derived from ordinary playing card decks. The result is a 52-card deck, exactly the count of a standard playing card set.
Edward is an artist based in St. Louis, Missouri, working from a studio where design and magic overlap. Maybe Lenormand is his second known deck; his earlier Playing Marseille is considered its sister deck.
What you see on the cards
The design is intentionally restrained. Black, white and grey form the base; red accents mark key details. The card number sits in the upper left, the playing card symbol at the top centre, and the illustration below. This layout is consistent across every card.
The style is stylised and minimal, but not empty. Each image is built to carry the core meaning of the card directly. Anyone used to richly illustrated Lenormand decks will find something noticeably different here.
How you work with it
The 72-page guidebook includes keywords and meanings for all 52 cards, with separate instructions for the traditional 36-card set. Spreads covered include the Grand Tableau, three-card strings and a five-card daily line.
You decide which set to work with. That makes the deck flexible for readers following the traditional Lenormand method as well as those who want to use the expanded version.
If you are new to Lenormand, start with the 36 traditional cards. The 16 extra cards add nuance, but the guidebook covers both versions separately, so switching is straightforward at any point.
About Ryan Edward
Ryan Edward is an artist from St. Louis, Missouri, running a studio where design and magic meet. Alongside Maybe Lenormand, he designed Playing Marseille, the tarot deck that is considered its sister deck. His work is defined by a clean, graphic approach.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 52 (including 16 extra cards)
- Card size: 57 x 89 mm
- Guidebook: 72 pages, illustrated
- Language: English
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems
- ISBN: 9781572818330
- Designer: Ryan Edward
Questions we often get
Do I have to use all 52 cards, or can I work with just the traditional 36?
Both options are supported. The guidebook contains separate instructions for the 36-card set and the full 52-card set. You choose which version to use.
What language are the cards and guidebook in?
Both the cards and the guidebook are in English. The cards show the card number and the playing card symbol; the illustrations largely speak for themselves.
