Classic Crime Lenormand (Malpertius)

[bookshop]

I only recently learned that Malpertius Design studio (which made the Tyldwick Tarot) also produced a number of extraordinarily beautiful Lenormand decks as well, some of which still seem to be in stock.  So I still had Malpertius Lenormand decks on the brain when I ran across someone on ebay selling what I feel is something truly extraordinary — a copy of the Classic Crime Lenormand.

 

This is a deck that Malpertius creator Neil Lovell never sold or produced publicly. Instead he made a limited number of copies which he distributed privately to friends and valued clients. This copy is copyrighted 2018 and billed as a private edition. I am still stunned that anyone would sell a deck like this, but the seller said they just didn't "get" the deck.

 

I get it, and I am over the moon about it! The Classic Crime Lenormand is a homage to classic Penguin crime books, specifically the "green period," which is this delectable period in the 60s when every Penguin crime series was soaked in Penguin green, using the famous "Marber grid," by designer Romek Marber, that divided the cover into 3 distinct sections. The covers were usually accented with red or Penguin orange, and featured extremely distinctive cover illustrations, done by designers like Marber, John Sewell, and Penguin's art director Germano Facetti. Penguin always placed its series numbers in the top right corner, the "Penguin Crime" label in the center, and the Penguin logo in the top left.

 

Lovell's deck perfectly recreates both the design and the spirit of these covers, and further cheekily reinvents the Lenormand in the most captivating way. Here the covers are all accented with classic Penguin orange. The book titles and often the author's name clue you into the card's meaning, and they often reference the punny quality of the book titles themselves. Every card is perfect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IDK what else to say. I love this. I'm still in a partial state of disbelief that anyone would sell this deck to begin with, much less that it ended up in my hands. 

[FLizarraga]

You were meant to have it. It may sound trite, but it is what it is. I'm glad it made it into your hands.

[bookshop]

@FLizarraga thank you! I don't know about destiny, but i was a little appalled someone was selling such a gift and definitely wanted to make sure it went to someone who'd greatly appreciate it, a.k.a. me. 😄 

[Symph]

I know very little about Lenormand, I've watched a few youtube tutorials and it seems complex.  I hope to learn it someday but Tarot is more than enough to focus on right now, but that deck is veeeery cool.  I love the Retro 60s/70s feel it has!!