Johann Kaspar Hechtel


Johann Kaspar Hechtel was a German businessman, owner of a brass factory in Nuremberg, non-fiction writer and designer of parlour games, including the prototype for the Petit Lenormand cartomancy deck. Hechtel is also supposed to have contributed anonymously to some treatises on physics.

Early life

Hechtel was born on 1 May 1771 in Nuremberg, Germany.

Death

Hechtel died on 20 December 1799 in Nuremberg during a smallpox epidemic. He was survived by his wife.

Works

  • Sammlung freundschaftlicher Denkmale und kleine Lehren der Weisheit und Tugend. Zum Gebrauch in Stammbücher und zur Geistes- und Sittenveredlung junger Leute bestimmt.
  • Second edition: Denkmale der Freundschaft und kleine Lehren der Weisheit und Tugend, zum Gebrauch in Stammbücher und Geistes- und Sittenveredlung junger Leute
  • Third edition:
  • Fourth edition: Denkmale der Freundschaft für Stammbücher und moralische Lehren zur Sittenveredlung junger Personen
  • Beiträge zur geselligen Freude oder Auswahl neuer Karten- Pfänder- und Unterhaltungsspiele zum Nutzen und Vergnügen, mit illumirten Kupfern
  • Pandora, ein neues Würfel- und Gesellschaftspiel mit 24 Fragen und 144 scherzhaften Antworten
  • ''Das Spiel der Hoffnung, eine angenehme Gesellschaftsunterhaltung mit 36 neuen illumirten Figurenkarten, franz. und deutsch ''

''Das Spiel der Hoffnung'' Deck (c.1799)

In the mid 19th century, after the death of the famous French fortune-teller Marie Anne Lenormand, Lenormand's name was used on several cartomancy decks, including a deck of 36 illustrated cards known as the Petit Lenormand or simply Lenormand cards still used extensively today. The 36 card Lenormand deck is modeled on a deck of cards published around 1799 as part of Das Spiel der Hoffnung, a game of chance designed by Hechtel which was still being advertised in 1820. So-called Lenormand decks have the same card numbering, primary symbols and playing card associations as the cards in Hechtel's Das Spiel der Hoffnung game. Some examples of the game are included in an extensive collection of playing cards bequeathed to the British Museum by Lady Charlotte Schreiber. Das Spiel der Hoffnung is listed among Hechtel's works in an advertisement by publisher Gustav Philipp Jakob Bieling of Nuremberg dated 1799.
The "Game of Hope" cards usually have their playing card equivalents displayed in the upper field or worked into the design, with either the German or French suits being used. Swiss decks had both the equivalent German and French cards in the upper field. It only uses the 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, and King of each suit; the Deuce stands in the place of the Ace, and there are no Jokers.
The game can also be played with standard decks. The 54-card French deck discards both Jokers and the 2, 3, 4, and 5 of each suit, keeping the Ace and the Face Cards. The 48-card German deck discards the 3, 4, and 5 of each suit. The German deck doesn't use Aces and renames the 2 as the Ass or Daus, the 10 as the Panier, the Jack as the Unter, and the Queen as the Ober. The King of each suit is shown crowned and holding a scepter, with one or two suit pips in the upper field.
#CardGerman SuitFrench Suit
01Rider
Cavalier		9 of Hearts9 of Hearts
02Trefoil
Clover		6 of Hawkbells6 of Diamonds
03ShipPanier of Leaves10 of Spades
04HouseKönig of HeartsKing of Hearts
05Tree / Trees7 of Hearts7 of Hearts
06Cloud / CloudsKönig of AcornsKing of Clubs
07SnakeObermann of AcornsQueen of Clubs
08Coffin9 of Hawkbells9 of Diamonds
09BouquetObermann of LeavesQueen of Spades
10ScytheUntermann of HawkbellsJack of Diamonds
11Whip
Broom		Untermann of AcornsJack of Clubs
12Birds
The Owl 		7 of Hawkbells7 of Diamonds
13The ChildUntermann of LeavesJack of Spades
14The Fox9 of Acorns9 of Clubs
15The BearPanier of Acorns10 of Clubs
16The Star6 of Hearts6 of Hearts
17The StorkObermann of HeartsQueen of Hearts
18The DogPanier of Hearts10 of Hearts
19The Tower6 of Leaves6 of Spades
20The Garden8 of Leaves8 of Spades
21The Mountain8 of Acorns8 of Clubs
22The CrossroadsObermann of HawkbellsQueen of Diamonds
23The Mouse / Mice7 of Acorns7 of Clubs
24The HeartUntermann of HeartsJack of Hearts
25The RingDaus of AcornsAce of Clubs
26The BookPanier of Hawkbells10 of Diamonds
27The Letter7 of Leaves7 of Spades
28Man
Animus 		Daus of HeartsAce of Hearts
29Woman
Anima 		Daus of LeavesAce of Spades
30LiliesKönig of LeavesKing of Spades
31The SunDaus of HawkbellsAce of Diamonds
32The Moon8 of Hearts8 of Hearts
33The Key8 of Hawkbells8 of Diamonds
34FishesKönig of HawkbellsKing of Diamonds
35The Anchor
Hope 		9 of Leaves9 of Spades
36The Cross 6 of Acorns6 of Clubs