The Chiromancy of Edmond
- Heather
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Reviving a Rare 19th Century French Palmistry Guide and Bringing it to English Speaking Readers
When I decided to translate "La Chiromancie d'Edmond," I quickly realized that this wasn't going to be a typical translation project. This 1868 palmistry guide is almost entirely visual containing 222 palm diagrams with short meanings attached. The challenge wasn't just translating the sometimes archaic French text, but recreating the entire look and feel of a book that's over 150 years old.
Who Was Edmond?
Jules Charles Ernest Billaudot (1829-1881), also known as Edmond, was a famous French clairvoyant born in Poilly-sur-Serein who is said to have been the clairvoyant for certain prominent 19th century personalities including Napoleon III, Empress Eugénie, Victor Hugo, Alexandre Dumas, and Eugène Sue. (The title "Mage" is believed to have been added to his name posthumously by Marcel Belline.) He's rumored to have been a student of the legendary Mademoiselle Lenormand and is also credited with designing the Belline Oracle and the Grand Tarot Belline.
Rather than writing lengthy instructional text like other palmistry authors of his time, Edmond created this beautiful and unique visual guide with actual diagrams of palms he'd read, each with their meanings attached.
Why This Book is Unique and Special
Most palmistry books require studying chapters and memorizing meanings. Edmond's approach was revolutionary - instead of dense text, he created a visual reference guide. You simply look at a real palm, flip through the diagrams until you find matches, and read the meaning right there. Each diagram shows actual palm markings with their interpretations attached. It's like having a visual dictionary of palm reading that works through simple pattern recognition.
Before & After: See How I Restored Edmond's 156-Year-Old Book and Palm Diagrams
The original pages showed their age - yellowed, dirty and worn from decades of handling. But rather than modernizing the design, I wanted English readers to experience the book exactly as it appeared in 1868. This meant going page by page, carefully cleaning up each diagram while making sure not to alter Edmond's original work.
The hardest part was matching the original fonts and layout as closely as possible. I went through the original book carefully, trying to replicate what French readers saw in the original edition. Every diagram had to be positioned exactly right, every text element had to maintain that authentic look and feel.
A Beautiful Reference Tool
The result is both a functional palmistry guide and a beautiful book that captures the aesthetic of the original 19th-century text. Unlike modern palmistry books that are often purely instructional, this maintains a beautiful visual appeal that makes it as much a display piece as a working tool.
Unprecedented access
Now English-speaking palm readers can access Edmond's visual approach - flip through, compare diagrams to actual palms, and start reading right away. No lengthy study required, just like Edmond intended back in 1868. Whether you're a beginner who wants to jump right in or a collector interested in historical divination texts, this book offers both immediate usability and connection to an important figure in the history of tarot and palmistry and it's a great conversation starter!
Comment below and let me know your thoughts!
and please check out my translation of The Chiromancy of Edmond on Amazon
