Flornoy Dodal 22-card hand-stenciled

Lee

I've just ordered this deck from Roxanne Flornoy. Here is the site's ordering page which lists all their products, scroll down to find the 22-card Dodal. I also ordered the leather case for it.

I already have the 78-card Dodal and Noblet decks from them. On one of those orders, Roxanne included a sample card from the hand-stenciled Dodal. I've been entranced by that single card ever since, but never ordered the deck since it was majors-only. The vividness of the colors, and the cardboard-like cardstock, really made it stand out.

Now that I'm reading with majors-only TdM, it was a happy coincidence that I suddenly came upon that single sample card, and decided to order.

In comparing that card with the 78-card conventionally-printed Noblet, I see some interesting differences. The linework was apparently completely redone for the 78-card edition. The 78-card edition seems more faithful to the lines of the original, as is the card title calligraphy. I actually prefer the look of the hand-stenciled deck's linework; the lines are of a more uniform thickness, which I find more pleasing. I also prefer the card titles of the 22-card deck - while not as faithful to the original, they have an art deco vibe which I like. All in all, the 22-card hand-stenciled deck seems to be more of a personal interpretation, while the 78-card deck leans more towards the facsimile category, albeit with the clean, sharp colors of a modern reproduction. Of course there's no comparison at all between the 78-card deck's conventionally-printed colors and the 22-card deck's astoundingly brilliant colors.

For comparison, here is the 22-card deck and here is the 78-card deck.

Here is a page from the Flornoy site which explains and shows how the hand-stenciling was done. I must say, 42 euros seems a very reasonable price for a hand-stenciled deck. (The leather case costs extra.) Unfortunately, the hand-stenciled Noblet is no longer available.

I'm very much looking forward to receiving this one!
 

DeToX

I've seen Flornoy's photos before, it looks really beautiful. Look forward to your pics! ;-)
 

agviz

You're correct that the cost is very reasonable for the work put into it. I love this deck, and would gladly pay for a full 78 card hand-stenciled deck even though I'm sure it would need to be expensive.
 

josefskye

dodal

I have this exact one, and it is very very beautiful. You should be well pleased!
 

frelkins

i love this deck, Lee & I know you will too!
 

Lee

I received it today, and I do indeed love it!

The uniqueness of the coloring strikes me even more than I thought it would. The depth, richness, texture, and vividness of the inks are truly amazing and, combined with the linework and the cardstock, make the deck a truly special experience. I really look forward to handling and working with this deck.

One thing to note, the cards seem to have little if any coating/lamination. I imagine there must be some kind of fixative used to fix the inks, but it's not discernible. I don't think it will be any kind of problem, but I thought people should be aware so they know what to expect.

Over the next few days I'll try to find the time to try scanning a card along with its 78-card mass-printed cousin to see if my scanner can detect the difference in the colors, if so I'll post it.
 

agviz

...One thing to note, the cards seem to have little if any coating/lamination. I imagine there must be some kind of fixative used to fix the inks, but it's not discernible....

I'll add that I've had the cards for a few years now and I've not noticed any of the color coming off. I don't use the cards a lot, but even stored stacked together, the color doesn't transfer from one card to another.

Such beautiful colors, as you say!
 

Lee

I'll add that I've had the cards for a few years now and I've not noticed any of the color coming off. I don't use the cards a lot, but even stored stacked together, the color doesn't transfer from one card to another.
Good to know, agviz, thanks for posting that, it makes me feel a little better about using the cards!

I should note I've been referring to "inks" but I think that's incorrect, from Googling I've learned that gouache is actually a type of paint, it's like watercolor, but unlike watercolor it lays down a flat opaque area of color rather than watercolor's translucence. So perhaps that's what accounts for the striking difference between these colors and printed colors - it's the difference between paint and printers' ink.
 

ayuryogini

What is the card stock like? Anything you can compare it to? Thanks.
 

agviz

What is the card stock like? Anything you can compare it to? Thanks.

It's very matte, no lamination, and very sturdy papery-stock that seems not to have a core. Kind of like some of the Meneghello decks. I shuffle it without fear, and yet I'd guess with heavy use it would show wear more than a heavily laminated deck would.