Burmese Fortune Teller's Book

A concertina of old paper, covered in tiny diagrams.

This Burmese fortune teller’s book is made of paper and pigment and dates to the 19th century. Folding books like this were commonly used in Burma for manuscripts, astrology and calendar charts. The pages fan out in a zigzag fold, with ruled grids and small drawn circles in dark ink. The paper has aged to a tea-stained tan, with soft edges. Handle the pages gently, as folded paper this age tends to be fragile, and let it stay half open for display.

Open it on a shelf like a small accordion of secrets.