--- pycarddav/model.py.orig	2014-02-04 23:38:46 UTC
+++ pycarddav/model.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ The pycarddav abstract model and tools for VCard handl
 from __future__ import print_function
 
 import base64
+import chardet
 import logging
 import sys
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -197,8 +198,17 @@ class VCard(defaultdict):
 
     @property
     def name(self):
-        return unicode(self['N'][0][0]) if self['N'] else ''
+        #return unicode(self['N'][0][0]) if self['N'] else ''
+        if self['N']:
+            if type(self['N'][0][0]) is unicode:
+                return self['N'][0][0]
+            else:
+                return unicode(self['N'][0][0], chardet.detect(self['N'][0][0])['encoding'])
+        else:
+            return ''
 
+        #return unicode(self['N'][0][0], chardet.detect(self['N'][0][0])['encoding']) if self['N'] else ''
+
     @name.setter
     def name(self, value):
         if not self['N']:
@@ -207,7 +217,14 @@ class VCard(defaultdict):
 
     @property
     def fname(self):
-        return unicode(self['FN'][0][0]) if self['FN'] else ''
+        #return unicode(self['FN'][0][0]) if self['FN'] else ''
+        if self['FN']:
+            if type(self['FN'][0][0]) is unicode:
+                return self['FN'][0][0]
+            else:
+                return unicode(self['FN'][0][0], chardet.detect(self['FN'][0][0])['encoding'])
+        else:
+            return ''
 
     @fname.setter
     def fname(self, value):