2004 Cartoon Craze, Vol. 18. DVD. Mighty Mouse/Heckle and Jeckle: Wolf Wolf. Digiview Productions. Made in China. 10 cartoons, mostly Paul Terry. Unknown source.
This dvd should not be confused with the several Van Beuren dvd's with similar titles. It offers ten colored cartoons from the 1940's. "Wolf! Wolf!" in 1944 brings together several traditional stories and rhymes, including "Little Bo Peep." I do not find fables involved here or elsewhere in this dvd. This story involves contemporary elements significantly, particularly wartime elements like periscopes and cannon. There is also an emphasize on contemporary jazz, which can lure the lost sheep into the wolves' lair. I also enjoyed "Cheese Burglar" (1946). Though it has nothing to do with fables, it has fun with Herman the Mouse. 62 minutes.
2004 Cartoon Craze. DVD. Taiwan: Digiview Productions. $3.99 from oddestnotions on Ebay, Oct., '17. Two extra copies.
Here are eight Van Beuren cartoons from about the 1930's, starting with "Close Call," "Dizzy Day," and "A Toytown Tale." As generally is the case with Van Beuren "Aesop's Fables" cartoons, they are not really from traditional Aesopic material. They are described in the cartoons themselves as "sugar coated pills of wisdom." As is true of cartoons more broadly, there may be more going on underneath the cartoon's surface – politically and philosophically – than is immediately apparent.
1909? "The Hare & Tortoise." Postcard print by A.F. Carter. "The Pink of Perfection: The Fairman Co. N.Y." Postmarked July 4 at 5 a.m., but apparently without indication of the year, from Gibson, IL. $2 from Lois Carroll, of Peru, IL, through eBay, Feb., '03.
This card reproduces in smaller format the print found under Printed Material - Prints. As I write there, this scene had perhaps already become an old joke by the time this print appeared. The dashing horse-and-buggy glides by the stalled automobile. The frustrated driver of the latter has already removed his coat and is holding a dilapidated innertube in his hand, while the woman holds a pump ready for action. The outer tire lies on the road with some tools. Good fun!
1909 Black-and-white print of F.A. Carter's "The Hare and the Tortoise." Framed. 9" x 7". $4.99 from Joe Lockhart, Easton, ME, through eBay, Dec., '03.
This scene had perhaps already become an old joke by the time this print appeared. The dashing horse-and-buggy glides by the stalled automobile. The frustrated driver of the latter has already removed his coat and is holding a dilapidated innertube in his hand, while the woman holds a pump ready for action. The outer tire lies on the road with some tools. Good fun!
1890? 5 small full-color portrait-formatted cards (plus a cropped duplicate of FS) with block-print titles of La Fontaine's fables. 1½" x 2¼". Advertisers include: Carré, apparently a haberdasher and dealer in notions and successor to Briat with a shop on the Place Hoche aux Soeurs de Charité; A. Pepin, in Lagny, a seller of wines, edibles, coffees, and desserts; E. Carraud in Poitiers, a seller of tapioca, chocolate, and coffee; and Massonneau and Company in Paris. 160 Francs for the six from Annick Tilly, Clignancourt, August, '01.
These may be the smallest cards I have. This is the first time I have seen the frog lying on his back in OF. The wolf drags off the lamb by the hand, while the lamb's other hand carries along his water jug. I am surprised at the quality of definition these cards achieve in their very small format. "Le Singe et le Chat," which advertises Carraud, is shorter, and its lettering is thicker; it may actually belong to a different set. Besides notions, Carré sells bandages and ribbons.
1890? Carr and Co. Juvenile Biscuit Tin. Five numbered scenes from FC with rhyming verses. Carlisle, GB. 3" square by 4⅝". £22 from wickedlady, Yorkshire, UK, through eBay, Nov., '05.
This cookie tin is highly corroded and so hard to read. The cover picture, first in the series, has a mother crow visiting a dairy to find food for her children. She then flies into a tree with a piece of cheese in her beak. The fifth and final scene may be the most dramatic: the fox runs away as the fox flies away. The art is nicely done, even through the darkening and discoloration.
1903 Two black-and-white postcards depicting fables from the Carnaval de Nice of 1903. "Lion and Hare" and FS. Signed (at least one) by "Jarnach." $20 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18.
The fox and stork walk or stand apparently arm in arm, or arm in wing as the case may be. There is a clear male and female distinction between the two. I understand the lion in the second fable to be turning away for better prey, presuming that the hare will be there when he returns. That, of course, does not happen. The svelt hare looks like she is ready for a quick get-away. The lion has something around his belt that looks like "US DIRECTEU." Hmmmm….
1818? 35 Lithographs by LeComte, Vernet, Engelmann and Mauraisse from about 1817 through 1820. Mostare 14½" x 10½". $80 from jordanb2011 through Ebay, Jan., '21.
Engelmann seems to be the engraver for many of these. I have assigned him authorship for those not signed by LeComte or Vernet. These seem to be pages from a book in our collection, "Fables choisies De La Fontaine ornees de figures lithographiques" from 1818, published by Engelmann.
1915 Caricature of two leaders in WWI, dramatized in La Fontaine's OF. Ludovic Rezier. Back cover of "Pays de France," January 14, 1915. €12 from journauxanciens through Ebay, Feb.,' 23.
Some study has not helped me to identify these figures or even what happens between the final two. The pattern follows La Fontaine's OF, but I am unsure how. A military leader looks at Napoleon and -- following the fable -- thinks he is bigger. Soon enough an opponent is inflating him. Is it the left or the right figure that explodes in "colossal" fashion, blown up by Pan-Germanism's pump?
1930? Two cards using images found in several other series but offering a different typeface for the title. 1 FS colored card. No publisher or artist indicated. "Horse and Ass" for €15 from Albert van den Bosch, Jan., '23.
Grouping these two cards together is a sheer guess. Each has only the text of the fable and its title on the verso. The block-print title on the image is larger than the print on the other cards. Two nice looking cards! FS presents a pleasing view of the two animals approaching two tall slim-necked vases. The full text of La Fontaine's FS fable is on the verso. Nothing else is on the verso. It turns out that this card's image is identical with the image -- though not the title font -- on the card in the series by Alcide Picard
Card games include not only standard playing cards of various sorts but also the traditional French game of "Families" (close to what we know as "Go Fish"), a special "Aesop Game," a La Fontaine game, and several other card games. Play away!
1926 “Vendre” full-page advertisement for Carbel. “Montrez-moi patte blanche … ou je n’ouvrirai point!” Sept., ’26. 8.3” x 10.5”. Unknown source.
Carbel was apparently a major manufacturer of carbon and ribbon. “The most important specialized house of Europe.” Here it plays off of the La Fontaine fable where the young goat wisely demands of the wolf caller outside his door that he not only offer his mother’s voice but that he also show “white paw.” Notice the Carbel man made up of various round typewriter ribbons; his chest is in fact a typewriter.
2021 Capsules de champagne “Fables de La Fontaine.” Série Générique. Six champagne muselets picturing fables and Jean de La Fontaine. €2 from jeremyd8891 on Ebay, July, ’21.
Here is our third set of muselets. This series seems tied not to a particular vineyard but to the territory of Champagne.
1950? Colored cartoon postcard "Le Renard et le Bouc: Capitaine Renard allait de compagnie." JG. Série 14. €1.20 from Jean Bobelet, Le Chautay, France, through Ebay, June, '20.
The expressions on both characters' faces are appropriate for La Fontaine's fable of the fox and the goat, especially the goat's surprise at being left behind. I do not understand the reference to the fox as "capitaine." I do not yet understand "allait de compagnie." Perhaps "was traveling through the countryside" or maybe "was leaving the company of someone"?
2023? Canvas print of J.J. Grandville's FC. 11¾" x 17¾". Made in China. $15 from Judaicaman: Joshua Jacobovitz, Shilo, Israel, Jan., '25.
This is a handy way to show off an excellent illustration of an excellent fable. Perhaps most suitable for pinning to a corkboard in a classroom? I will explore uses of it in fable presentations.
1935? Two French cardboard chocolate boxes. 7” x 3⅜” picturing “Two Doves”; WL; MM; FC; and TMCM. 5” x 3⅞” featuring two mice opening a box of chocolate mice! Heavy cardboard. “Made in France.”
What a lovely find! The covers feature simple, charming multicolored scenes. This little pair of treasures comes from the parent of a student at a fellow Jesuit University, the University of San Francisco. And what about these mice – town and country? – who find themselves offered chocolate mice?!
1962?/90? Canadian Gothic. Volume 6 of "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle." Burbank, CA: Buena Vista Home Video. $9.95 at Washington Video, Georgetown, Dec., '91.
The "Aesop & Son" portion here is about a wolf and a dog. The wolf tries various ploys and finally steals Mauler the sheepdog's false teeth. Ultimately a lamb bites the wolf with false teeth. "Nothing dentured, nothing gained." The fable lasts 5:40. It comes about five minutes into the tape, after Dudley Doright delivers a bag of crabgrass to the inspector and Bullwinkle juggles--and before Simple Simon. We are a pretty good distance here from any Aesop I know!
1980? Camembert Extra Fin cheese label. Fromage du Fin Renard. "Ce Qui Se Fait de Mieux." Litho. Myncke, Brussels. $8 from Dany Wolfs, Roeselare, Belgium, August, '00.
This circular label is a specimen of lovely colored printing. The crow, perched on the "Fromage" sign in the label, weeps visible tears. The fox walks away pleased, with a wheel of Camembert under his arm. There seems to be a number 41 stamped just above the crow's head
1960? 17 cards each illustrating in full color one fable of La Fontaine. Each is signed "Calvet-Rogniat." 3½" x 5½". Paris: Editions Educatives. Set for $100 from Alexandre Przopiorski de Cay, Lyon, France, June, '00. Five cards, including FG, for €5 apiece, from Brie Comte Robert at the Paris Post Card Exhibit, Jan., '05. Four cards from Elizabeth Sagar, including the new "Monkey and Cat," for £5 through eBay, May, '12. Extra of FG for €4 from Recto-Verso, Strasbourg, July, '19.
Strong, colorful presentations of the fables. The picture side includes the large illustration and a title beneath. The verso contains the title again, the text of the fable, La Fontaine's name, and the "Editions Educatives: Paris" logo. I enjoy the expression on the face of the bumpkin fisherman (note the striped stockings) as he hauls in his little fish. Also well portrayed is the greed of the man in GGE. The illustrator represents the notion of "belling the cat" physically by having the chief rat hold a bell. He interprets the scene very well by having all the rest of the mice march away. It may be hard to believe that the weasel got into the granary through that very small hole!
2008-2009 Five calendar wallet-cards illustrating La Fontaine fables. Creation et impression: Compiram-Simatis. Unsigned (original?) art: GA, OR, and "Coach and Fly" (2008) and UP and "Heron" (2009). Full-year calendar on the inside pages of the card. $4 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '20.
Though similar to the calendar wallet-cards produced by Collection Kharbine-Tapabor in 1999, these cards have clear differences. These are twice as wide and are printed on heavier and less slick stock. The illustrations here have a softer style. Here all the three printed portions of the cards face the same direction; there three faces were perpendicular to the fourth.
1999 Three calendar wallet-cards illustrating La Fontaine fables. Collection Kharbine-Tapabor. Designs from 19th century illustrations by Gaston Gilibert, Job, and another. FS; 2P; and "The Mouse, the Cock, and the Cat." Three different advertisers on the back flap of the wallet card, various orientations. 1999 calendar on the inside pages of the card. $4 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '20.
The illustrations on these slick, shiny fold-out cards about 3" x 4" are high resolution. The format is the same that will be used on similar cards by Compiram Simatis in 2008 and 2009 on heavier card stock at lower resolution.
1995 "Illustrations de Fables de Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695)." Thirteen calendar cards after the paintings of Claudine Suret-Canale originally published in 1990 by Vif Argent in "Fables de Jean de La Fontaine." 60 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricquart, France, August, '18.
There are thirteen cards, I believe, so that the verso of one card can match the front of another. Thus the title-card has the title on its front and the first illustration on its verso. The second card has the January calendar on its front and a second illustration on its verso. The last card has December on its front and the colophon – but no illustration – on its verso. I have just ordered Suret-Canale's Vif Argent book.
1985? "Calder Animals." Six different scenes done by Alexander Calder. Boxed, with envelopes. New York Public Library and Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art. The date of the original drawings is 1931.
1992 Note cards: "Calder's Animals." 24 note cards with envelopes. New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Published by MOMA. Printed in the USA. 4" x 5.25". Unknown source.
I rejoiced when I first found these cards. Someone other than I recognized what a lively artist Calder is, particularly in his depiction of fables. The less happy thought here is that several of the images selected here present not fables but animals. The subjects are: "Camel"; "Lion and Gnat"; "Horse and Lion"; Dog, Sheep, and Wolf"; "A Stag Drinking"; and OF. Of the original 24 cards, we still have 16, with each of the six types represented. I offer here what seem to me the best two cards. Compare these cards with the yellow Calder cards also in our collection.
