2017 Bottom strip of four "Literature Heritage of Russia Fables" stamps. 35p apiece. FG, TH, CJ, and WC. $4.23 from VarGur Stamps through eBay, April, '18.
Here is a lively set of large, colorful stamps. The author of each is different: I.A. Krylov for the first and C.B. Mychalkov for the second. The third seems to be by a B.K. Treduakovsky, and the fourth by A.P. Cymarikov.
1975? Twenty cards in a package "Les Fables de La Fontaine: Vingt Cartes Postales d'Art, Images de A. M. Bossaert." Each marked 4402. Made in France. Etab. Artistiques Parisiens. $75 from rhetlyn from Carolina Shores, NC, through eBay, Dec., '03. Extra copies of four of the cards for $30 from Betty Jette, Eaton Park, FL, through Ebay, Feb., '00.
Excellent, vibrant color work! Cursive titles underneath the pictures serve as a distinguishing mark for this set. My favorites include "Le Gland ete la Citrouille," which features wonderful striped stockings and wooden shoes on the philosophical bumpkin. The hare's bugle and ball on TH suggest that he may not have been entirely focussed on this race! The cat as monk ready to devour both the hare and weasel is all the more sinister because his face is completely black except for the pince-nez, gray whiskers, and green eyes. LM uses two shades of green, one of blue, and three of tan to make a dramatic statement. Two other spectacularly colorful pictures are those for "Le Coche et la Mouche" and MSA. Well done! Unfortunately, three of the extra cards--"Le Chat, la Belette et le petite Lapin," "Le Gland et la Citrouille," and TH--show a mark at the top of the picture where some tape has been applied; only LM is without it.
2019 Bookmarks of Erlesenes Bookshop in Vienna.
Visiting this bookshop was one of the most refreshing of my fable-seeking adventures. I noticed online an unusual volume that they were offering: "A Bölcs Esopusnak" in Hungarian from 1943. I found their bookshop -- it was not easy -- and was immediately struck by the FG symbol at the doorway. This bookshop is a search for the exquisite grapes of literature! Their advertising is consistent with their brand, and so I have a business card as well as these three bookmarks. There is also an incident connected with my visit there. The manager could not find the book and at last remembered that it might be in the "Lager," since she had worked on the volume. She found it! Victory! The exquisite possessed!
1895? Booklet of 16 dust-jackets stapled together. Algis and G. Dascher. published by C(amille) Charier in Saumur, France. €33 from Maxime Chupin, Carqueiranne, France, through Ebay, July, ’21.
Here is a remarkable experience and a remarkable object. The experience is that it had taken me some nine months to arrive at cataloguing a set of unusual early dust-jackets just a few days ago. Then an object arrived that I had ordered on Ebay because it was unusual: a stapled booklet presenting 16 images consecutively in the first half on the right side of the booklet and then, in reverse order on the left-hand pages, the La Fontaine fable texts for those illustrations. What happened here? Did someone gather the dust jackets and assemble them? Was that someone the publisher? As with the individual dust jackets, so in the booklet: while the common top and left frame scene is signed by “Algis,” some of the inset illustrations are signed by “Algis” and others by “G. Dascher.” Camille Charier seems to be the publisher. The texts are printed not only in different colors but in differing typefaces. What a strange find! I show the booklet with edges exposed in hopes that viewers can see the four staples at the central crease of this booklet.
1920? Pair of TH sculptures. 6" high. Resin. Hand painted. Sterling Industries? $25. Unknown source and date.
These two heavy fellows would do great book-backing! There is a nice contrast here between the two hand-held objects: a loaf of bread and a victory trophy.
1944? Eight cards showing children fulfilling the roles of La Fontaine's fables. Signed by "L (?) Bonniol." Imprimé en France. Éditions Superluxe-Paris. "Oyster and Litigants" for €5 from Suzanne Botti, Le Bono, at the Paris Post Card Exhibition, Jan., '05. WL for €4 at the Paris Post Card Exhibition, Jan., '05. The other six a gift of Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, August, '15. Now, in Sept., '19, two last cards (TB and TMCM) for $14 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, along with an extra copy of TB for $8. Four further cards as part of a group for $1.10 each from yvrl through Ebay, May, '22. "Acorn and Pumpkin" for €10 from Albert van den Bosch, Antwerp, June, '23.
Good color work in these cards notable for their unevenly cut edges. One can ask what the purpose is of having the children play the adult roles in some of these fables. In "The Oyster and the Litigants" there may be something adult and even erotic about these children. In WL, it makes sense that the bigger boy can take what he wants from the little girl. Is the fox in FG a male putting down females above? One might also ask questions about how the figures in MSA fit together. Does changing to the child's world lose the point here? I am not sure, finally, how OF might work between these two children. For all those questions, I still delight in the colors and forms in these engaging cards!
1950? Four monochrome hidden-picture cards featuring La Fontaine fables from Teinturerie Bonnin in Nantes, France. Light paper with orange coloring. 4” x 2½”. Two are signed by an artist with a name something like “Sluston.” €14.99 from place-nette-nantes on Ebay, August, ’21.
The seller identifies these as ”DLG Benjamin Rabier.” Though they remind one of Rabier’s style, I do not believe they are his work. Three clearly present fables. I am not sure what the commerce of the two fish is meant to relate to in La Fontaine. Two of the puzzle-answers were so easy that I wonder if I am not missing something obvious in the other two, which I find hard. The opening statement on the verso seems clever, but I sense that they are playing with a verb other than “aller.”
2009 Boner's Edelstein. 176 jpg images of pages on a CD prepared by the Herzog August Bibliothek in Wolfenbuttel of a colored version of Albrecht Pfister's book published in Bamberg in 1461.
I asked for these images as I was preparing a paper for the Renard Society in summer of 2009. I actually found that scans I got from our facsimile served my illustrated lecture's purpose even better. The preparation of this paper made for a lively summer in Mannheim in 2009.
1990? Bone carving of the wolf and stork. 4" x 1 3/8" x 5¼" high.
The texture and color of each of the figures are different. The stork is a lighter in color and almost translucent, while the wolf is a darker hue. Several inserted pieces of lighter-colored material suggest his teeth well.
1930? Three circular fable images, each presenting a fable scene under the double title "Les Fables de Lafontaine" and the name of the individual fable. At the bottom of the picture is "Bonbons Surfins." On the right side is "La Pierrette." Might each of these have come in a tin of candy? The three scenes are of FC, TH, and "Le Singe et le Chat." After finding these cards, I have now also found a candy tin from Surfins. It presents this very same scene of FC, expanded by about a half inch around the whole circumference. Visit the "Cans and Tins" page, on which it can be seen.
1953? Set of fifteen Olivier "Bon Point" cards, 3" x 2⅜".
When little French kids performed well in school, they got a "Bon Point" card. When they amassed 10 "Bon Points" they could exchange them for a large format image or other prize.
1950? 1 card featuring "The Heron" by Jean Adrien Mercier on the front and "Bon Point" on the verso,and lines on which to name the school and class of the recipient of this prize. "Lion Noir."
That fish does not seem so small to me! Lovely work again, typical of Mercier.
1950? 1 card featuring "The Heron" by Jean Adrien Mercier on the front and "Bon Point" on the verso,and lines on which to name the school and class of the recipient of this prize. "Lion Noir."
That snail better watch out!
1950? 1 card featuring FC by Jean Adrien Mercier on the front and "Bon Point" on the verso,and lines on which to name the school and class of the recipient of this prize. "Lion Noir." $3.55 from Jeannick Brisson, Baignes Sainte Radgonde, France, through Ebay, June, '20.
I recognize Mercier's style immediately from the lovely menus he did for transatlantic ships. I am surprised that there is not a space for listing the pupil's name!
1925? Bon Point Chocolat Corona. Delespaul Havez. 4 small cards About 2" x 2¾". St. Ouen, August, '15.
This series of four cards is among the smaller but more nicely done cards that this collection has. The four images are well done. The picture side of the card includes a fable title at its top, a colored image, and then three lines of advertisement: Bon-Point, Offert par le Chocolat, Delespaul-Hayez." The verso is identical on all four: Chocolat Corona Delespaul Havez: Le Meilleur Chocolat pour votre Gouter. Exigez-Le!!" FS; WL; "The Hare and the Frogs"; and "The Old Woman and Her Two Servant-Girls."
Bon Point Chocolat Corona
1925? Bon Point Chocolat Corona. Delespaul Havez. 4 small cards About 2" x 2¾". St. Ouen, August, '15.
This series of four cards is among the smaller but more nicely done cards that this collection has. The four images are well done. The picture side of the card includes a fable title at its top, a colored image, and then three lines of advertisement: Bon-Point, Offert par le Chocolat, Delespaul-Hayez." The verso is identical on all four: Chocolat Corona Delespaul Havez: Le Meilleur Chocolat pour votre Gouter. Exigez-Le!!" FS; WL; "The Hare and the Frogs"; and "The Old Woman and Her Two Servant-Girls."
1910? One pop-up card showing and exemplifying FG and advertising Au Bon Marché. Printed by J.B. Goosens, Paris. $50 from Eclectibles, Tolland, CT, May, '06.
This is an exquisite pop-up in very good condition. The front card is cut on the lower 75% of the circle enclosing the upper portion of the picture, so that a viewer discovers that the front page opens up. When it does, he or she sees a three-dimensional scene. In the background is the name of Au Bon Marché. In the middle ground is a disgruntled driver of a horse-drawn buggy. In the foreground are two contented passengers in a motor car passing by the horse, wagon, and driver. Beneath the motor car one can then read the words, as though they came from the mouth of the horse-driver: "They are too green, he says." Sour grapes! He did not want to ride that fast anyway! To see how the pop-up works, click on it.
1900? Set of twelve Au Bon Marché La Fontaine cards, 4" x 5 3/8", in oriental style. Printed by J.E. Goossens in Paris and Lille.
These are rich in gold with bright colors and make a strong oriental impression. The front of each, framed in gold, has "Au Bon Marché" at the top and a title and one-line moral at the bottom. On the verso we find again "Au Bon Marché" at the top, followed by a title and the verse fable of La Fontaine. At the bottom is a notice of Gossens and a printer's decoration. I have eight extras; the total number for each card, if greater than one, is indicated in the parentheses.
1900? Set of six mechanical Au Bon Marché La Fontaine cards, 3⅞" x 5⅞" (extended 6"). Printed by Leopold Verger, Paris. €375 for the set from French Antique Collections, July, '22. One extra set a gift of French Antique Collections, July, '22.
The seller offered very helpful information. This set of six comes from the collection of the great grandson of a director of Bon Marché who purchased them new so they were never issued to the public. The six cards are: 1 Le Savatier Et Le Financier; 2 Le Singe Et Le Chat; 3 Les Voleurs Et L'Ane; 4 L'Huitre Et Les Plaideurs; 5 La Cigale Et La Fourmi; 6 La Laitiere Et Le Pot Au Lait. Each card has two views, the second illustrating the moral, with an advertisement for Le Bon Marché on the reverse.
1900? La Fontaine. Six large (almost 6" x 9") cards titled "Au Bon Marché" each with an ornately framed colored image by Maurice Leloir. Paris: E. Barret. 50 Francs each from Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market, August, '99. Extra copies of "La Vielle & les Deux Servantes" and "Le Loup, la Mere & l'Enfant" for the same price from Annick, July, '01.
Each card lists "Au Bon Marché" at the top of the front and back. GA and "Les Deux Pigeons" are translated into entirely human scenes. While the style of the art is not to my taste, the colored printing is lovely on these well preserved cards. The ornate framing of the scene may sometimes be more engaging than the scene! Included are also MM, "L'Asne & le Petit Chien," "Le Loup, la Mere & l'Enfant," and "La Vieille & les Deux Servantes."
1900? Fables de Florian. J.J. Grandville. Eight cards, just over 6¼" x 4½", advertising Au Bon Marché, presenting fables of Florian and illustrated in color by J.J. Grandville. Engraved by H. Demoulin and printed by Draeger Frères. From Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market for about 50 Francs each, August, '99 and July, '01. "Le Linot" for $14 from McIaren Enterprises, Nottingham, England, through Ebay, August, '00. "La Tourterelle et la Fauvette" for €3 at Paris Post Card Exhibit, Jan., '05. Extras of "Les deux Chats," "La Guenon, le Singe et la Noix," and "Le Hibou et le Pigeon," the latter cropped.
Each card lists "Au Bon Marché" at the top of both front and back. The front of the card then presents a delightful Grandville scene, including the usual dressed human animals. Under Grandville's signature is a title for the fable scene and, in parentheses, "Fables de Florian." The back identifies Au Bon Marché as "Maison A. Boucicaut" in Paris, restates "Fables de Florian," and lists the engraver and printer under the full text. A note on the back of one of the cards from Annick indicated that there are six in the series. Now that--having found "Le Linot" and "La Tourterelle et la Fauvette"--I have eight, that remark seems to have been premature. While all the illustrations are done in portrait format, half of the texts are in landscape format.
1890? Two blue hidden picture fable cards presenting MSA and FS. Title and question are written in cursive script. $14 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18.
Each card has a fable title and question within the image portion near the top. "Where is the son?" and "Where is the stork?" There is nothing on the verso. I did not find these easy! In MSA, it is tempting to take the mill, with its resemblance to a human face, as the easy answer. Click on the card to see a bigger version and on "Resolved" to see a solution.
