1970? Seven French sterling "Fables of La Fontaine" thimbles, likely produced by Lenain in the 1970's. Six for $360 from Industrial-Blonde, Houston, TX, through Ebay, May, '19. Bertrand (monkey) and Raton (cat) thimble for $52.51 from Alpha Gold Exchange, Baltimore, MD, through Ebay, Nov., '19.
I am delighted at last to get a group of fable thimbles. Thimbles appear from time to time on Ebay, but apparently there are so many thimble collectors that they drive the price up. I was happy to get these as a group: MM; WL; FS; TH; "The Wolf Turned Shepherd"; and "Two Pigeons." Photographing such small things proves to be a challenge! My sense is that these are imitations of the 1900 originals produced by Maison Lorillon. Photos on the web suggest that, while the Lorillon series may have been large – perhaps twenty? – the later Lenain series may have included only about eight Since "Red Riding Hood" is not a fable, the fable set here includes seven. A few months later, I was lucky to find the only one not found in that purchase, "Bertrand (monkey) and Raton (cat)." I believe that this completes the fable portion of the 1970's set. Comparison of the Lorillon and Lenain productions on the web suggests that the Lenain imitations, like these, follow the patterns of the Lorillon originals but are less distinct. Several of these have distinct Lenain signs (crossed L's that come out looking like an "X") and a size number, here '10.'
1950? Thermos picturing TH. $2 from Sara B. Jones, Sarasota, FL, through Ebay, Sept., '00.
Pink rims at the top and bottom frame a white-background picture of the tortoise crossing the finish-line while a blue bunny runs to catch up. What will I find next?!
1927 Theo. S. Buerger & Son, Inc. Wholesale hosiery, knit goods, underwear, and ready-to-wear. Buffalo. Gift of Thomas Beckman, Nov., '94.
April, 1927 calendar titled "Aesop's Fables," with a good, round-top illustration of John Rae's "The Dog and His Image" and the moral "Never risk a certainty for an uncertainty." The illustration may have appeared first in Fables in Rhyme for Little Folks (Adapted from the French of La Fontaine. Written by W.T. Larned. Illustrated by John Rae. Chicago: P.F. Volland Co. 1918). See my reprints of the book under 1918/35? and 1918/50.
1979 One page from "The World's Great Fairy Tales First Day of Issue Collection," specifically for Portugal. 8½" x 11". Printed in the USA. Unknown source.&nbs
The Portuguese stamp celebrates the year of the child and is postmarked January 6, 1979. The image and story include the Aesopic FG story but only as a phase that leads to the fox using the horse as a platform to get the grapes he wants. I am not sure if I have ever seen this spin on the FG story. As the verso shows, the story goes for two long paragraphs before we get to the FG story – and goes on from there through a story that has the fox leading the horse to "greener pastures," which just happen to be under the grapevine.
1989 The Wonderful World of Aesop's Fables: Classic Story Telling Traditions Brought to Life Through Video. Vcat Productions, Inc. Dolmatch Group, Ltd. Nine numbered packaged cassettes. $20.69 from cnksoldiesbutgoodies on eBay, June, '18. Sixteen years earlier I had put together a full set, as it turns out, by getting eight from mrndt through Ebay for $50 in December, '02, and finding the missing Volume 3 for $3 from smith71usmc through Ebay ten days later.
Though produced by Dolmatch, these videos – about fifteen minutes per story, with two stories on each tape – seem different from the Dolmatch tapes I had found previously from Golden Book Videos, produced in 1986. I tried the two videos on the first cassette. "The Lion and His Cub" becomes the more familiar fable about hunting a hare – and catching it – and then being distracted by hunting a stag. Not only does one not catch the stag, but the hare is no longer there when one returns. This version spends abundant time early establishing the lion's arrogance. The somewhat expansive time allowed the story leaves plenty of room for character development and repartee. "The Boy and the Eagle" is a story of a boy and his grandfather. The eagle steals grandpa's hat as a kind gesture in return for the grandfather's kind releasing of the eagle from a trap. I do not believe that I have seen these versions before. The graphics are simple.
1930? 7¼" white bowl from Sarreguemines, France. 1.5" deep. Inside the bowl there is a brown adaptation of Grandville's "The Wolf Pleading against the Fox." The front carries two inscriptions: "Fables de la Fontaine" and "8. Le Loup Plaidant contre le Renard." The back has the usual Digoin stamp. From an unknown source.
The two characters are again in an outdoor setting but still clearly a court trial. Each raises a paw pleading innocence before the monkey judge. Hats, vests, and trousers again humanize both. The monkey is smart enough to know that there is wrongdoing on both sides.
1930? 7" white plate from Sarreguemines, France. Inside a 1.5" rim there is a representation of Grandville's "The Wolf Pleading Against the Fox." The front carries two inscriptions: "Fables de la Fontaine" and "8. Le Loup Plaidant Contre le Renard." The back has a smudged partial stamp. $5 from pjhmah through Ebay, April, '04.
Each litigant has a raised hand as he makes a legal point. The judge rests both hands on the bench and peers through his spectacles.
1930? 7" white plate from Sarreguemines, France. Inside a 1.5" rim there is a representation of Grandville's WL. The front carries two inscriptions: "Fables de la Fontaine" and "4. Le Loup et l'Agneau." The back has a "Digoin" stamp.
The wolf makes a highly dramatic gesture of pointing to the lamb in accusation. Could it be true that in some instances the fourth plate in this series was not WL but rather "The Cat and the Monkey"?
Le Loup et l'agneau Like the other plates, this presentation presumes that a viewer knows the standard story. Then the plate can present a surprise. The surprise here is that the lamb is waiting for the wolf with a big club behind his wolly little back.
1920? Hand-painted bowl 6¾" in diameter and 1¾" deep. Title "The Wolf and the Lamb" above the hand-painted colored illustration, and "When You Have Made Up Your Mind To Quarrel/It Is Easy To Find An Excuse" below. Gold trim around the outside edge of the top ring. Aesop's Fables Series. Royal Winton, Grimwades. Made in England. $25 from an unknown source, about 2005.
The depiction of WL is consistent with the depiction on other members of this Royal Winton series.
1920? Cup and saucer. Title "The Wolf & The Lamb." "When You Have Made Up Your Mind To Quarrel/It Is Easy To Find An Excuse" around the rim of the saucer. Similar hand-painted illustrations of lamb, river, and wolf on each. Gold trim around the handle and the edges of both cup and saucer. Evergreens (?), cones (?), and silver swirl patterns on the non-picture sides of both pieces. Aesop's Fables Series. Royal Winton, Grimwades. Made in England. $22 from Tamy Treso, Redvers, Saskatchewan, through Ebay, Feb., '00.
As with the two bowls, the strength here of Royal Winton lies in its lovely colors. The pastels in the river make it almost psychedelic! Both pieces have a golden "A" as an additional mark on the bottom. Click on the image for a larger version.
