1950? Pendant 1½" in diameter illustrating WL by Jean de La Fontaine. Artist: Jean Vernon.
This heavy pendant is identical with and perhaps created from WL in the set of 1½" medallions by Vernon. There is nothing on the verso. The pendant, like the medallion, gives not only the title but the moral of this fable. Who wears a pendant showing a scene like this?
2000? Pen-and-ink drawing of “The Man with Two Mistresses.” Student work. Unknown date and artist.
I regret not being able to read the artist’s signature on this lovely work. Wonderful shadow technique! Effective caricature! Bravo!
1900? 4 Dust jackets ("Couverture Cahier") "Fables de La Fontaine" featuring colored work presentations of individual fables and texts on the back covers. Perhaps all from Pellerin of Épinal? €6 each from Chromosetcollections on Ebay, Nov., '20.
I have been unconvinced and then convinced – mostly – that these four dust-jackets were published by Épinal of Pellerin. They are so much in the style of that firm that I simply presumed that they were the publishers. Unfortunately, there is no marking on them to indicate the publisher except the symbol on the front of all four jackets: a coat of arms "P S" and "Propriété des Editeurs." The least likely to come from Pellerin, it seems to me, is "Le Lion et le Chasseur."
1890? Twenty-two printed sheets, 12½" x 16¼", each featuring either an individual fable of La Fontaine or a set of four fables. Each is numbered in an apparent set of 25. Now I have found the whole set of 25 gathered in a book, Fables de la Fontaine, for which I have guessed a date of the same year. Matted on white cardboard. Missing are #3, #7, and #20. There is one extra copy of #14. Each is marked "Série Supérieure aux Armes d'Épinal, Pellerin & Cie, imp. -édit." and "Fables de LA FONTAINE (Hors Groupes)." I bought 21 of them as a group from a Buchinist along the Seine, August, '99; individually they were priced between 70 and 120 Francs each, but we settled on a group price of 1150 Francs for the twenty-one. I found two others at another Buchinist stall just a few minutes later and paid 75 Francs each for them. Click on any image to see it enlarged.
I had long thought that Pellerin, whose beautiful printing work I had seen elsewhere, must have done a set of fables. What a great surprise to find them! On almost all, the color work is still lively; on several it is brilliant, especially MSA (#8), "Le Coche et la Mouche" (#9), "L'Oeil du Maitre" (# 10), and "La Besace" (#22). Each page includes a title at the top. Somewhere on the page, the text of the fable appears. The first, WL, is bleached, perhaps from standing out at the front of the group too long under the Paris sun!
1870? Now, in 2022, I am gathering together our 25 broadsides, including three duplicates, from L'Imagerie d'Épinal. These were found in groups at various times. There seem to be two sets of publications. I list a more recent set, differently numbered, under "Pellerin 1890," though I am as unsure of that date as I am of this earlier set's date. A set of 12 from Ramses for €20 each through Ebay in Sept., '20 and another set in Nov., '21. A set for €16 each from Istrilene through Ebay in Oct., '21. A set of seven on heavier stock from an unknown source.
Some of these broadsides look more like pages torn from a book, and one can find those Pellerin books scattered through the collection. Several are duplicates bought in different groups. As with the illustrations in earlier Pellerin book publications around 1910, each broadside here is numbered either between 400 and 455 or between 3007 and 3088.
1880? Brown Westhead Moore and Co transferware pedestal dish illustrating “The Two Doves.” 13” in diameter, 7” high. Unknown source.
Beautiful work well preserved. The handling of the image is consistent with the other excellent things we have from BWM. Cream color with blue transferware. One handle has been repaired. Grape vines surround the central scene. One dove feels the need to travel while the other waits at home. Travel goes very poorly, and the traveling dove is delighted to make it home wounded and battered. The scene is sometimes portrayed as a romantic scene of human lovers reunited.
1907 "The Tortoise and the Hare." Print of a drawing originally created by Henry Jarvis Peck. 7” x 9.5”. $2.74 from Steven Morawiec, August, '03.
The illustration features an old man apparently tugging a boat of younger men through the ocean. The title of the image implies a moral behind the story depicted in the drawing. The slower fishing boat of the old man has to tow in the speedy sailing boat with its broken mast and several riders. Slow and steady wins again!
1926?/98? Aesop's Fables (Volume 3). Eight Paul Terry Aesop's Films. Commonwealth Pictures. 2274. $18.50 from Nostalgia Family Video, Baker City, OR, through Ebay, June, '00.
This tape lists only its name and number on the label. At least there is no mistake!
1926?/98? Aesop's Fables (Volume 2). Eight Paul Terry Aesop's Films. Commonwealth Pictures. 2273. $14.50 from Nostalgia Family Video, Baker City, OR, through Ebay, June, '00.
This tape's label is incorrect. It has a different number from the first volume but then lists the same cartoons. In fact, the tape presents a new set of cartoons, beginning with "Jungle Sports." In it, an explorer and an ape play games and then get into a fight.
1926?/98? Aesop's Fables (Volume 1). Eight Paul Terry Aesop's Films. Commonwealth Pictures. 2061.
Included are "Up in the Air" ('26), "Flying Hoofs" ('28), "Rooster and the Eagle" ('28), "Wicked City" ('26), "Red Hot Sands" ('28), "Hitting the Rails" ('28), "Runaway Balloon" ('28), and "Fable of the Alley Cat" ('28). I am presuming that the numbers "26" and "28" in parentheses indicate the year of each cartoon. These are typical Terry work in the series "Aesop's Film Fables." In what I watched this time, there is plenty of music but never any spoken speech. There will be an occasional written expression from one character. These are not traditional Aesopic fables, but rather stories about animals playing tricks on people. There is delightful fantasy here, as when a mice musician plays some notes and then climbs them like steps of a ladder.
1915? Three dust-jackets, each with an orange duochrome illustration of a La Fontaine fable signed by Paul Giraud. The verso offers tables of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The stapled inside flaps offer the outline of a weekly work plan and a centimeter ruler, respectively. $5 apiece from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, Feb., '05. Extra copy for $6 of LM from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., '21.
Paul Giraud died in 1917. The line figures on these dust-jackets are surprisingly engaging, particularly the tears of the dying laborer's children. I also enjoy the three different emotions suggested by the three faces in MSA. Can one speak of a "cartoon style," and would it appropriately characterize the approach of these three illustrations?
1930? Two black-and-white handbills by Paul Colin presenting FG and “The Old Man and the Three Young Men.” Stamped by Lesbroussart & Fils in Beauvais. 7¾” x 11”. No publisher acknowledged. Planche #2008 (“Old Man”) and #2016 (FG). $6 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., ’20.
Someone must have produced a lot of handbills to make these in the 2000’s! These images replicate large Colin posters in the collection and also a book of Colin posters, “La Fontaine en Images.” I love Colin’s work! Does something of the fox’s face get lost in FG? Does some other artist create these black-and-white designs on the basis of Colin's work, or might he do that himself?
1960? Brown, red, and gold presentation of FC designed by R. Odoul with a long cartoon advertisement on the back cover. Pastilles Pulmoll. $5 from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, Feb., '05.
Pulmoll is here using the same catch-phrase as on the dust-jackets from a different era. The side flaps still present districts of France. The cartoon on the back cover seems to say that Grandpa gets over the cough from smoking cigars by taking Pulmoll tablets.
1940? Three French dust-jackets, 9½" x 7", apparently for a school book, advertising "Pastille Pulmoll" €6 each at St. Ouen, August, '13. One duplicate of TH without the "Grande Pharmacie La Fontaine" stamp on the cover for $5 from Mme Denise Debuigne, Rennes, France, Feb., '05.
The title continues "calme la Toux * flatte le Gout" (perhaps "calms the cough, soothes the taste"?) Two marked "Face au Pont Grand Pharmacie. J. Fontaine. Compiegne." Highly colorful cartoons of TH, GA, and TMCM grace the covers of these three dust jackets. The back cover has basic road signs. Inside on the flaps are lists of districts of France.
1880? Partial set of 6 cards with red backing similar in format to the above complete set, but with a different numbering system. By Mauclair and Dacier, according to the seller. $91.72 from Alexandra Lacroix of nantes-antiques, Nantes, France, through Ebay, Oct., '20.
Six of the cards in this lot actually repeat cards in the above complete set. These other six follow a different numbering system, namely two sets of continuous numbers, four consecutive numbers at the top and then, after skipping eight numbers, another continuous set of numbers across the bottom of the board. These illustrations are well colored, and the boards themselves are well preserved.
1920? Two large (10½" x 8⅛") sheets presenting each two fables (WL and WC; LM and DS) in four colors. Paris-Vêtements. $20 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18.
Thin paper and vivid color mark these pages. It is hard to imagine where in life they would show up, since they are neither as hardy nor as small as a card. No artist or printer seems to be acknowledged. Both have suffered a tear in the upper right corner as one views the image side.
1948 Three paper scenes to cut out and mount. Sponsored by "Calscorbat enfants a la framboise." 9½" x 12½". WL and FS for $8 each from Bertrand Cocq, Sept., '20. LM for €6 from Mathys2004 through Ebay, Sept., '21.
Apparently three of seven sheets that came in a booklet "J'apprends les Fables de La Fontaine en m'amusant" published by Editions Brunier in 1948. About five elements have tabs that one places through slots in the elliptical base to make the fable scene. A text of the fable and instructions for the scene are on the front of each broadside. Lovely coloring! I am not sure that the cardstock is quite firm enough to handle young fingers manipulating the tabs. The nearby farmer in FS and the extra layer for the lion's muzzle are lovely touches! The pages are identical with those in a book "J'apprends les Fables de La Fontaine en m'amusant."
2022? Paper pad 8" x 8". Twelve double-sided papers, many featuring Aesop's fables. Italy: Ciao Bella Paper. Card stock. $10.95 from ASC Supplies through Etsy, July, '22. One extra set.
Here is again something new to me: I am not sue what one is to do with these sheets, bout they are beautifully produced! Cards present the six scenes pictured below, as well as FC. There is also FC and a page of fable characters. Versos and one card feature old, slightly deteriorated wallpaper.
1937? Paper bookmark "Äsop" from Olleschau, "Das Beste von Allem!" Lesezeichen Nr. 601. With verso offering information on his life and work. 5½" x 2¼".
My, a collection of over 600 bookmarks! Olleschau seems to have been a producer of cigarette papers. This series was published apparently between 1936 and 1938. I have guessed therefore at a date of 1937. What a strange thing to find! Aesop gets around!
1956 Paper book cabinet for the 12 books "Fables de La Fontaine." 5" x 2¼" x 8" high. Paris: Presses de la Cité. $50 for the set from Dany Wolfs, Roesalare,Belgium, April, '01.
The cabinet has suffered from its travels. It has two sets of doors. Around the outside we see WL, FC MM, and "The Cobbler and the Banker" together with a circular melange on the back of the cabinet. Inside the doors are LM and "The Hare, the Weasel, and the Cat." The back illustration is signed " Andrépec." Click on the picture to see a larger version.
