1990? French dish towel featuring five fables: MM; 2P; WL; FG; and OF. $17.887 from froufrouretro through Etsy, Dec., 20.
Our first dish towel! I can find no markings about its date or origin. As with many French materials, the colors are lovely. The present image is temporary.
each giving the title and an illustration for a fable of either Jean de La Fontaine or Florian. The total set may number fifty. Fifty were announced, but so far I have found only these thirty. There are also two larger 2 3/8" x 2¾" labels, apparently for a package of ten of the packets that would use the sixteen individual labels. AU $10 from Dave Cox, Drysdale, Australia, through Ebay, Sept., '00. Several extras and two new labels from Dany Wolfs, Roesalare, Belgium, August, '00. Four extras and twelve new labels for $14.19 from Jim Swiftway through eBay, April, '04.
These are lovely designs, much different in their simplicity from the simple Russian matchbox covers. As one can see from actual French matchboxes, a picture design was used on only one of the two large sides, by contrast with the double images for Russian matchboxes. Do not miss the excellent use of color in SS and of form in "La Jeune Poule et le Renard" and FG. There are excellent facial expressions on the animals in "Le Rat et l'Huitre," LM, WL, and "Le Singe qui Montre la Lanterne Magique." It is a special pleasure to find such loveliness in simple things!
1934? French BF dust-jacket, 9½" x 7 1/8", apparently for a school book, advertising "A la Belle Jardinière," a clothing store for men, women and children. The cover's black-and-white illustration is signed by Claude Garnier. The booklet's cover is signed as belonging to Marie Louise Venet (or Knet?). Imageries Réunies de Jarville-Nancy. 20 Francs from Mimi Gras, Chambly, France, through Ebay, Nov., '01.
This "protege-cahier" pictures the jay at a peacocks' ball or court. Like the other dust-jacket sent by Mimi, it has a checkerboard background. The back cover offers the text of La Fontaine's fable under addition and multiplication tables. Mimi mentioned to me that this, along with the accompanying FC dust-jacket, belonged to her mother in 1934. The inside has simple 6" fold-in flaps with more advertising. Like the cover, the advertising here also mentions "Grand' Place, Le Cateau."
1920? Set of 6 tin canisters displaying lithographs of La Fontaine Fables. Sugar tin for $50 from tincollectors@gmail.com, Jan., '20. The other 5 French tin canisters for $109.75 from petitbrocante through Etsy, Nov., '24.
Now here is a surprise. Over four years ago, I found a single tin -- for sugar -- and have hoped since then to get others in the set. I finally got my wish, even though these five canisters have been through even more than the sugar tin had been through! Front faces display La Fontaine fables. Other faces and top have unnamed floral designs, ducks, and a bird. I wrote about the sugar tin that "I understand the French love for fables and for reminding themselves of them around the home. Still, would I want to be reminded of the wolf devouring the lamb every time I reached for sugar!" The other tins similarly do not provide comfort as I consider food!
1989 Frederick and His Friends. Leo Lionni. A Knopf Book and Cassette Classic. Music by Blane and DeRosa Productions. Tape manufactured in Singapore. NY: Dragonfly Books: Alfred A. Knopf. Part of a set of four books and a tape. $2 at Heartwood, Charlottesville, VA, April, '92.
Great stories well read: "Frederick," "Swimmy," "Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse," and "Fish is Fish." Nice musical accompaniment.
1982 Franklin Porcelain miniature plate. The Best Loved Fairy Tales: The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Carol Lawson Signature Edition. A Limited Edition of Fine Bone China. #41 of 50 designs. $7.95 from Simply Wonderful Gifts, Bend, OR, through Ebay, July, '00.
The rim around the circumference of this 3¼" miniature plate is done in a dove pattern trimmed in 24K gold. The inside 2" circle shows the two mice enjoying fruits. To see a larger view of the plate, click on the image.
1986 Frank and Ernest. TH cartoon. "Those bookies are going to kill me!" exclaims the frantic hare approaching the finish line with the tortoise leading him. Dated 5-13. Copyright 1986 NEA, Inc. Signed "Thaves." Unknown publication and source.
This is one of the funniest fable cartoons I have encountered. People respond to it immediately in lectures in which I have shown it.
2015 Frank & Ernest comic. “The Tortoise and the Herring.” Triathlon. “I always knew that I’d pass him after the swimming portion of the race.” Photocopy. Thaves. Distributed by Univ./Uclick for UFS. Unknown source.
The tortoise announces proudly at the end of the triathlon as the herring comes bouncing along behind.
1850? Three matted circular colored engravings of fables of Jean de La Fontaine. €150 from lefennec205 through Ebay, Sept., '22.
Our collection has abundant editions using black-and-white illustrations from François Bouchot, but here are three lovely engravings in color. I fear that it is hard on the web to render the detail I find in this well-executed illustrations!
1834? Matted, framed in glass illustration of La Fontaine's "The Fox and the Monkey," apparently by Emile Joseph Alexandre Gouget. 10.5" x 8.75". Unknown source.
Here is a fifth form in which I find Gouget's work. In this case, someone has apparently separated Gouget's illustration and hand colored it effectively. The text that would have occupied the lower half of Gouget's page here becomes the verso, enhanced by the swirls that mark his fable work. The illustration finds the monkey at the "before" in this fable, where he seizes the crown. Soon he will be caught in shame in a simple trap and lose his claim to be king. Foxes do that sort of thing! The framing work was done by Romain Barillier in Paris.
1988 Framed Xerox copy of Francisco del Tuppo's illustration for "Animals Paying Last Respects to King Lion." Gift of Rev. Michael Zeps, S.J., July, '88.
This is an object where fable-collecting connects with other big things in my life. One of those things that I have done less well than others is to serve as a superior in several Jesuit communities. The object here is a framed Xerox copy of Francesco del Tuppo's 1485 image of the animals attacking the sick old lion. They are, one after another, paying him back for his heavy-handed rule over them. They can do so now that he is weak and in his last days. The lion understands it from others but is particularly insulted by being humiliated by the donkey. My good friend Fr. Mike Zeps, S.J., was charged with giving a farewell speech as I finished a difficult stint as a Jesuit superior -- difficult for me, and probably even more difficult for many of the Jesuits there. To offer a gift fit for its recipient, Mike actually went to the public library and found Taplinger's "The Life and Fables of Aesop" with del Tuppo's illustrations and chose this image of "saying good-bye." Mike knew my taste well enough that I would enjoy the wit of the selection. Notice that the donkey is not only kicking the lion in the mouth. He is also expressing himself with another bodily reaction. Fable can bring wit and even a kind of consolation to a tough moment!
1860? Framed Tile of WC. Stoke on Trent: Minton Hollins & C Patent Tile Works. Unknown source.
This rendition of Samuel Howitt's WC from 1811 is very dark. The tile is loose in the frame. It was fascinating to piece together the printing on the "waffle" back of the tile. I am surprised that we have not yet found other such Minton tiles.
1991 Framed Japanese Postage Stamp with Moral. "When we all work together, we all win together." 4" x 3.25". Unknown source.
Now here is a curious find, given or found perhaps years ago. It is a genuine Japanese stamp of which I had not know previously. I promptly bought a copy! It is framed with a moral, perhaps a creative moral for this fable. Its back has this legend: "Magnet Postage Stamp Art," "Handcrafted," "Genuine postage stamp." There is also a company name with an online address. Both seem to have disappeared. The magnetic strip on the verso may not be (any longer) strong, but I presume that that is the "magnetic" feature. The stamp is listed as "JAPAN Sc#Z113 1991 Kunma." I continue to be amazed not only at what we find but what we have found!
2000? Framed FG original painting. Kai. 296/500. 4" square. Gift of Margaret Carlson Lytton from the Libreary of Congress Gift Shop.
Beautiful, delicate work! The image is about 1.5" square. This fox seems quite self-possessed. And those grapes seem so close! Is this the same Kai that is on Etsy and Markowicz these days? I am disappointed that, although there were 500 copies of this work, none of the others show up on the web.
1986 Fox holding grapes. 3¼" high. Pat Lane Diaz, Wausau, WI. West Allis Craft Fair. Gift of Lois Carlson.
Here is a little mastepiece! This is perhaps the only time that I have seen the fox holding the grapes. Did he perhaps go out and buy them?
1995? Gray and brown cup with black lettering and brown figure. "If you deal with a fox, think of his tricks. Jean de La Fontaine." Made in Japan. Annamieke Laport, Salem, OR, through eBay, August, '
A good question would be: "Which fable of La Fontaine does this come from?" Often the fox in La Fontaine seems wise but comes up losing, as when the cat does better with its one trick of climbing the tree than the fox does with his hundred dodges. The crow in FC can certainly learn frm the fox's tricks. The fox on this cup has a suitcase -- or at least a valise -- ready to go.
This teapot, just over 2" high and with a handle going even higher, is missing its spout. It has the same FS scene as above, though some heavy rust obscures it. $5 from Marlene Schmidt, Readlyn, Iowa, Nov., '00.
This handled pitcher stands almost 2" high and displays FS against a bright red litho and blue flower background trimmed in gold. In all of the FS scenes here, the stork has his beak well down into what looks like a bottle, which the fox watches intently. $40.99 from Jo-Ann Deacon, Hamilton, Ontario, through Ebay, Feb., '00.
