1890? Circular pin with an unusual view of FS. 1” in diameter. Safety clasp on the verso. Verso reads “Nur Schein Invite. 67.” Unknown source.
This pin reproduces an image found on one of two German verse coins in the collection. Together they offer a “before” and “after” in the FS story. The verse there urges not to make fun of a competitor. Here the German seems to say perhaps “Appearance only invites” or, more literally, “Only appearance invites.” One web reference suggests that there is a second pin with an image like that on the second coin.
1920? 8" cream-colored plate with a blue-green colored design depicting FS. The plate reads "Fables de LaFontaine" and "Le Renard et la Cigogne." The back stamp reads "Porcelaine opaque de Gien." There is a registry mark on the plate's back. $35 from Linda Leffingwell, Doyestown, PA, June, '11.
The block lettering is typical of Gien work. Though the scene is the fable's second phase, in which the stork is turning the tables on the fox, the artist manages to position the stork's tall vase inside of the fox's shallow soup-bowl. The fox looks on, perhaps noticing the enticing and edible creature suggested inside the vase. The scene covers the entirety of the front of the plate.
1900? Heavy brass doorstop presenting FS scene of stork eating from a vase. 10" high. Unknown source, date, or price.
Now here is a surprise. This object is one of those acquisitions about whose information I was not careful at a busy time. I needed to find out what I could. I am thankful that I tried Google Images. The page lit up with many exemplars of exactly this doorstop. The variety among the offers was remarkable especially on two counts. The fowl here is variously characterized as a ho ho bird, a crane, or a swan drinking from a ewer. The prices range from $99 to $500. It all makes me even more curious to find out how I acquired our exemplar!
2000? Brown and cream cup featuring FS. Katherine Hackl, Spindletop Studios, Stockton, NJ.
A fox with an attitude looks directly at a peaceful stork standing over a vase. Plants fill in the open spaces on this almost geometric cup. The base of the cup is stamped with a fish.
1960? Salt glaze ash tray presenting FS. Buchecker Co. Excelsiorwerk, Lucern, Switzerland. $6 from Jack De Foe, Peoria, AZ, through Ebay, April, '99.
The stork eats and drinks while the fox can only look into his long, tall glass. The legend underneath the scene reads "Buchecker a pour chaque vin son verre. La cigogne n'en a pas pour le renard!" "Buchecker has for every wine its own glass. The stork did not have the right one for the fox!" I take it that Buchecker is a glass-supplier for wine bars. Their description on the back says that the produce glass, porcelain, and crystal for restaurants, hotels, and bars. What a lovely little bit of Aesop to show up on a bar counter!
2024? Limited edition print "Fox and Hare V. II" by Elizabeth Jean Younce for Mustard Beetle, Los Angeles, CA. #72 of 100. 8" x 10". Gift of Sonja Carlson, Dec., '24.
What a delightful gift! The artist's structuring puts the two animals together in an oval. The woods surround and separate the two. There seem to be many stories of the fox and the hare. There is a story among traditional fables catalogued by B.E. Perry as Perry #333, Chambry #192, and Gibbs #596. In this fable, the fox says to the curious hare 'If you don't know my arts, I will have you to dinner so that you can get a taste of my art.' When the hare arrives, he finds that he is the dinner. I would also add a widely known story, as it is retold online by Randall Craig: "An old master was with his disciple walking in the woods, when they observed a hare being chased by a fox. The student observed that it would not be long before the hare would be caught, and eaten by the faster (and probably smarter) fox. The master replied that this particular rabbit would get away, and that they should stay and watch. Sure enough, after five-ten minutes of watching, the rabbit did get away, leaving a tired (and probably hungry) fox." The moral commonly drawn is that the hare was running for his life, while the fox was running for his lunch.
1990? Two knife-holders presenting a fox and a hare. 3½" x 1½" (hare) and 4" x 1". Unknown source.
The elongated bodies fit with their role as knife-rests. Is there a fable of a fox and a hare? Yes, says Northcote, who presents this story: " A little timorous Rabbit, who had a safe retreat in his burrow underground, had often perceived an artful Fox lurking near the spot, as if watching for the first opportunity to seize and devour him. However, he lay secure for the present, as the Fox could not enter the small burrow. One day, soon after, the devoted Rabbit saw the Fox in deep confabulation, and seemingly in great amity with the Weasel. This, he conjectured, boded no good to himself, as he found but too soon to be the case; for presently after the Weasel entered his burrow, and attacked him with such fury and fierceness, that he had no other chance of saving his life but by flight. But no sooner bad he darted from his burrow, than he immediately found himself seized on by the Fox; who, together with the Weasel, began to tear him in pieces, when thus the unfortunate victim of their arts, in his dying agonies, uttered his complaint: “I foresaw that my doom was determined on when you two counseled together.” I presume that I acquired these as fable knife-rests. I have not been able to identify a larger set to which they might belong.
1981? FG Trinket Box. Made exclusively in Japan for Elizabeth Arden. Southern Heirlooms. 3.25" diameter. From an unknown source.
As I try to recover information on where some items came from as they entered this collection, I almost expect to find no help online. This piece is an exception! As soon as I entered an image, all sorts of equivalent photos showed up. The piece is variously known also as a Jewelry Holder and a Candle Holder. I had not thought that one could put or pour a candle into this little creature. In any case, the presentation seems to have nothing to do with FG, since that story depends on the two being separate from each other. For a rather commonplace object, it is beautifully made. The rim has a projection corresponding to the fox's tail.
This tray may or may not belong to the set. It has the same theme of floral patterns in front of a bright red background. It features FG. 11 3/8" x 7½". Whether through scratches or just age, the metal shows through the painted design at a number of small spots on the upper surface of the tray. $65 from Marlene Schmidt, Readlyn, Iowa, August, '00.
1910? Scissors with one serrated edge showing foxes straining upward for grapes on each handle. "Italy." 6" long and 2" wide. Unknown source.
This grapes scissors is a heavier version of the scissors above found earlier. There is a curious bent in the handle of the scissors. Both foxes and grapes are well detailed on both front and back. On closer inspection, this scissors seems to be the heavier, better defined original version of which the Smith scissors above is a less defined lighter copy. How fascinating!
1900? Scissors with one serrated edge showing foxes straining upward for grapes on each handle. 5¾" long and 2" wide. $15.50 from Richard Smith, Jr., Oak Ridge, NJ, through Ebay, Sept., '00.
Am I correct in presuming that this is a grape scissors for cutting bunches of grapes from the larger bunch or vine? Is that silver plating that is tarnished? Click on the image to see it enlarged.
1950? "The Fox and the Grapes" salt and pepper shaker set. Apparently made in the U.S.A. Either figure is 3" tall. $24.99 from Beth Warriner, Cocoa, FL, through Ebay, August, '99.
I never thought I would see salt and pepper shakers of this fable! Painted grapes cling to the two forks of a sturdy vine, while the fox seems to hug himself and certainly licks his chops. It is of course unfortunate that the fox here is actually higher than the grapes he seeks! The cork under each shaker is missing. I think I can make out a pencilled price on the bottom of each piece: $1.25 for the pair! One person's trash is another person's treasure!
1999 Fox and grapes pin. Made in China. Topanga, CA: Zarah Company. $30 from Suzanne Katzen, Delray Beach, FL, through Ebay, Oct., '01.
A 1½" double circle of gold wire supports leaves, grapes, and a fox. Beautiful colors!
1890? A brass FG button 1.1" in diameter, following the pattern of two buttons already in the collection, acquired from Goldbarg and Larner. Unknown source.
As with those two buttons, we see a tree with a high picket fence on the left. There is nothing on the ground in the foreground and the fox has his left paw on the first step of a simple ladder leading toward the grapes. Unlike other FG buttons, this has a plain rim of the same material as the button.
1996 Fox and Grape Earrings. Made in China. Topanga, California: Zarah Company. Gift of Margaret Carlson Lytton from Winterthur, Nov., '96.
Leaves and grapes hang down from each of the two foxes. Hand-painted enamel on sterling silver with garnet beads and amethyst Swarovski crystal. What a great find by one of the great power-shoppers!
1920? 8" cream-colored plate with a blue-green colored design depicting "The Fox and the Goat." The plate reads "Fables de LaFontaine" and "Le Renard et le Bouc." The back stamp reads "Porcelaine opaque de Gien." There is a registry mark on the plate's back. $35 from Linda Leffingwell, Doyestown, PA, June, '11.
The block lettering is typical of Gien work. The moment depicted finds the fox looking back for a moment as he begins to walk away and leave the goat helpless in the well. The two animal characters are highlighted by the scene's shading; surprisingly, perhaps, the well's mechanism is equally highlighted. The scene covers the entirety of the front of the plate.
1958 FC. "Aptitude Tested Puzzle of 20 Pieces. For Ages 4 to 8." Heavy cardboard. 10¼" x 14¼". Sold as one of a set of three (with two Hansel-and-Gretal scenes dated 1955). 4508-1 (with 4508-7 and 4508-8). Made in U.S.A. Milton Bradley Company. $4.95 from Paula Edwards, Morgantown, NC, through Ebay, Sept., '99.
Many of the pieces of this puzzle are identifiable objects. In fact, if you look in the illustration, you can find an automobile. I find it curious that now that I have finally found three picture puzzles of fables, two of them were done by the same company in the same year!
