A headshot of Frank LaMere.
ECOFFEY, B., & LCT CORRESPONDENT. (2019, June 20). ACTIVIST FRANK LAMERE PASSES ON. Lakota Times -; Lakota Times. https://www.lakotatimes.com/articles/activist-frank-lamere-passes-on/
1910? Twelve 7½" x 5¼" cards engraved by Devambez in Paris, picturing and presenting Florian's fables but not in full color, as in an otherwise almost identical set, but rather in monochrome. "Édité par la Phosphatine Falières." Gift of Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, August, '15. Now six further cards for $6 each from Bertrand, Sept., '21.
The pictures used are identical with those used in the colored set, and the same texts and printer's designs are also used, but the setup of each card, front and verso, is slightly different. These cards are not numbered as are those in the colored series. What a curious repetition! And how strange that I have not come across it until now! Each verso contains its fable text bordered on three sides by a floral display.
1910? Phosphatine Falières Trade Cards. Maurice Leloir. Handmade. Hardbound. Edite par la Phosphatine Falières. $112 from Broli, Miami, FL, through abe, Dec., '13.
This is a handmade book containing 22 of 24 trade cards issued by Phosphatine Falières presenting Florian's fables. Cards 1 and 10 are missing. As it happens, I have twenty-two of the cards of this series; all twenty-two are pictured in the Phosphatine Falières section of non-stock fable cards. Those twenty-two fortunately include the missing #1 and #10. There is one mistake in the order of the cards; the sequence at the middle of this book follows the order 8, 9, 12, 11, 13, 14. A hand put a date of mcmxxxix and some notes on the bottom of each page. The front and back green leather covers present a curious inlaid geometric design. The book is boxed. I have put copies of the two missing cards into the front of the book. The book of course supplies the two missing cards, #11 -- "L'Avare et son Fils" -- and #19 -- "Les deux Chats." I will include the Broli description: "Preciosa colección de tarjetones editados por Phosphatine Falieres c/1910. Son 22 fábulas de Florian (de un total de 24) bellamente ilustradas a color por Maurice Leloir al frente, y al dorso el texto de las mismas en francés. Cada una tiene al pie una pequeña dedicatoria manuscrita en español y fechadas todas 1939. Encuadernadas en cuero verde con diseños geométricos combinados y labrados (c/1940). Con caja. Muy curioso. Castellano Hardcover Leather Bound (Cuero Pleno) Very good condition (Muy buen estado)." "Muy curioso" is right!
1910? Ten 7½" x 5¼" cards engraved by Devambez in Paris, picturing and presenting Florian's fables. The pictures are numbered "1" through "10." Each illustration is signed by Maurice Leloir. $35 for the set from Jalilstamps through eBay, April, '07. Several more cards, including the missing #11, from Caveron Devey, Paris, August, '14. Extra copy of "La Mère, l'Enfant et les Sarigues" for $7 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., '21. Seven extra copies for €20 from Aux Vieux Papier, Anchenoncourt, Oct., '25.
How fortunate to find twelve more -- and perhaps to complete the set! My comments on the first set apply to these cards. "Le Grillon," "La Jeune Poule et le Vieux Renard," and "Le Danseur de Corde et le Balancier" have perhaps the strongest colored illustrations. The last of these wonderfully pictures the falling balancier in mid-air! The floral displays on the versos are here all in red, while they were all in something like a silvery green on the other cards. A good sample of the strong verso illustrations is "Le Danseur de Corde et le Balancier": the fallen artist scratches his perhaps wounded head. The cards are again in very good condition.
1910? Twenty-six 7" x 4¾" cards printed by Typogravure Goupil, Paris, picturing and presenting La Fontaine fables. Each card is signed by J. Shalon or Chalon. Group A: Seven for 80 Francs each from Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market, August, '99. Group B: Eleven for $8 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, March, '01. Four cropped cards for $18.05 from Andrea Evans, Red Bank, NJ, through eBay, Oct., '02. Further cards for €7-€10 at St. Ouen, August, '15. Three further Group A cards and an extra of LM for $7 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricoouart, France, Sept., '21. 2P for €15 from Albert van den Bosch, Antwerp, June, '23.
The front of each of the cards has "Édité par la Phosphatine Falières" at the top. Beneath that is a large rectangular section. In all of Group A and the first two of Group B, this rectangle is bordered with straight lines enclosing a gray background. In the rest of Group B, there are no lines and no gray background. In either case, a delightful and varied floral border frames a large, delicately colored human scene. The lower portion of the framed section includes a moral, a title, and sometimes the first lines of the fable. Beneath the rectangle is the indication of Goupil and "Phosphatine Falières, Aliment des Enfants." The backs continue the fable. Many of the Group A cards are severely damaged by scrapbook glue, but all in Group B are in very good condition. On the back, those with a gray background on the front have a red floral border surrounding the text of the fable and a detailed blue-and-white rendition of the animal scene. Those without the gray have a blue floral border and a rendition of the animal scene in the same color. In each case for both groups the framing border is again unique, as it was on the front. Beneath it all is the same closing text as on the front: "Phosphatine Falières, Aliment des Enfants."
2010? Five postal souvenirs of the Fables of de La Fontaine, each with a perforated section to be removed from the surrounding image. GA; FG; CJ; “The Worker and His Children”; “The Snake and the File.” Benjamin Rabier. About 5.5" x 7". $5 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., ’20.
I believe I have never seen something like this. And I can find no exemplars on the web. The reprinting of Rabier’s pages is exquisite; it is of the sort one would expect from the makers of postage stamps. The choice of the portion perfectly circumscribed with perforation is fascinating, as when CJ focuses on the bumpkin ready to sell his valuable book. Similarly, “The Worker and His Children” focuses on a sickle ready to be wielded in bringing in the bumper crop. Some searching on the web revealed other such philatelic productions, particularly in France. The “stamps” generated here have apparently no value for the posting of a letter. Curious!
1890? Two colored trade cards from a series of six, illustrating GA and “The Lion and the Gnat.” Pharmacie Normale. Paris: J. Chèret.
Bertrand tells me that this set is extremely rare and that the other four cards do not illustrate fables. The representation of the lion is regal, but is this a lion? The frozen background in GA sets a good scene. One may need a minute or two to notice the grasshopper’s guitar.
