2010? Four supersized (4 ¼" X 11 ½" X 1") matchboxes featuring details of Fraipont's 1888 illustrations along with La Fontaine's text for FS, WL, FG, and MM. Made in France. Allumettes Seita.
1912 Ouvrages de Dames "Broderies/Dessins Anciens" Brochure. April 7, 1912. Supplement 14 to Nouvelle Mode. $7.75 from Antiquesythier through Ebay, March, '20.
I lose my way in the various chapter headings in this 8-page brochure, which was a supplement in either Ouvrages de Dames or Nouvelle Mode. It consists mostly of patterns and descriptions. The description of FC lists it as a sequel to FG. The design itself is about 4" x 8".
1935? Set of twelve postcard-size (5½" x 3½") cards titled "12 Cartoons for Tapestry by J.-B. Oudry (1686-1765)" by Artext Cards. The twelve are individually labeled as "Artest - A. XXI.1" through " Artest - A. XXI.12." Made in France but titled in English with the general heading "La Fontaine's Fable." $46.05 for the set in a fragile envelope from Heartsdeesire on eBay, Sept., '03.
These are satisfactory renditions of Oudry's work. The seller has the same question I have, namely, "Are these postcards?" I find it unusual that they were printed in France but marketed somewhere in English speaking territory. As the seller also points out, the envelope is torn, but the cards themselves are in very good condition.
1800? 5 reproductions of Oudry's illustrations, perhaps the 1755 edition, with markings of the tissues that protected the illustrations.
I enjoy Oudry's work, and these prints have come out well. I will be on the lookout for the edition that matches this format: pages 8.9" x 11.8" and illustrations 5.75" x 7.7". Oudry is acknowledged on all but one; five different people are listed as the engravers—all, I believe, from the original group that translated Oudry's work into printed form: Cochin and Chenu, LeBas, Tardieu, Beauvarlet, and Pasquier, respectively.
1950? Colored postcard presenting the first phase of Oudry's FS. Van Cortenbergh, Brussels. €2 from Bartko-Reher Ansichtskarten, April, '23.
I am surprised that we do not have other cards from this particular series. The coloring is attractive on one of Oudry's excellent designs.
1907? Fables de La Fontaine. Six unnumbered cards with the title, a reproduction of Oudry's illustration, and La Fontaine's text on the front. The fables are OF, LS, 2P, and FG. The stamp and postmark are also on the front. All were signed and sent from Paris in June/July 1907 to Lucien Lallier. Published by A. Quantin, Paris. Four for 75 Francs from Renaud Teissier at the Paul Bert-St. Ouen Clignancourt Flea Market, May, '97. A fifth card representing WL for €5 from Bartko-Reher, Berlin, April, '21. TMCM earlier from H. Bartij, Kocaeli, Turkey, through eBay.
FG and LS are two of Oudry's best and best-known illustrations, and they retain a good deal of their force in this unusual medium. 2P and OF may be less focused. It is a delight to see Oudry's work reproduced!
1920? Jean de La Fontaine portrait card with his signature. Les Signatures de Personnages Célèbres. Including an illustration of “The Rat Who Retired from the World.” $8 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., ’20.
The verso has a life of Fontaine. I am curious about the two letters or symbols that appear after the “De la fontaine” signature, where, by the way, all three capitals are reversed from the present orthography.
1986. "Fables." Learn As You Play. Illustrations by Gesine Mahoney. Fax-Pax. Great Britain.
Thirty-six cards, each with a fable printed on one side and a titled colored picture on the other. The style of the illustrations is soft and cute. How one "plays" is not clear. The best illustrations include: "The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing," "The Trees and the Axe," and "The Stork and the Farmer." The lion has not bad breath but the smell of a skunk from a fight. WC adds a phase: "You only saved me for a reward." The spilt milk is kicked over by a cow; the point is that tomorrow is another day. The FS illustration misses the point by having the fox serve solid chunks of food on plates. The cards' packaging changes slightly in the new edition, apparently from 1989.
