1935? Eight chromolithographed trade cards advertising "Fabrique de Chocolats, Conserves Alimentaires, Maison Salmon in Nantes." 2¾" x 4". €12.90 from nantes-antiques through Ebay, Jan., '23.
This set of cards uses the illustrations of two other sets, those I have associated with "Alcide Picard" and with "Verger-Haquet." These differ from the Picard cards in that the titles at the bottom of the picture side of the card are here all in capital letters, whereas the fable titles in "Picard" have only initial capital letters. Verger-Haquet has identical illustrations, like "The Miser Who Buried His Treasure," but has only five cards. Three are trade cards using capital letters, while two are cards without advertising. There are also some twelve less substantial slips featuring these illustrations. "Alph. Babotte" also belongs to this group of images.
1890? Twenty-five printed sheets, 10¾" x 14½", each featuring an individual fable of La Fontaine. The sheets themselves give no identifying trademark, but these posters are identical with individual pages in two volumes, Imagerie Artistique: 20 Fables de La Fontaine I and II, listed under "1890?" and estimated by Bodemann to have been printed in 1888-90. The artists include H. Vogel, Gaston Gélibert, Mangonot, Godefroy, Firmin Bouisset, (Anatole Paul?) Ray, Job (=Jacques Marie Gaston Onfroy de Breville), and Gustave Fraipont. (I am indebted to Bodemann for the deciphering and spelling of these.) A frequent engraver's mark is "Michelet sc". One is dated 1888. Listed individually at 80 and 100 Francs, the set cost 1200 Francs from a Buchinist along the Seine, August, '99. Two extras from Bailly, Paris, June, '17, for €24. And 18 from Anne-Marie-Kucharski for €234, June, '17. "Shepherd and the Sea" for €3.25 from antikobjet 84200 through Ebay, Dec., '23.
Each page includes a title in caps at the top, with "Fable de la Fontaine" in smaller caps inside parentheses just below it. Somewhere on the page, the text of the fable appears. The colors are strong in many but may be misprinted somewhat in others (like "Le Rat et l'Huitre"). Among the strongest images are "Les Deux Coqs," "La Mort et le Bucheron," "La Cigale et la Fourmi," and "La Grenouille et le Boeuf." My highest prize goes to the complex composition of "Le Renard et les Raisins," complete with a poor man pointing to a palatial manor. "Conseil Tenu par les Rats" shows children protesting with placards (for example, "Vive les Vacances") outside the school. "Les Deux Chèvres" features two little girls plunging from a bridge into some water, with picnic basket, bottle, and shoe falling with them. One sheet is unfortunately cropped (by the publisher?) right through the title : "Les Oreilles du Lievre"). I found this set just after I had found a set of Pellerin large-format colored sheets of La Fontaine's fables. A genuinely surprising find was "Le Berger et la Mer" six years after finding other members of this group! I again experienced that making out Firmin Bouisset's signature is not easy!
1900? Set of 16 La Fontaine Fable Slides. Paris: Maison de la Bonne Presse. Unknown source.
I have had a good time trying to get good scans of these lively magic lantern slides. At times they remind me of the Liebig series that employ children, and at other times of the Liebig series that employs signs. In each slide, there is a clear comparison between the fable and a real-life situation. I would love to try viewing these through a good strong magic lantern projector!
1969? Magnetic patch with Jacob Lawrence's "The Council of the Mice." 3" x 3.75". Unknown source.
Here may be a first: As I tried to research this item online, what I found immediately was our own Archives' reference to it on the web. "A rectangular magnet with a black and white image printed on it. The image printed depicts a group of mice enthusiastically talking to one another. Under the image depicted there are words that read: "Jacob Lawrence 'The Council of Mice,' 1969." I would add a comment or two. Notice the older mouse with an umbrella in the lower left. He is the one who will "call the question," a question that will find no one volunteering. I suspected that this was an Etsy product, but extensive searching has not come up with a clue, there or elsewhere.
1925? Twelve postcards using images of Maggie Salzedo for La Fontaine's fables and advertising Ricqlès mint alcohol. €5.45 each from Suzanne Botti, Le Bono, at the Paris Post Card Exhibition, Jan., '05. Five extras for €15 from Recto-Verso, Strasbourg, July, '19.
The cards have a consistent pattern: an art deco scene in soft pastels covers 85% of the card and includes an open scroll showing the title. Somewhere in the image is an artist's mark in block letters "Maggie Salzedo." Beneath the image is a segment of the fable consisting of two or three verses. Underneath it all is "Ed. Bernard, Paris." The milk-carrier in MM seems so graceful that it is hard to believe that she would spill her milk! The effect of the art is in many cases simply striking, e.g., "Le Villageois et le Serpent" and "Le Paon se plaignant à Junon." Are some images, like "L'Huitre et les Plaideurs," harmed by inexact printing? The verso is that of a standard postcard but for two features. The center line dividing the two halves of the card culminates at the bottom in a bottle of Ricqlès. And across the top of the message-section is the message "Alcool de menthe de Ricqlès--87 années de succès." I checked the web; if Henri de Ricqlès created a new drink in 1838 and it boasted of eighty-seven years of success, we might be looking at a card from about 1925. Two of the cards have some writing in pencil on the verso. None were mailed.
1900? 3 lavishly colored French cards about 3" x 5" advertising "Maison des Magasins Réunis." Printed by J.E. Goossens, Lille. 60 Francs each from Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market, August, '99. Click on any image to see it full-size.
Human characters are used for GA and are clad in Japanese kimonos; this image is particularly strong, I believe. It includes beautiful snow on the ground, bushes, and trees; the "Cigale" has a guitar on her back. The woodman of "Death and the Woodman" wears a bamboo hat and a robe, while death is dressed in white. The two rats of TMCM scamper down from the table, which has a tea set on it. "Maison des MR" is added inside an oval seal on each picture. The back of each card repeats "Maison des Magasins Réunis" and locates the operation in Paris. It then gives the title and text of the fable, the printer, and an address of Paris, 20, Rue Gérando. Would that be the address of the printer or of the business? These cards are similar in style but different in size and format from a set of orientalizing cards done by Bon Marché. None of these cards overlap in subject with cards I have from that set. Both sets were done by the same printer.
1931 Aesop's Fables Picture Puzzle. Three puzzles. Apparently by J. Lang. Heavy cardboard. 5½" x 8½". Series No. 205. Utica: Madmar Quality Co. $25 from Robert Watts, Fairfield, VA, through Ebay, March, '00.
Three twelve-piece puzzles: GGE, "The Squealing Pig," and TH. The style of the pictures reminds me of Milo Winter's work. The puzzles are complete but slightly warped. What a great find!
2018 Macau China set of four by four stamps of "Fables and Classic Stories," including BW and "The Emperor's New Clothes." $14.99 from starlightcity99 through Ebay, Oct., '18 Combination stamp picturing all four individual stories for €3.99 from W4 Stamps and Collectables, Falmouth, UK, May, '20. Extra of one strip and of the combination stamp from Chan Yue Kong, Hong Kong, perhaps in March, '19.
The additional two tales are "The Happy Prince" and "Red Riding Hood." I recognized "The Emperor's New Clothes" readily but was surprised by the creative presentation of BW. A little research online showed that there is a combined sheet with just one usable stamp in the middle, which I have just ordered. As so often in stamps, so here: the detail of the artistry is excellent! I offer here close-up views of the two fable stamps -- and now of the combined sheet I ordered earlier..
1955? Two numbered postcards using green, red, and black for their images. Illustrations signed by “M.M.V.” Campagne pour la Sauvegarde de l’Enfance et de l’Adolescence. MM (#1) and FS (#5). $7 each from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., ’20. TH for €5 from Bartko-Reher OHG, July, '21.
The artistry in these cards is surprisingly similar to that in the series done for the “Semaine Nationale de l’Enfance.” The verso of each card has a pointed remark to the reader drawn from the fable and the campaign. For MM it is “Would you have bought Perrette a new pot?” and for FS “Do not fool your children if you want to keep their trust.” I have found one other card on the web and hope to add it to the series. Perhaps Bertrand can find me the rest of the series, however large it may be!
