Clothing & Accessories

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.

1890? 1 circular FC button, brass, .75" in diameter. Unknown source. The image is familiar. This is one of our smaller buttons. No rim. The button itself is of one-piece construction, with a metal eyelet welded onto the back.

1890? One FK button. 1.2" in diameter. Unknown source. This is our only FK button. The steels surrounding the "King" are the tops of reeds. One of them is missing. The button is crimped slightly. This metal button is stamped through the back. There is no other backing.

1900? Large (1½") button depicting "The Peasant of the Danube." Unknown source. This exemplar seems darker than our original button but seems otherwise identical.

1890? A large FG button, 1.4" in diameter. Unknown source. This large button varies the details of the usual FG pattern. Notice the single railing rather than two parallel railings on the fence. This fox has his left paw raised to make an attempt at the grape. In a similar vein, his right rear paw is already climbing.

1890? 2 FS buttons, 1.25" in diameter, with black celluloid background. Unknown source. These two were found among uncatalogued materials in 2025 and seem to match other buttons in design but not in size. It is not clear that they were originally purchased together.

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.

2021? WSC T-Shirt. 100% cotton. Made in China. $15 from Judaicaman: Joshua Jacobovitz, Shilo, Israel, March, '25. Among the many "Aesopic" images emerging from China, here is one that gets the fable right. This wolf is ready to eat some lamb, as both his face and his paws indicate!

1960? TH scarf. 21" square. Unknown date and source. This lively scarf asks to be viewed from several different angles, from the race's start to its finish. The hare runs with a stopwatch in his hand. He also stops at a hot dog stand. A grandstand full of tortoises and hares watches the tortoise cross the line as winner. Browns, yellows, and pinks.

2000? Double Ring Featuring TH. Plastic? Two copies, one with defective tortoise. Unknown source. This ring, or others quite similar, is readily available on the web. Our first ring is a double ring! Who would have imagined that?

1960? Severin Original Wooden Box Purse Presenting TH. 6.5" x 3.75" x 3.75". Signed "Severin" on the inside cover. Unknown source. Here is one of the more unusual objects in the collection. I learned what it is only by going online and seeing another instance for sale, with a price of $150 discounted to $75. I had wondered whether it might be a lunchbox. The four sides track the race from the starter's line to the finish, where the hare is sleeping five feet from the finish! The pictures seem to be carefully applied decals. The artist signs the last image "Carl." I wondered if the images themselves might be found on the web, but there I had no luck. I ask myself what the occasion might be for carrying a TH purse.

2000? Set of 7 Ballard lapel pins. "Doré Fin d'Or." €19.90 from Mabillon75 through Ebay, May, '22. It took me a while to figure out OR. Ballard seems to have been known -- or to be known now -- for its lapel pins. Here are seven of La Fontaine's most beloved fables rendered in pins.