Kempenaar Oriental Dutch

1900? 24 out of a series of 24 cards presenting fables of La Fontaine in an oriental style with Dutch text of the fable on the verso. "Elixir De Kempenaar." Druk J.E. Goossens, Brussels. Like the Kempenaar French oriental cards, these cards are smaller versions in the style of the Bon Marché Oriental series. While those cards are 4" x 5½", these are 3¼" x 4 7/8". The cards are numbered "1" through "24" in "Reeks C" on the bottom of the verso. "Elixir De Kempenaar" is on both sides of each card. The picture side includes a small cameo of a couple enjoying the elixir. The verso of each also "Druk J.E. Goossens, Brussels," and the text of its fable. Like the French oriental cards, these cards are as beautiful as their larger counterparts. These cards add an oval in the lower left or right: apparently a man with a pitchfork and a seated woman are both drinking Elixir De Kempenaar. The border of each card has its own intricate oriental pattern. Somehow I have managed to pull together a complete set of 24!

1900? 12 out of a series of 12 cards presenting fables of La Fontaine in an oriental style with Dutch text of the fable on the verso. "Elixir De Kempenaar." Druk J.E. Goossens, Brussels. Like the Kempenaar French oriental cards, these cards are smaller versions in the style of the Bon Marché Oriental series. While those cards are 4" x 5½", these are 3¼" x 4 7/8". Nine of the cards are numbered on the front; there are also strange numbers on the verso. On the front, there are clear numbers for 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 12. Numbers on the verso of the other three help to fit them in as 4, 6, and 9, respectively. Fully eight have "Reeks B (12 Fabelen) No. 2"! How can eight different cards be numbered "2"? Two of them have a strikethrough through the "2" and a number written that corresponds to the number on the front of the card. Albert has graciously helped me to find my way in this confusing group!

1900? 11 out of a series of 12 cards presenting fables of La Fontaine in an oriental style with Dutch text of the fable on the verso. "Elixir De Kempenaar." Druk J.E. Goossens, Brussels. Here are beautiful cards presenting some of the best scenes from the oriental series of Bon Marché. Like the Kempenaar French oriental cards, these cards are smaller versions in the style of the Bon Marché Oriental series. While those cards are 4" x 5½", these are 3¼" x 4 7/8". Apparently the publisher of the cards made mistakes in numbering these cards. Three of the eleven have numbers within the front portrait (3, 4, 12). Each has a number on the verso: "Reeks A (12 fabelen) No " but three of these eleven have "1" at the conclusion of this phrase, and they are the very cards with numbers on the front! Our series is still missing a genuine "1."