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Fox and Crow Cheese Platter 1990? Cheese platter. Hand-painted FC in vivid colors. Circular. 11" in diameter. Handle is not present. Signed by creator "Faint? Mc? Pizza?" Unknown source, date, and cost.
I am presuming that there once was a handle that fit into the central hole. Reading that artist's signature is a challenge!
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An octagonal plate depicting The Talkative Tortoise 1890? An octagonal plate almost 10" in diameter with a 7¼" gray-and-white circular design at its center presenting TT. The back of the plate shows two registry marks and a crown through a circle surrounding a coat of arms with "BWM & Co" across it and "Fables" underneath it. Above it is "Cauldon, England." Hanley, Staffordshire: Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company. $65 from Debra Johnson, Rock Hill, SC, through eBay, May, '06.
There are no chips in this substantial plate. The design, showing the moment just before lift-off, is repeated elsewhere in Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company productions. The design spills over nicely into the ridge connecting the center of this plate with its rim. The specific color here seems to me to be a combination of gray, brown, and black.
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A cream-colored plate depicting The Oyster and the Rat 1890? A cream-colored plate 9¾" in diameter with a 6½" blue-and-white circular design at its center presenting "The Oyster and the Rat." The back of the plate shows several registry marks and a crown through a circle surrounding a coat of arms with "BWM & Co" across it and "Fables" underneath it. Other marks include a complex sign headed by a "Faience Anglaise" banner and giving addresses in Paris and Marseille. Hanley, Staffordshire: Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company. $65 from Debra Johnson, Rock Hill, SC, through eBay, May, '06.
This plate seems to be in a set with the similar presentation of TT which I acquired at the same time. There is a chip at about 12 o'clock along the scalloped edge of this lovely plate. The design shows the moment just before the rat will find the oyster clamping down around his head. The design spills over nicely into the ridge connecting the center of this plate with its rim.
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A cream-colored plate depicting The Talkative Tortoise 1890? A cream-colored plate 9¾" in diameter with a 6½" blue-and-white circular design at its center presenting TT. The back of the plate shows two registry marks and a crown through a circle surrounding a coat of arms with "BWM & Co" across it and "Fables" underneath it. Other marks include a complex sign headed by a "Faience Anglaise" banner and giving addresses in Paris and Marseille. Hanley, Staffordshire: Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company. £10.51 from Chris Hill, UK, through eBay, Oct., '02.
There is a chip at about 9 o'clock along the scalloped edge of this lovely plate. The design, showing the moment just before lift-off, is repeated elsewhere in Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company productions. The design spills over nicely into the ridge connecting the center of this plate with its rim.
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A cream-colored plate depicting The Mouse, the Rooster, and the Cat 1890? A cream-colored plate over 9" in diameter with a 6" black-and-white circular design at its center presenting "The Mouse, the Rooster, and the Cat." The back of the plate shows a number of registry marks, the clearest an ink stamp working down from a crown through a circle surrounding a coat of arms with "BWM & Co" across it and "Fables" underneath it. Other marks include an indented sign surrounding a large "R" and an indented name, apparently Brown-Westhead. Well repaired edge from about 2:00 to 4:00. Hanley, Staffordshire: Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company (in existence from 1861 to 1904). $35 from Mary Ellen Kennedy, Larchmont, NY through Ebay, Dec., '99.
Perhaps the loveliest plate I have. High quality artistry throughout. Especially attractive is the attentive pose of the mouse in the foreground. The two characters he looks at present just what the fable wants from them: aggressive crowing from the rooster and welcoming, quiet fuzziness from the cat. Watch out, young mouse!
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A cream-colored cake serving plate depicting The Lobster and her Mother. 1890? A cream-colored cake serving plate 9¼" in diameter with a 6½" blue-and-white circular design at its center presenting "The Lobster and her Mother." 5½" high. The bottom of the dish has the "Brown, Westhead, Moore and Company Fables" logo and two other marks: either "6" or "9" and a red and blue mark.
A frog looks on as the mother supposedly shows her child how to walk straight. I am not sure what this fable might have to do with the serving of cake! Over half of the design on the top surface of this serving plate is open space, pond, and reeds. Around the base are two designs, apparently independent of each other: two birds on a branch and a rabbit.
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A white-colored platter depicting the Stag and the Wolf 1880? A white-colored platter 13" x almost 10½". Inside of a surrounding pattern of branches and grapes on the platter's ledge is an image featuring a fox and a stag, with other deer and trees in the background. The back of the platter shows a number of registry marks, the clearest an ink stamp working down from a crown through a circle surrounding a coat of arms with "BWM & Co" across it and "Fables" underneath it. Other marks include a diamond surrounding a large "R" with various letters and numbers, and an indented name, apparently Brown-Westhead, Moore to 1904). $65 from Shirley Perry, May, '00.
This is a large, heavy, and even formidable platter! I was baffled about which fable is presented here, but Cristel Aarts has made an excellent suggestion: this fable has the fox trying to talk the stag to come along to visit the lion. Shirley dates this and the smaller platter above to 1858-82. There are chip repairs at both "carrying" ends.
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White Platter featuring the Fox and the Stork 1880? A white-colored platter 10½" x almost 9½". Inside of a surrounding pattern of branches and grapes on the platter's ledge is an image featuring a fox and a stork. The back of the platter shows two simple registry marks and an indented name, apparently Brown-Westhead, Moore and Company (in existence from 1861 to 1904). The "Moore" portion is indistinct. $50 from Shirley Perry, May, '00.
This is a heavy platter. There is a shallow plate in front of the protagonists and narrow vases in the background. Shirley dates this and the larger platter below to 1858-82. There are chip repairs at the right-hand "carrying" end. The "Moore" portion of the indented name is indistinct.
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Mint Imperforate Proofs 1995 Mint Imperforate Proofs of the six La Fontaine fable stamps of 1995. $8.99 from Boyd Lien thorugh Ebay, Dec., '19.
I do not know stamp collecting, and so I am learning something here about the process of producing a stamp. I was surprised to see this offer come up on Ebay. I continue to be surprised at the many publications and printings in which this stamp issue expressed itself.
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Decanter TH The bunny sleeps next to a tree stump while the tortoise passes by. In the background a fox holds a flag ready to signal the winner.
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Decanter GGE The man seems to be whistling as he hides the hatchet behind his back and eyes the goose, who stands over two golden eggs.
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Decanter FG The fox's tongue hangs out to the right as he shows an angry and disgruntled look.
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Decanter DS The rendering of two things is excellent in this decanter. First, the dog's left ear is arched up as he looks down intot he water with the bone in his mouth. Secondly, the flat reflection in the water below is well done.
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Decanter BW The shepherd boy calls back left while the wolf appears with open mouth over him on the right.
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Decanter AL The lion is kissing or licking Androcles, whose one eye squints as he removes the thorn from the crying lion's paw. The decanter plays the tune "What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love." See a detail of the scene below.
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Arthur Court Aesop's Fables tray featuring FWT 1984 Arthur Court Aesop's Fables tray featuring FWT. Heavy aluminum serving tray measuring approximately 24¼" x 15⅝ at the widest points.
The verso actually reads "Aesops fables by Arthur Court copyrighted 1984." The tray depicts foxes with a tailless fox at the center. There is a grape and leaf border design. A curiosity of this tray is that its obverse underneath the tray depicts the scene as exactly as the top of the tray does. The same tray seems to be selling on eBay these days for several hundred dollars. Click on either picture to see an enlarged picture.
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Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set 1990? Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set. Apparently made in China by Albert Price Products. $10.51 from Karen Weaver, Canfield, Ohio, through Ebay, April, '99. Extra set for $1.75 from Beverly and John Ledford through Ebay, Sept., '00.
I am delighted to have found these! My MLS fable class immediately declared them cute, and they are right. The grape-colored rabbit, running with one leg upraised, stands 2.5" tall with three holes. He looks back to see if the turtle is catching up with him. The green-and-brown turtle stands 1.5" tall with two holes. Both original corks are present and intact. The coloring is simple, and the two poses are perfect. I suppose the turtle is moving, but you would not know it!
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Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set 1980? Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set. Hare 2½" tall with three holes in the top of his head. Tortoise almost 3" tall with two holes at the top of his back. $15.50 from Sandy Hyatt, Coffeyville, KS, through Ebay, Sept., '00.
The two figures have no identifying marks or labels. Neither has a stopper. The color finish of the standing tortoise is particularly rich. This hare neither sleeps nor moves.
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Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set 1977 Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set. ©FF 1977. Handpainted. The tortoise is 2¾" high with three holes near the top of his back. The hare is 3¼" high with two holes on top of his head. $7.99 from Linn Bruns, Rollingbay, WA, through Ebay, Oct., '00.
There is a clear accent here on cuteness. The front of the feet of both figures are turned up to suggest movement. Click on the image to see it enlarged.
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Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set 1970? Tortoise and Hare salt and pepper shaker set. Made by New England Ceramics. Tortoise stands 1.5" off the ground, while the standing hare reaches 4". $24 from Cathy Rosenwald, Holland, PA, through Ebay, Feb., '00. Click on the image to see it in larger format.
Cathy writes that this set has been featured in Carey and Tompkins 1003 Shakers and Helene Guarnaccia's Book 3. The original stoppers are still in tact. Although this tortoise seems rather standard, the hare is holding his head in his hand and may be sleeping standing up! The few black markings and the purple ear tips on the hare make for a dramatic figure.
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Goose and Golden Egg salt and pepper shaker set 1960? Goose and Golden Egg salt and pepper shaker set. Made in Japan. The goose is almost 1½" x 2¾" x almost 2¾" high with three holes at the base of her neck. The egg is almost 1 1/8" high and wide and 1½" long with three holes on the rounded side. $5.50 from Guy Berard, Canton, NY, through Ebay, Feb., '01.
Gold luster glaze on the egg. This is a very large egg for this goose to have produced!
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Fox and Grapes Salt and Pepper Shaker Set 1950? "The Fox and the Grapes" salt and pepper shaker set. Apparently made in the U.S.A. Either figure is 3" tall. $24.99 from Beth Warriner, Cocoa, FL, through Ebay, August, '99.
I never thought I would see salt and pepper shakers of this fable! Painted grapes cling to the two forks of a sturdy vine, while the fox seems to hug himself and certainly licks his chops. It is of course unfortunate that the fox here is actually higher than the grapes he seeks! The cork under each shaker is missing. I think I can make out a pencilled price on the bottom of each piece: $1.25 for the pair! One person's trash is another person's treasure!
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Set of 11 Longwy plates 1950? 11 French plates featuring La Fontaine fable scenes produced in Longwy, France. Each is 7¾" in diameter. Backs of the plates include one or all of these three elements: an ink stamp of the Longwy name and coat of arms (apparently a berry branch under a crown); an imprinted mark; and a stamped number (5 or 8). There is one extra of WC. 1500 Francs from Jacques Chesnais at Marché Vernaison in Clignancourt, August, '99.
Each plate has a green line inside an undulating outer edge. At the point of indentation an 1¼" into the plate there is a simple black line. Once the plate reaches its lowest level, a repeated pattern of thin and thick blocks forms a circle around the fable scene. This is done in about five strong colors: brown, tan, blue, green, red, and black. The resulting scenes look like wood inlay and are delightful in their simplicity. Does the mouse in FM wear goggles and a swimsuit? The snail in "The Heron" is particularly charming. I found this set early in the day, made a deal to hold them for the day, and had to visit several money machines to get the cash to buy them! Then I got to carry them on my back for the rest of my travels! It was worth it!
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China plate of BF 1989 China plate of BF, specifically "The Jay and the Peacock." Michael Hampshire. Edwin M. Knowles China Company. Sixth issue in limited edition series of fables. #1066A. Bradex #84-K81-31.6. $19.20 from Allen's Online, May, '99.
I had heard that there was a sixth in the series, and a little hunting around the web found Allen's selling it! Now as I try to reduplicate the feat, I cannot! The "eyes" of the peacock feathers stand out brilliantly for their color in this plate. Otherwise the jay is more furry than feathery. There are some littler birds chirping at him, but the peacocks only look on him from afar with disdain. A text brochure is included.
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China plate of MM
1989 China plate of MM. Michael Hampshire. Edwin M. Knowles China Company. Fifth issue in limited edition series of fables. #1258A. Bradex #84-K81-31.5. $24.99 from Mack's Attic, Derry NH, through Ebay, March, '99.
Hampshire tends to work in a Rockwellian mode.Here the pretty dirndled maid sits with bowed legs and a flower drooping from her hands. Chicks swim in the milk, and the cat approaches to drink some. A goat nuzzles up to console the maid. Hampshire surrounds the scene as usual with plenty of farm animals and life. There is again a brochure of the fable included.