Creighton University Archives and Special Collections

Carlson Fable Collection

Item Set

Items

• One Olympians FDC Envelope
  1990 One Olympians FDC Envelope with original Tortoise and Hare art by GreenLee. Postmarked Minneapolis, MN, July 6, 1990. $8.50 from Linda Roberts, Jordanville, NY, through eBay, May, '03. The five different $.25 stamps present American Olympics winners: Hazel Wightman, Eddie Eagan, Helene Madison, Jesse Owens, and Ray Ewry. The envelope itself has a hare in gray and reddish-brown and a tortoise in two shades of green. The logo is "I accept the challenge." On the back is marked "8/35 Paw Prints #5." May there be other Olympic themes from GreenLee that use fables?
• "E" Stamp
  1988 One "USOPS Fables" First Day of Issue envelope featuring The "E" Stamp. Postmarked Washington D.C. Jan. 22, 1988. Handpainted (?) and signed by Doris Gold. $6.02 from Oceanic Stamps, Coins & Artifacts Pty Ltd, Sydney, Australia, through Ebay, Feb., '01. The seller's description of this item on Ebay identifies it as handpainted, but I am less sure of that. Likelier is that the Doris Gold's signature is original. Apparently, the "E" stamp was originally worth $.25. The picture here shows an eagle holding a cube aloft against the background of a blue sky. I have not been able to find Scott particulars for this stamp.
• "D" Stamp
  1985 One "D Stamp" First Day of Issue envelope. Postmarked Los Angeles, Feb. 1, '1985. Signed by James B. Paslay. $12 from gumball99 through Ebay, Oct., '22. I have come to believe that this envelope does not belong in this collection. I had long sought the "USOPS Fables" envelope announcing the "D" stamp, since we have all in the series, from "A" through "H" except for "D." When I saw a "D" envelope offered, I thought it was that missing member of the series. I see now no indication that it belongs to the series. It seems to be rather an envelope announcing the "D" stamp with Number 72 of 80 hand-painted illustrations by James B. Paslay. There is surely some irony in picturing a US rocket and commenting "Rates Going Up!" "Rates going up" is of course the dynamic behind having ever new alphabetical stamps with successive higher values. So far I have failed in my efforts to find out whether there may not be an official "USOPS Fables" "D Stamp" envelope from the Post Office.
• "C" Stamp
  1981 One "USOPS Fables" First Day of Issue envelope featuring The "C" Stamp. Postmarked Memphis, TN, Oct. 11, 1981. Doris Gold Cachets. $5 from RKA Covers, Lafayette, IN, through eBay, August, '04. "Doris Gold Cachets" here will become simply "Doris Gold" in the next FDC I have, namely from 1988 for the "E" stamp. Apparently, the "C" stamp was originally worth $.20. The picture here suggests that the "A" stamp was worth $.15 and the "B" worth $.18. Consumers may not be happy to read that "Raising postal rates is as easy as...ABC"! How many envelopes and stamps might there be in all?
• "B" Stamp
  1981 One "USOPS Fables" First Day of Issue envelope featuring The "B" Stamp. Postmarked San Francisco, CA, March 15, 1981. Doris Gold Cachets. $1.43 from AAO, LLC, Indianapolis, IN, through eBay, Sept., '22. This envelope fills a gap in this series. This image and presentation has fun with this stamp as the "B Sting." I still wonder how many envelopes and stamps there might be in all. For this one, the price was right!
• "A" Stamp
  1978 One "USOPS Fables" First Day of Issue envelope featuring the "A" Stamp. Postmarked Memphis, TN, May 27, 1978. Signed by Doris Gold. $5.95 from DK Stampman through eBay, July, '18. Catching up on cataloguing stamps led me to realize that this is a whole series of sustained UPOPS FDC's, and so I went back to see if I could find the missing letters A, B, and D. I had luck so far only on this "A" envelope. "Doris Gold Cachets" here will become simply "Doris Gold" in later FDC's. Was this "A" stamp worth $.15? I believe that no particular "Fairy Tale" is depicted by showing these two children playing with a building/spelling block.
• Museo del Prado: Velazquez: "Esopo."
  1958? Museo del Prado: Velazquez: "Esopo." Apparently with a "First Day of Emission" postmark from March 24, 1959 cancelling a 1.80 Ptas stamp picturing the upper section of this portrait in green. Printed in Spain. Ediciones Artisticas, Madrid. $5 from Laurentiu Cruceanu, Bacau, Romania, through eBay, August, '02. I had not known that there is a Spanish stamp commemorating Aesop. If anything, the green stamp is clearer in its detail than is the colored reproduction of the painting. Click on the stamp to see a larger illustration of it. I will keep this card with the stamps and other post office materials.
• Four Serbian stamps
  2014 Four Serbian stamps. Decia Marka. DS (23), FC (35), CJ (46), and "The Tortoise and the Eagle" (70). "Basne." Apparently the art work is done, two by J.J. Vlahovic and two by M. Pachovich. Scott 680-683. Multiple copies from several vendors, including 3x3 sets of all four from Prvoslav Jahkovic, Krusevac, Serbia for $35.96 in September, '14; individual stamps from Michael S. Kott, Schaumburg, IL, for $3.25, April, '16; and strips from 2430psmlj@gmail.com for $16.22, Sept., '15. Four lovely images. Great color work, especially on FC and CJ! I had not known that a unit of stamps for collectors is the sort of 3 x 3 square that we find several times here. I remain amazed at how many countries have found their way to including fables in stamps. There is no indication here that these four basic stories came to Serbia through La Fontaine or through Krylov.
• Full 4x3 sheet of four "Literature Heritage of Russia Fables" stamps
  2017 Full 4x3 sheet of four "Literature Heritage of Russia Fables" stamps. 35p apiece. FG, TH, CJ, and WC. $14.30 from Alexander Tanakin, Moscow, through eBay, July, '18. I think I know the particular value for philatelists of having a full sheet of a given stamp or series of stamps. I am not sure what it adds to produce the same stamps in staggered rows. This format gives Russians a chance to see the title in their own language and in English.
• Bottom strip of four "Literature Heritage of Russia Fables" stamps.
  2017 Bottom strip of four "Literature Heritage of Russia Fables" stamps. 35p apiece. FG, TH, CJ, and WC. $4.23 from VarGur Stamps through eBay, April, '18. Here is a lively set of large, colorful stamps. The author of each is different: I.A. Krylov for the first and C.B. Mychalkov for the second. The third seems to be by a B.K. Treduakovsky, and the fourth by A.P. Cymarikov.
• Two Russian postage stickers
  1995? Two Russian postage stickers to indicate fast or slow delivery using both a hare and a tortoise. From Michael Petoukhov, Moscow, through eBay. Sept, '09. The "tortoise" sticker is about 2½" by ¾" while the "hare" is about 2" by ¾". My, but these stories get around! Click on either sticker to see a bigger version.
• Russian cover with original stamp dedicated to Ivan A. Krylov
  1983 Russian cover with original stamp dedicated to Ivan A. Krylov. $5 from Vladislav Pronin, Brooklyn, through Ebay, Oct., '99. The printed stamp shows animals around the name of Krylov and notes that it is 225 years since Krylov's birth in 1769. The value of the stamp is 5 Kopeks. On the left of the envelope is a lovely colored oval bust portrait of Krylov.
• Russian envelope picturing statue of Krylov seated
  1978 Russian envelope picturing statue of Krylov seated. Unknown source, before July, '21. The artistry around the Krylov estatue -- in tan and red -- is lovely. The envelope apparently came already stamped. Its glue is or was so good that it seems permanently sealed. I trust that there are no valuables inside!
• Individual Russian stamp of Ivan Krylov
  1969 Individual Russian stamp of Ivan Krylov commemorating his birth in 1769. 4 rubles. From James Reinhold, Palm Springs, CA, through eBay, Jan, '11. Mint condition, beautiful coloring.
• One "I.A. Krilov" Russian stamp and cover
  1969 One "I.A. Krilov" Russian stamp and cover with a rare special cancellation on Feb. 13, '59, the two hundredth anniversary of Krylov's birth. $2.25 from Vladislav Pronin, Brooklyn, through Ebay, March, '99. Extra copy for $.95 from Edward Bubis, Ipswich, MA, Sept., '00. One further extra. The stamp itself shows a colored head-and-shoulders portrait of Krylov and gives his dates (1769-1844). The envelope shows the full statue of him standing with arms crossed behind his back. My, the things one finds on Ebay!
• Four envelopes featuring stamps of Jean de La Fontaine
  2009 Four envelopes featuring stamps of Jean de La Fontaine, his Paris home, a tortoise, and a hare. April 13, '09. Addressed to Constantin Popescu, Rm. Valcea, Romania. From Constantin Popescu, May, '09. One notices the popularity of TH. There are three cancellation seals. They feature TH, FC, and GA, respectively. The seals, stamps, and envelopes are nicely correlated. I am surprised to see La Fontaine's Paris home featured rather than his home in Chateau-Thierry. "Luna Padurii" seems to mean "Forest Moon." Occurrences on the web seem to indicate that it lasts from March 15 to April 15. Offhand, it is hard for me to see the connection with La Fontaine.
• The World's Great Fairy Tales First Day of Issue Collection
  1979 One page from "The World's Great Fairy Tales First Day of Issue Collection," specifically for Portugal. 8½" x 11". Printed in the USA. Unknown source.&nbs The Portuguese stamp celebrates the year of the child and is postmarked January 6, 1979. The image and story include the Aesopic FG story but only as a phase that leads to the fox using the horse as a platform to get the grapes he wants. I am not sure if I have ever seen this spin on the FG story. As the verso shows, the story goes for two long paragraphs before we get to the FG story – and goes on from there through a story that has the fox leading the horse to "greener pastures," which just happen to be under the grapevine.
• One "Polska" stamp displaying FC
  1980? One "Polska" stamp displaying FC. Good copy uncancelled. Extra copy cancelled. In a series with Puss n' Boots, Red Riding Hood and two other popular tales. H. Matuszewska. 40 GR. $1.50 from J.R. Stamps, Chelsea Antiques Building, NY, April, '97. Extra copy for 1000 Lire at the Porta Portese flea market, July, '98. The crow clearly holds something in his mouth, and the fox seems to offer flowers picked from the surrounding lawn. Bravo, Crow!
• Niger Imperforate Set
  1972 On November 23, 1972, the Republic of Niger issued a set of air mail stamps in honor of Jean de la Fontaine, including the three imperforate proof specimens pictured below. $5.95 from Roger Lemieux, Fort Worth, TX, through eBay, August, '05. First, "Le Corbeau et le Renard," 25 F. Second, "Le Lion et le Rat," 50 F. Third, "Le Singe et le Léopard," 75 F. The stamps in each case seem to include three colors, black, brown, and green. A strong brown foreground seems to stand against a sketchier green background.
• Niger French Proofs
  1972 Two imperforate stamp proofs for stamps to be issued by the Republic of Niger. Each is marked "Imprimerie des Timbres-Poste - France." 25F and 50F, respectively. In honor of Jean de La Fontaine. $10.75 from Collect+, The Hague, The Netherlands, through eBay, Oct., '02. The surprise for me in these two proof-sheets lies in the little note in the bottom corner: "Imprimerie des Timbres-Poste - France." Does France print Niger's stamps? These two proofs are as good a printing of the stamps as I have seen. Both stamps seem to include three colors, black, brown, and green. A strong brown foreground seems to stand against a sketchier green background.
• Niger FDC Envelopes
  1972 On November 23, 1972, the Republic of Niger issued a set of air mail stamps in honor of Jean de la Fontaine, including the three specimens pictured below, each on a first day cover and each in a numbered series of 2000. $30 from Alexandre Przopiorski, August, '99. The stamps in each case seem to include three colors, one of which is black and one brown. A strong brown foreground stands against a sketchier blue or green background. Are there more in the series?
• Three individual stamps issued by the Republic of Niger.
  1972 Three individual stamps issued by the Republic of Niger. 25F, 50F, and 75F, respectively. In honor of Jean de La Fontaine. $4.84 from Filkom NV, Bornem, Belgium, through eBay, Oct., '08. I had earlier found these three stamps in three more unusual forms: imperforates, proofs, and first day issue envelopes. Now, at last, I have found good specimens of the three stamps themselves. Click on an individual stamp to see a more detailed illustration.
• Monaco “Office des Timbres” FDC envelope
  2021 Monaco “Office des Timbres” FDC envelope honoring Jean de La Fontaine. $14.77 from Patrick Ruyssen, Lille, France, through Ebay. May, ’21. The stamp and postmark share the same image, the stamp for €3.86 in two-color, and the cancellation as a line drawing. I have not yet discovered if the date of May 5 is important for La Fontaine.
• One uncancelled La Fontaine stamp
  1972 One uncancelled La Fontaine stamp. Mint. Never hinged. $1 from Kevin Lo, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, through eBay. Sept., '03. Monaco is a new source for a fable stamp. The stamp itself is green and black and includes FC, FS, TH, and perhaps "The Lion and the Ass." The verso of the card proclaims "La Fontaine: 350 ème Anniversaire de sa naissance.
• One 3½ x 6½" FDC envelope
  1972 One 3½ x 6½" FDC envelope depicting a wolf and lamb. Postmarked Monaco, Jan. 18, 1972. Editions J.F. $7 from Philaatelicpassion, Paris, through eBay, Oct., '06. By comparison with the other two FDC envelopes done in Monaco at the time, this envelope seems rather plain. A red rectangle encloses the white lamb and the green wolf. The art is signed with a difficult-to-read name, perhaps "G. Mauscalchi, '71." The envelope notes that it is the 350th anniversary of La Fontaine's birth.