Set of twelve puzzle pieces, 1950

File — Box: CFC Printed Materials Box 3

Identifier: CFC2021.0266.1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

The Carlson Fable Collection is a gathering of primary fable materials at Reinert Alumni Memorial Library at Creighton University. It grew out of the personal collection of fable materials gathered by Rev. Gregory Carlson, S.J. and was given to the Creighton Libraries in 1996. There are more than 10,000 books and approximately 8,000 artifacts in the collection.

From plates to stamps, from cards to whiskey decanters, from toys to posters, you'll find just about anything you can imagine here. Please explore all that is to offer here in my fables Catalogue of Objects.

This is the largest online catalog of fable related objects on the internet. Many are from Aesop's Fables but you will find La Fontaine, Velazquez and Krylov also represented in this collection.

Dates

1950

Extent

6 Sheets : Twelve large sets of puzzle pieces to cut out and assemble to make the central picture. "Les Fables de Nestlé." Numbered 1 through 12, with two sheets together in each case. Seven signed by Benjamin Rabier and five (#2 and #4-7) signed by Maurice Toussaint. The signatures may include dates. At least one of Toussaint's seems to be "1919." The title for each page of pieces is "Concours Casse-Tête Nestlé." 1re Série. ; (9½" x 6")

Language of Materials

French

Additional Description

Abstract

This is a curious find! Apparently a child was to study the image from Rabier or Toussaint, cut out the pieces, and put them together. Was there then a competition to see which child had assembled them best? These sheets came apparently in a wrapper entitled "Les Fables de Nestlé," as the title continues, with twelve compositions in colors presented as puzzles. Several of the "fables" here take liberties with their stories. Is that a monkey substituting for Little Red Ridinghood in #10? Of course, Nestlé's products show up delightfully in the illustrations!