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German Verse Coin, Fox and Grapes, 1900

 Item
Identifier: CFC2019.0245.1

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

  • 1900

Extent

From the Collection: 800 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

German

Abstract

The verse reads "Wann Dein Spiel der Gegner preiset,/ Dann gieb doppelt auf Dich Acht,/ Und erinn're Dich des Raben,/ Den zuletzt der Fuchs verlacht." That is, "When your opponent praises your play, pay doubly close attention to yourself and remember the crow, on whom the fox had the last laugh." I am tempted--but afraid--to clean and polish up this old coin. Who knows what circumstances ever gave rise to the distributing of a coin like this!

Physical Description

A metal coin slightly over 1" in diameter showing the fox and the crow on one side and German verse on the other. $38.59 from Kevin Kelley, Harrisburg, SD, through Ebay, July, '99.

Repository Details

Part of the Creighton University Libraries, Archives & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
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