H. Laas, 1890

File — Box: CFC Trade Cards Box 5

Identifier: CFC2018.0453

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

1890

Extent

23 Cards : Complete set of 12 cards showing children in scenes from fables of La Fontaine, Florian, and perhaps others. Earlier 8 cards (plus one cropped extra of "Le Gland et la Citrouille") showing children in scenes from fables of La Fontaine, Florian, and perhaps others. A golden sky marks each of these cards. All but one credit as printer H. Laas, 16, rue Pierre-Levée, Paris.

Language of Materials

French

Additional Description

Abstract

The Rodrigues set has no advertising on its illustrations, blank banks, and good condition. A golden sky marks each of these cards. Children act out scenes from La Fontaine's fables, from Florian's "Le Chien Coupable," (5.17), and from someone's "Le Chat et le Moineau." GA is a slightly different approach to the usual French presentation of this fable, perhaps since the actors are children. The music-player here is a young boy, and he has a violin rather than the usual guitar. Part of the cards' fascination seems to lie in dressing the children up. "Le Gland et la Citrouille" here introduces a second character. Is a smart young man explaining to a young woman that there are reasons why acorns should go with oaks? Is that candy that the little girl in FC has in her hand? How well does this illustration work on a card that ends up advertising chocolate? The script here is all capitals. Of the other cards than Rodrigues', four cards have "Bonbons Gramont" imprinted on the front ("Seul Rem ède efficace contre la Toux"!). Their backs have a uniform brown-ink advertisement for Bonbons Gramont. Three have "H 597 a" printed on the picture side, and the other has "H598 b." Two cards have "Chicorée Indigène/Arlatte & Cie, Cambrai" printed on the front. They both have "H 597 a" printed on the front, and they have a uniform black-print advertisement for the product on the back. Two cards have nothing stamped on the front, have one each "H 597 a" and "H 598 b" on the picture side, and offer a uniform advertisement in black ink on the back for Chocolaterie de l'Eure, à Menilles près Pacy-s/-Eure. Finally, the cropped card, like its larger version, has "H 597a" on the front but has no other markings, front or back. For an even fuller selection of these cards, consult Debauve & Gallais Cholocoate Cards.

L'Ane vetu du Pell du Lion

Le Chat et le Moineau

Le Chien Coupable

Les Deux Pigeons

FC

GA

Le Gland et la Citrouille

TT

Young Monkey & Walnut

Eagle & Dove

Rabbit and Duck

Two Travelers

Immediate Source of Acquisition

$50 from Carlos Rodrigues, Montigny les Cormeilles, France, through Ebay, May, '22. Eight cards for $40 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, March, '01. One cropped card for 40 Francs from Annick Tilly, Clignancourt, August, '99.