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1890? Complete set of 12 cards showing children in scenes from fables of La Fontaine, Florian, and perhaps others for $50 from Carlos Rodrigues, Montigny les Cormeilles, France, through Ebay, May, '22.  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. Eight cards for $40 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, March, '01. One cropped card for 40 Francs from Annick Tilly, Clignancourt, August, '99.

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.