Coasters

Establishing this category has raised an issue and a memory for me as I open it in July, 2020.  The memory is this: long ago I bid on and won a set of IBM fable coasters but never received them.  I  truly believe that the seller died sometime during the auction.  I have kept my eye peeled for IBM fable coasters but never found them!  The issue is this: do coasters belong as "tableware" or "household objects"?  I have opted for the latter, now that I have found a lovely set of coasters to include in the collection.

1980?  Two each of two Nutella "visiomatic" coasters presenting one of La Fontaine's fables, specifically TH and FC.  1½" square.  €15.80 for the group of four from eugtara-20 on Ebay, Feb., '23.

First, I am unsure if these are really coasters.  I am not sure what their other use would be.  Secondly, the verso says that this is a series of 6 fables.  I would love to find the other four!  Thirdly, it is hard to show the character of these "visiomatic" scenes, especially because, in these instances, the makers are not completely successful in bringing the whole scope of movement into the normal visual field.  Adjusting the angle of vision from up to down reveals the whole scene, for example, of the cheese moving from the crow's beak to the fox's mouth, who eagerly consumes the cheese.  Similarly, the tortoise passes by the hare while he is awake, but soon reaches the goal while he sleeps and then awakes with a start.  After several attempts, I will here show, quite imperfectly, what the "before" and "after" of each is like in a still photograph.  These are better seen in action!

 

2020  Three ceramic coasters showing three scenes from Walter Crane's Aesop's Fables.  Almost 4" square.  $29 from The Painted Lily through Etsy, June, '20.

How nice to see someone picking up Crane's beautiful work!  And dealing with Etsy is so personal!  These are well done!