Creighton University

I am delighted at last to get a group of fable thimbles.  Thimbles appear from time to time on Ebay, but apparently there are so many thimble collectors that they drive the price up.  I was happy to get these as a group: MM; WL; FS; TH; "The Wolf Turned Shepherd"; and "Two Pigeons."  Photographing such small things proves to be a challenge!  My sense is that these are imitations of the 1900 originals produced by Maison Lorillon.  Photos on the web suggest that, while the Lorillon series may have been large – perhaps twenty? – the later Lenain series may have included only about eight  Since "Red Riding Hood" is not a fable, the fable set here includes seven.  A few months later, I was lucky to find the only one not found in that purchase, "Bertrand (monkey) and Raton (cat)."  I believe that this completes the fable portion of the 1970's set. Comparison of the Lorillon and Lenain productions on the web suggests that the Lenain imitations, like these, follow the patterns of the Lorillon originals but are less distinct.  Several of these have distinct Lenain signs (crossed L's that come out looking like an "X") and a size number, here '10.'