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Magasins Reunis

1900? 3 lavishly colored French cards about 3" x 5" advertising "Maison des Magasins Réunis." Printed by J.E. Goossens, Lille. 60 Francs each from Annick Tilly at the Clignancourt flea market, August, '99. Click on any image to see it full-size.

Human characters are used for GA and are clad in Japanese kimonos; this image is particularly strong, I believe. It includes beautiful snow on the ground, bushes, and trees; the "Cigale" has a guitar on her back. The woodman of "Death and the Woodman" wears a bamboo hat and a robe, while death is dressed in white. The two rats of TMCM scamper down from the table, which has a tea set on it. "Maison des MR" is added inside an oval seal on each picture. The back of each card repeats "Maison des Magasins Réunis" and locates the operation in Paris. It then gives the title and text of the fable, the printer, and an address of Paris, 20, Rue Gérando. Would that be the address of the printer or of the business? These cards are similar in style but different in size and format from a set of orientalizing cards done by Bon Marché. None of these cards overlap in subject with cards I have from that set. Both sets were done by the same printer.