Aesop's Fables  >  Aesop's Artifacts >...> Stock Series  >  Bouillon, Rivoyre et Cie

Bouillon, Rivoyre et Cie

1880? 20 cards (plus 10 extras) with a picture side showing a small animal scene and a larger parallel human scene. 4.5" x 3.5". 7 of the cards are marked "Au Printemps" and were done by Bouillon, Rivoyre et Cie. Dangivillé et Cie, rue de l'Industrie, 17, Paris. 110 Francs for 6 "Au Printemps" cards at the Marché aux Puces, Clignancourt, May, '97. Other cards for 40 and 50 Francs each from Annick Tilly at Clignancourt, August, '99 and August, '01. Still others for $8 apiece from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, Belgium, March, '01.Extra copy of "Le Lion devenu vieux" for €5 in St. Ouen, June, '19.  "Bat and Weasels" for €5 from Simon Rodriguez through Ebay, May, '22, along with extras for the same price of TMCM and "Le Renard et le Buste, all advertising "Mon Anthoine -G. Broteau" in Paris.

The human scenes are provocative, as when a prince, living out WL, condemns a handcuffed human being to the executioner in the presence of some natives. "Le Lion Amoureux" uses Samson and Delilah for its human scene, just as OR uses David and Goliath. In FG, the amputee on crutches can only look at the beautiful well-dressed woman as he passes by. The text of La Fontaine's fable is on the back side of the "Au Printemps " (AP) and other Bouillon & Rivoyre (BR) cards. Several with " L. Villain " (V) on the picture side feature advertisements for Bon Marché on the back. The other cards tend to feature either advertisements for the sponsors mentioned on the picture side, or they are without a name on the front and blank in back (B). Sponsors include Modes Mercerie a Saint Augustin in Paris (MM), "Aux Armes de Belgique" (AA), "Mon Bonneau" (MB), "A Saint Joseph " (SJ), "Au Chapeau Rouge" (CR), and "De la boutique de Peabody " in Salem (P).. The titles are printed in blue above the illustrations for AP, CR, and BR cards; in red for MM; in black for V and AA; and in brown for blank-backed and the other remaining cards. On the "Au Printemps" cards, the printer has a clever sense about where to insert "Au Printemps" into each picture. Look for it! The artist has likewise been clever in integrating the human and animal scenes into the design.  The three cards from Mon Anthoine -G. Broteau" have calendars for 1880 on the verso.

L'Ane vétu de la Peau du Lion (AP B)

La Belette entrée dans un Grenier (V)

Le Chène et le Roseau (AP)

Le Cheval et le Loup (SJ)

La Cigale et la Fourmi (B AA)

Le Coche et la Mouche (MB)

Le Coq et la Perle (SJ)

Le Corbeau et le Renard (MM)

DW (SJ BR)

FG (CR B P)

Le Héron (AP BR)

La Lice et sa Compagne (V)

Le Lion Amoureux (AP B)

Le Lion devenu vieux (AP B)

TMCM (SJ)

Le Lion et le Moucheron (V)

Le Loup et l'Agneau (AP)

Le Renard et le Buste (B)

Le Singe et le Chat (AP B)

La Chauve-Souris et les Deux Belettes