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Editions Wartel

1895? Three colored cards on poor stock presenting La Fontaine's fables: "L'Avare qui a perdu son Trésor," FC, and "Le Rat et l'Huitre." 2½' x 3 7/8". The uniform verso on all three cards advertises a competition "Concours du Petit Ecolier" organized by the Café Imperial in Dreux (E.-et-L.). Printed by Éditions Wartel, Paris-Lille. $15 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France.

These cards have turned out well--and lasted a while--despite the poor stock on which they are printed. The miser image looks to me as though it is strongly influenced by Grandville. The verso offers a wide variety of prizes for the competition and announces that everybody wins. The fact that these three cards are labelled as fables suggests that other literature may have been included in the series. Two of the three cards are inscribed twice each by Marie Therèse Baileau, but she uses the accent aigu--in one case twice--on her middle name.

WartelAvarequiaperdutresor.jpg (30364 bytes)

wartelfc.jpg (31646 bytes)

Wartelverso.jpg (24889 bytes)

WartelHuitreetrat.jpg (23724 bytes)