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German English

In a curious way, the cards from this series come in two different sizes: 3⅛" x 4⅜" and 2¾" x 4"

"3⅛ x 4⅜"

1908? One colored "The Man and His Goose" card advertising Stapler Crackers from the Original Trenton Cracker Company. $7 from Mary Dempsky through eBay, Dec., '03.

Sickle-like arcs divide the colored image into three sections. The large center portion shows the goose having laid a golden egg. Arcs enclosing the upper right separate a picture of the man having killed the goose. The arcs at the lower left show the repentant man having found nothing unusual inside the goose. The picture uses a different title: "The Goose That Laid the Golden Egg." It does not punctuate "Aesops." The text side has "Printed in Germany." It introduces a long description of its product with this question: "Do You Use the Cracker Stamped 'Stapler'? If not, why not?"


1908? One colored "The Ass Eating Thistles " card advertising Stapler Crackers from the Original Trenton Cracker Company. $11.75 from Jon and Faith Nelson, Montoursville, PA, through eBay, Sept., '03.

Sickle-like arcs divide the colored image into two sections. The large upper portion shows the ass eating thistles. Arcs enclosing the lower left separate a picture of a man being served fine food. The picture does not punctuate "Aesops." The text side has "Printed in Germany." It introduces a long description of its product with this question: "Do You Use the Cracker Stamped 'Stapler'? If not, why not?" It is quite surprising that I found two cards independently--and within a couple of months of each other--advertising the same local firm in Trenton.

2¾" x 4"

1908? One colored "The Lark and Her Young Ones" card advertising Sauer's Flavoring Extracts from C. F. Sauer Co., of Richmond, VA. 2¾" x almost 4". $12 from Dave Cheadle, Englewood, CO, Sept., '99.

One of the loveliest trade cards I have. Sickle-like arcs divide the colored image into three sections moving from the farmer and his son in the upper right to the lark mother and her chicks in the center to the harvested sheaves in the lower left. Sauer's 32 flavors are "Guaranteed under Food and Drug Act, June 30, 1906."


1908? One colored "The Trick Bear and His Keeper" card advertising Heydt's "Yankee" bread. 2¾" x almost 4". $8.50 from Carl Griffin, Auburn, NY, June, '05. Extra copy, slightly torn, for $3.99 from Albert Fowler, Jr., Gayridge, MO, through eBay, May, '04.

Again, an arc divides this colored image into sections. The title and picture both make the bear into a doer of tricks; the text knows nothing of this description. The befriending is shown in the upper left section; the rest of the card's picture shows the result of this bear's care for his friend. "Quantity and Quality are both found in Heydt's 'Yankee' bread. A trial will be convincing."


1908? One colored "The Cock and the Jewel " card advertising Heydt's "Yankee" bread. 2¾" x almost 4". $23.49 from Albert Fowler, Gayridge, MO, through eBay, May, '04.

The card is slightly torn on its right side. Again, the artist creates a composite picture, with the real life scene in the center. In this scene, a rooster and a chicken stand over a gold pocket watch while a third fowl nests in the background. The two additional scenes show, in the upper left, an ear of corn and, in the lower right, an array of gleaming jewels. Sickle-like arcs and ribbons divide the sections. This card has no indication of being printed in Germany. The message for Heydt's "Yankee" bread seems to vary with each picture. Here it is "All Bread is not alike. Try Heydt's 'Yankee' Bread and note the difference."