Rugs

1935? Tortoise and hare rug.  25˝" x 58".  $19.99 from PAW Enterprises, Monroe, MI, through Ebay, June, '00.

The rug pictures the hare showing off as a hitter while a female hare looks on.  The tortoise is presumably pitching to the hare.  The motif is vintage Disney, as checking The Tortoise and the Hare (1935) or Toby Tortoise and the Hare (1938) will show.  The reverse side shows the attempt to repair a tear or hole near the center of the rug.  I never thought I would be listing a rug in this catalogue! Click on either image for an enlargement.

1950? Two Italian TH fable Rugs. Made in Italy. 32.5" x 11.25" and 18" x 11.25". Velour? Fringe-edged sides. $36 from Mrs. Germany, Oakhurst, OK, through Ebay, July, '99.

Another huge surprise from Ebay! The smaller design selects a portion of the larger. In the larger, a female rabbit at left looks right toward a running tortoise and a following rabbit, both running towards the left. The smaller tapestry has the "Made in Italy" label sewn on its back. The characters reproduce with astounding accuracy those found in Disney's early "Toby Tortoise and the Hare." See my versions listed in 1935 (twice) and 1938. My, how Aesopic motifs get around! One of the tell-tale details here is the hat perched on top of the antennae on the tortoise's head. The other is the fence of Miss Cottontail's Boarding School, where Toby stopped to show off to the girls.

1950? Two More Disney TH Rugs.  Unknown source.

These rugs with fringe on their sides clearly belong to the same series as those above.  One featuring the main two characterrs reverses the direction of its twin above. The other presents an unlikely scene of the tortoise and one of Miss Cottontail’s female students running in the same direction.  Both are 11.25” high.  Their widths are 24” (the mirror view twin) and 18”.  Might these have been movie prizes or lottery gifts for viewing the cartoon?