Alte Fabeln zur Lust und Lehr
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Authors
Wolgast, Heinrich
Issue Date
1906
Type
Language
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Abstract
This red copy of a favorite little book is identical with our green copy with two differences. First, it lacks a title page. That title page would confirm the publication date of 1906. Secondly, the acknowledgement of the printer on the last page is different. Where that book had "Druck von Carl Aug. Seyfried & Comp., München II," this copy has "Druck von Carl Aug. Seyfried & Comp. (Carl Schnell u. Söhne), München 2, SW 2." This copy cost about a tenth of that! This copy is also more worn and fragile. But might it be earlier than the green-covered copy? I will include remarks from that copy. The seller of the green copy, Wolfle, writes of it "Erste Ausgabe dieser liebenswerten und öfter aufgelegten kleinen Fabelsammlung." It is indeed "liebenswert"! I have seldom seen such lovely color work. Bodemann #386.1. As Bodemann mentions, there are here 79 verse and prose fables from a wide variety of authors, from Aesop through Luther to Goethe and Willamov. The 65 initials and 317 smaller illustrations, many of them "Bildreihen zu den Versfabeln." There is a clear arrangement at work every pair of pages. A half-page colored illustration is at the upper left. Beneath it is a fable with a colored initial. It may spill over onto the right hand page, where it will often have a colored tailpiece. Further fables, with initials and tailpieces follow down the right-hand page and finish within that page. Favorites of mine include the large illustrations for "Der Einsiedler und der Bär" (26), WC (28), and "Der Wolf auf dem Todbette" (44). Among the smaller images excellent examples are DS (47) and "Der Greis und der Tod" (59). The use of small images to mark rows of verse is strongest in the case of "Die Geschichte von dem Hute" (40-42). Among the stories themselves, new to me -- and well illustrated in all three images -- is "Der Affe und die Uhr" (50-51). A good last image is that marking "Ende" on 67: a cat has a mouse by the tail. There is a T of C on 1 with some of the smallest print I have seen. On the cover is a fox playing a violin while two mice dance. This book is a personal favorite!
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Publisher
Buchverlag der Jugendblätter