The Magazine Silver: September-October, 1981
No Thumbnail Available
Authors
Rainwater, Dorothy T.
Issue Date
1981
Volume
Issue
Type
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This volume of the magazine contains as its first article "Aesop's Fables in Silver" by Dorothy T. Rainwater (8-12). For me, the contribution of the article lies first in its five black-and-white photographs of some eight objects depicting fables. The first two photographs offer plain and ornamented views of a four-piece tea and coffee set from 1850. The set is meticulously described. Each item presents two fables in ornaments affixed with tiny silver screws, so that the service can also be presented plain, as ;in the second photograph. Two further photos offer a detail of the ornamentation of the teapot (LM and WC). The coffee pot offers WL and DS, the sugar basin FG and FS, and the milk ewer CP and FC. The last photo presents four exquisite silver and crystal compotes or fruit stands from 1864. The article's text concerns itself first -- after recognizing that Aesop may have been himself a fiction -- with the colorful life reported of Aesop. It gives a good account of what a fable is, though one may quibble with the statement "Often they are told with no comment and present a moral truth only vaguely implied" (9). "Vague" is not a word I would use about stories of life and death decisions! After a comment on the oral and literary history of fables, Rainwater writes that fables "have provided inspiration for many artists because of their humerous [sic] observation and knowledge of animal life and its application to the human scene" (12). Agreed! It is lovely to see such care lavished on beautiful objects to illustrate Aesop! And what a find by Susie! Great work!
Description
Citation
Publisher
The Magazine Silver
License
Journal
Volume
Issue
PubMed ID
DOI
Identifier
13281 (Access ID)