{"product_id":"french-folklore-cards-complete-set-of-6-very-good-condition-from-au-bon-marche-circa-1900","title":"French Folklore Cards - Complete Set of 6, Very Good Condition from Au Bon Marche circa 1900","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis beautifully printed set of 6 publicity cards from Au Bon Marche depict some pretty scary characters from folklore but were handed out to children, although this set never were as they were from new in the collection of Eugene Dubillon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach card measures 17 x 10.5 centimetres.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first card '\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eL'Homme au sable'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003e, or the Sandman, is a figure from French and Germanic folklore traditionally tasked with putting children to sleep by sprinkling sand on their eyes. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003eWhile modern interpretations portray him as benevolent, his literary origins in \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"inline-entity svelte-qcdalo\"\u003eE.T.A. Hoffmann\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003e’s 1817 tale \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003eL'Homme au sable\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003e (\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003eThe Sandman\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003e) depict him as a terrifying, demonic figure who steals children’s eyes.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"svelte-1fz0gqk fade-in\"\u003eThe second is 'Croquemitaine et sa Hotte'. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe *Croquemitaine* (or *croque-mitaine*) is not a fable in the traditional literary sense (such as those by La Fontaine), but rather a figure from folklore and childhood mythology, used as a cautionary, fear-inducing device for educational purposes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHe appears primarily in traditional nursery rhymes and urban legends, rather than in classic moral fables. Here are the key distinctions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRole of the character: The *Croquemitaine* is depicted as an evil monster with long arms and a long beard, who carries disobedient children away in a basket or sack—either to devour them or simply to take them off somewhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe others in the set are much more cheery :)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnother extremely rare set of publicity\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"French Antique Collections","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55492630675797,"sku":null,"price":180.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0176\/5687\/3014\/files\/20261023_144633.jpg?v=1792771107","url":"https:\/\/frenchantiquecollections.com\/products\/french-folklore-cards-complete-set-of-6-very-good-condition-from-au-bon-marche-circa-1900","provider":"French Antique Collections","version":"1.0","type":"link"}