What the collection Old Labels is: it is a classified assortment of labels of wines, liqueurs, and other beverages, dating back to the late 1800s and into the early 1900s.
Features of the Old Labels: They were never pasted on bottles; this is why they have preserved their bright colours. Although the name of the drink is printed on the label, the company name is not ( a century ago, few companies had their names printed on labels when goods were ordered) They have a cosmopolitan taste as they are from different European printing houses and show illustrations referring to subjects from four continents.
Chromolithographs at the end of the 19th century: the Passport series, the Banknote series, most probably from the Bognard printing house of Paris, and which are artistically difficult to attribute (we are reminded of H.Daumier's works), show picture card subjects which were the collectors' rage over a hundred years ago! Specimens excellently preserved. We could well speak of "Gold Labels" rather than "Old Labels".
-Interesting record of printing techniques and language used in advertising.
-Witness to the history of uses and customs, of a society now a hundred
years old.
-Thanks to skilled illustrations, a chromolithographic brilliance, these
prints
can hang on the walls of a room or be part of a collector's album.
-Historical reference for each collection, even modern, of wine and liqueur
labels.
- Perfect decoration for wine shops, offices, agencies.
- Suitable for important firms, as underground museum pieces and to exhibit
in the upper
picture gallery of the building.
List of countries figuring as illustrated subjects:
In the Passport series: AUSTRIA, BELGIUM, BRASIL, CHINA, FRANCE, ENGLAND, ITALY, RUSSIA, SPAIN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TURKEY
In the Banknote series: ARGENTINA, BELGIUM, CANADA, FRANCE, JAPAN, ITALY, HOLLAND, PORTUGAL, RUSSIA, SPAIN, , UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, TURKEY
LETTERS AND CERTICATES OF ACQUISITIONS: THE BRITISH MUSEUM, BODLEIAN
LIBRARY , RACCOLTA DELLE STAMPE BERTARELLI , NATIONAL BIBLIOTECA OF FLORENCE
(Italy), GABINETTO DISEGNI E STAMPE GALLERIA DEGLI UFFIZI (Florence - Italy)
Short history of wine and liquor labels
Ancient containers: amphoras,
wineskins, butticule, arborelli
Among the archaeological material amphoras have been found with friezes
representing wine grapes and leaves. But these artisan interventions had
a more decorative than classifying function. Contrary to those amphoras
which were used to contain oil only for one time (once), as a repeated use
would have caused a bad odor, the amphoras which contained wine could be
employed several times. But this way the denomination of origin could change
and it became necessary to mark this earthenware with coal or chalk in order
to point out date and place of origin. In the ancient world there used to
be also containers of organic material : the wineskins. This was practically
nothing else than an animal’s skin turned inside out (mostly goatskins)
while its openings were sealed up. The fur on the inner side was able to
keep back the dirt. The wineskin was a perfect insulating container and
served for the storage as for the transport of liquids. As a matter of fact
the wineskin could be fasten on the back of a beast of burden. The Gospel
is mentioning this container when it suggests to put the new wine into new
wineskins. The birth of the label has a historical and logical antecedent
in (with ?) its natural support: the bottle. Now we need to remember that
centuries passed before the glass bottle started to substitute the wooden
bottle. The wooden bottle was a container composed by small staves. In Latin
it was called “butticula” (parvas buttis).
A particular observation is going to the container called “arborello”:
a pottery container of cylindrical form, employed by the grocer (drugger,
chemist ?) to contain medicines.
The “arborello” is identifying itself somehow with the label;
in deed, on the convex ceramic surface appears a writing surrounded by a
decorative frieze; you can say that the origin of the label is going back
to this exact moment.
The first paper indexes : paper rolls, paper prints
(bottelli), contents advice( polizzini).
Parchment and papyrus were the first support of handwritten documents.
They were employed as paper rolls, envelopes, or small rolls which were
tied up at the neck of the container. At the beginning the application of
pape, introduced by the Arabs, was reserved to only important documents.
With the invention of mobile characters, the use of paper got a larger expansion.
There were also leather containers; leather was a material which could be
treated with fire printing . This type of printing was sufficient to certify
the origin and quality of the contents.
The art of glassmaking, which for a long time produced only objects of luxury
, started suddenly to destine its first diaphanous vials of glass and crystal
to contain also drinks. To the beginning of 19th century there appeared
already the first printed labels which in Italian were called “polizzini”:
small documents of guarantee which certified the quality and quantity of
the drink, giving indications on the manufacturing House. Coats of arms
and emblems accompanied the friezes on the “ polizzino”. Another
antecedent of the label is the “bottello”.
“Bottello” is the product of a printing-press: practically a
simple paper stripe edged by essential friezes which pointed out the year
of the vintage, the name of the producer and the denomination of the drink.
“Bottello” an onomatopoeic voice which recalls the blow the
printing-press produces in the moment of the impression.
The advent of the real label:
etiqueta, étiquette, label
For serveral centuries the word etiqueta was used to point out a ceremonial
of court in Spain, but also in France and in Italy. “To observe the
etiquette” meant to follow the rules of an aristocratic behavior.
Only afterwards the word came to designate a small ticket sticking on a
container.
It became a certificate of guarantee and also a form of commercial purpose.
It may happen to read on an ancient label: in order to prevent imitations
of this product, be advised that our labels will bear our trade-mark, bottles
devoid of this do not deserve your trust.
During the first decades of 19th century the products multiplied and so
the number of labels and the taste for figurative objects came to be added
to the taste for decorative objects ; not only typographic friezes but also
figures and views of landscapes.
In order to represent concretely the power and strength, the labels show
figures from the mythology like Jupiter, Venus and Mars or from history
and even from the chronicle such as kings, maidens, and warriors. In the
same moment are appearing more and more declamatory writings: the pontiff's
nectar, the pilgrim's liqueur, cognac Napoleone etc..
The splendor of the chromolithographic print:
chromos and passpartout
It is correct to say that the chromolithography gave color to the label
and helped it to reach almost immediately its apogee; this ticket, which
we call label, found its splendor probably in the period between the end
of 19th and mid of 20th century.
In the chromolithographic labels which we will call “chromos”,
the mastery of both the typographer and the artist is absolutely evident.
In the ancient procedure of chromolithography, the layers of the picture
and the colors were transmitted to 12 or 13 stones, corresponding to a magic
rainbow of luminescence. The thirteenth stone was employed to decorate these
minuscule masterpieces with a golden background (in this case the label
reminds to middle-age miniatures ). Often, with the last printing, a thin
layer of lacquer was added , a procedure which explains the intact shine
of this product. During this printing procedure it was not possible to employ
typographic types; they were subsequently superimposed. In the same period
we live the triumph of the passpartout: we are talking about the same label
which is going to be employed on different liqueurs. A big typographic company
created a series of labels; which were then distributed to various printing-houses,
who added the name of a wine or a liqueur according to the request of their
client. It happened that the same label appeared to illustrate different
products of different countries. Somehow the label became the result of
an assembled product. Pictures and color created in Paris, Berlin and Milan
were distributed to whole Europe to printing-houses who added typographically
indications concerning the drink and denominations of the producer. Practically
it was an exchange of basic products among the principal European printing
houses.
Birth of a collection market : the sticker of
the great stores
It was the time in which La Bonne Marchè had used its golden opportunity
employing collection-stickers which were collected in and out of Paris;
the Liebig, welcoming the advertisement lesson, sold its meat extracts giving
as free gift its popular collection stickers. The producers of liqueurs
soon reach the same level fixing these collection-stickers on their bottles.
The printing-house Bognard in Paris produces on commission of the Liebig
12 collection stickers which represent 12 passports and offers them at the
same time also to the industry of the liqueurs, which employs them in form
of labels inviting to collect them all. The customer being a potential collector
tries to purchase at any rate the 12 bottles which show these passports.
To the lucky series of those 12 Passports corresponding to 12 Countries,
is going to be added a series of Banknotes, three of them are dedicated
to France.
The most important nations are represented in these two series. The intention
of the advertising direction of these products is destined to the collectors
of a lot countries. The label intents itself as a promotional offer: it
is not a precise advertisement of the product, but a gift destined to satisfy
who purchases the bottle.
A mirror withdrawing a society: expression of
an epoch
From the last decade of 19th century up to the First World war we recognize
a period which influenced the social and artistic climate not only in France,
but also in other countries: the “belle èpoque” . The
entertainment as cabaret with its care-free and unrestrained spirit as well
as the theatres, the thèatre gai au boulevard with its satiric comedies
devoid of any social value are probably the most representative manifestations
of this social phenomenon. This idea has been reproduced on the labels of
that period. The labels show us an educated society in its spontaneous demeanour
in front of the reality: they express the taste for everything pleasant,
exquisite and extraordinary and also the refusal concerning the disquieting
aspects of life.
The liqueur-labels of this period are aesthetically valuable. The thematic
returns to recurrent subjects: the choice of caricatured and satirical scenes
and the taste for exotic things. Artists like Pierre Lotì expressed
in their works enchantments from the Middle East and the beaches of Polinesia
and Caribs: this is a theme of spatial escape. The escape becomes temporal
and is represented through scenes which reverberate the pomp of the classical
antiques.
Afterwards and during the Belle époque the floral style is exploding:
the Art Nouveau.
The art nouveau introduces its zither strings, stalks, leaves and corollas
of poppies into the label . The geometry of the marginal friezes has been
interrupted and the writings themselves, appearing in form of fantasy types,
obtain accents of languor: Roses’ liqueur , fairy-liqueur …
The modern label: advertisement
for a commercial product
To the beginning of the last century a new printing process was going to
be affirmed. It allows to form a label associating the printing types and
the use of colours : The four-colour process. In this moment the printing-block
has replaced the lithographic stone. With 4 or 5 typographic impressions
a mixture of colours has been obtained which is conferring a brilliant look
to the label. A label of this period can be recognized due to little smudges
of the various inks and also due to light reliefs which have been caused
by the interlaying. The interlaying was used by the masters of typography
. It was a paper relief which the typographer created in order to evidence
the writings on the label. The result of these products is still excellent.
The arrival of the offset printing introduces a much more expeditious procedure;
but it is also the end of the direct printing. The colours are more opaque;
the colour black is getting a grey tonality : the label is becoming a more
commercial product but, from the aesthetical point of view, the label is
becoming poorer. Between the labels of former times and the actual ones
you can often find the same difference you can recognize between an oil-painting
and a simple water-colour- painting. Therefore a lot of producers require
the direct printing. In spite of the higher cost they prefer the really
satisfactory result. The great manufacturing houses of liqueurs prefer to
re-propose the original design , the same which appeared from the beginning.
This is the way they intend to recall the prestige which is connected to
the antiquity of their product. The accurate printing , often also enriched
by golden reliefs, confers a superb and winning aspect to their brandy.
Wine labels: commercial product
and now proposal for the collection-world
A juridical rule, coming into force in the fifties, orders to the manufacturing
houses to add indications concerning the date of vintage, quantity and alcoholic
strength of the contents, the denomination of the producer and also the
geographical origin on the label.
Somehow the label was assuming the form of a document. It was clear that
the label had to attest something and at the same time had to appear winning
and pleasant. However, the procedure of indirect printing didn’t reach
the result of the chromolithography and the zincography.
The theme represented on the labels refers to manifold aspects of the territory,
of the chronicle and the history. In some cases the label seems to debase
itself towards political interference. Wines also liqueurs ) are found which
show curious denominations: Stalin Liqueur, Mussolini Liqueur, Don Camillo
Wine and Beppone Wine. Views of landscapes, pictures of farms, villas and
castles and, coats of arms are appearing on these labels , the same labels
you could admire during the last century . With the effort to meet the demand
of the by now consolidated collection-world, series with subjects, similar
to series of postage- stamps , have been proposed: flowers, butterflies,
cats and even repents. The series have the suggestion of the advertisement
introducing the advertising language which has to convince the client to
purchase.
The collection-world in expansion
The passion for paper could not permit itself to ignore the label as an
advertising product and also document for habits and society. Already at
the end of 19th century the purchaser of wines and liqueurs could secure
some stickers which have been presented in form of labels. It is known that
among the collectors a strong interest lit up for the chromos which some
manufacturing companies of meat, chocolate and drinks offered in addition
to whom bought their products. Since the 50th of last century the wine-and
liqueur- label collectors have multiplied. The division of this enormous
number can be done with the following criterions:
Collectors of liqueur labels,
Collectors of wine labels,
Collectors of ancient labels (from 18th century to the 50th of 20th century),
Collectors of modern labels (from the 50th of 20th century up to today)
.
Often the labels have been withdrawn directly from the bottles surface (the
bottle had previously been immersed into warm water); but this procedure
stressed the label and affected the final result. A matter of fact which
caused the interest of the so-called virgin labels, which have never been
attached on a bottle. A lot of wine producing houses arrange to print a
certain surplus of labels in order to meet the collectors’ demand.
An ingenious contrivance which allows the producer to accomplish an advertising
operation with positive effect as the label once it is placed in the collector’s
album is doing publicity at low cost.
L.M.
from www.old-labels.com