Product Labels

1930?  Three small (slightly over 2" diameter) cheese labels: "K.H. De Jong's Exporthandel" and "Fromage de Hollande."  Labels of fables in French and once in English.  $15 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18. 

It is curious that the De Jong labels feature one French and one English for the fable title.  It is just as curious that the De Jong image for FC is the same image used in the more generic "Cheese from Holland" label.

 

1950?  "Jean de La Fontaine" champagne label.  "Cuvee Champagne Jean de La fontaine, 1621-1695."  $5 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18. 

A seal in the center of this label depicts an open book and a feather used for writing.  Golden lines emerge from the book.  I think Jean would have enjoyed both the recognitiion and the champagne!

 

 

 

 

1980? Camembert Extra Fin cheese label. Fromage du Fin Renard. "Ce Qui Se Fait de Mieux." Litho. Myncke, Brussels. $8 from Dany Wolfs, Roeselare, Belgium, August, '00.

This circular label is a specimen of lovely colored printing. The crow, perched on the "Fromage" sign in the label, weeps visible tears. The fox walks away pleased, with a wheel of Camembert under his arm. There seems to be a number 41 stamped just above the crow's head.

1986 Five identical labels, 3˝" x 2", for placement on the neck of a wine bottle. Each says "1986er" below an image, in red, green, gold, yellow, and black, of a fox looking up at grapes. From the vineyards of Friedrich Fuchs? The five were a gift of Herr von Fuchs, July, '98.

It would be just like Herr von Fuchs to put this playful label on his wine.

1992 Three identical wine labels "1992er Traubensaft der Mosel, Müller-Thurgau." From the vineyards of Friedrich Fuchs in Klüsserath. Gift of Friedrich Fuchs.

I had not known that Herr von Fuchs had his own vineyards. The art here is a mixture of, on the one hand, some lovely colored grapes in a suggestion of a landscape and, on the other, a finely sketched angry fox looking back up at the grapes as he walks away.