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Decorate with
Affordable Art
These mini-masterpieces were produced
using the superior stone
lithography process of engraving a mirror image of the
drawing on
heavy limestone, using a separate stone for each color. The stone
was
inked and carefully measured to register marks to produce
a multi-colored,
fight-reading image. Skilled craftsmen and great
artists were needed for this
process. Sadly this art form was
eventually
replaced by faster, less expensive mechanical printing.
Because the lithography process used such heavy stones, the paper
used had
to be of the finest quality and very strong. That fact has
probably helped these
beautiful
labels survive over a hundred years.
Many were found in abandoned warehouses and
factories or saved
in someone's attic or basement. For this reason, it is
possible to find
some of these works of art in Mint condition. Because of the
superior
printing process, these labels are just as beautiful today as the day
they were made! The colors are vibrant, and the embossing and
Gold Leaf add
interesting and eye-popping detail.
After the Civil War, a new-found prosperity began to grip the nation.
Money
was now at hand to afford some of life's simpler pleasures.
Demand for tobacco
surged and companies engaged in its manufacture
and sale enjoyed unprecedented
sales and income. It was this great
demand that sparked the fierce competition
that produced such a
vast variety of label subjects. Everything was tried to
grab the
consumer's attention. Some of the best artists of that time created
cigar label art including Maxfield Parrish.
Faster printing techniques such as photolithography which became a
standard in the industry by the 1920s never matched the superb
technical and
artistic appearance of these old prints. Quality tends to
be sacrificed with new
processes saving time and money.
You can own a piece of history. There are labels for every
interest.
And as you can see by these examples, they are beautiful
when matted and framed.
Each of these labels are under $200 (one
of them under $50). These
are pieces of art that will never
again
be duplicated by this superior
printing process.
Because of
the wide
range of
subject matter, there is a label to
adorn every
room
in your
home.
You can tailor the labels to fit
your interests.
LABEL SIZES
Framed Art Photos Courtesy of Jerry
Jenkins
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