Labels and Tags

"The Great Raymond. ¿No lo ha visto ud? [Have you seen him?]. Ya llegó [He is here]." This circular advertising piece--similar in size and appearance to a luggage label--shows two small imps or devils whispering in the ears of Morris Raymond Saunders (1877-1948), a magician whose stage name was "The Great Raymond." If the translation from Spanish (above) is correct, one imp is asking, "Have you seen him?," and the other is answering, "He is here." According to Rhett Bryson, professor in the Theatre Arts department at Furman University, "The image of the sagacious magician looking knowingly at the viewer with small imps whispering the enduring secrets of magic in his ear has been often used on magician's advertising posters. This image of the magician getting the 'secrets' from these underworld demi-devils apparently started with Harry Kellar (on his 1894 poster)." For further discussion and additional images of imps imparting information to magicians on posters and other advertising materials, see Bryson's A Visual History of Whispering Imps on Magic Posters . For another example of whispering imps, see the Howard and Jane Thurston Good Luck Throw-Out Card (small image below).

Parrot Safety-Match. Made in Sweden. Jönköpings & Vulcans Tändsticksfabriks T.F.A.B., Sweden.

"Atomic Safety Matches, supplied to PO Eng Trading Manila P.I. by Hong Kong Match Factory, manufacturers." For other atomic ephemera, take a look over on Flickr to see Fire and Air Raid Signals / Survival Secrets for "A" Bombing and The Original Canned Radiation, Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania .

"Engine Brand Safety Matches. Made in Sweden. Impregnated."

"Palmer's Roseine Matches. British made. J.P. & S. Trademark."

"Made in Poland."

"The Norge to the N. Pole. Safety matches. Made in Italy. S.A. Fabbriche Riunite Fiammiferi, Milano." According to Wikipedia , "The Norge was a semi-rigid Italian-built airship that carried out what many consider the first verified overflight of the North Pole on May 12, 1926. It was also the first aircraft to fly over the polar ice cap between Europe and America. The expedition was the brainchild of polar explorer and expedition leader Roald Amundsen, the airship's designer and pilot Umberto Nobile and American explorer Lincoln Ellsworth, who along with the Aero Club of Norway financed the trip." For more information, see Wikipedia's Norge (airship) article.

"Solo Match. Made in Austria."

"Solo Match. Made in Austria."

"B. Fürth, Vienna. Made in Austria." Cupid uses a spyglass to peer down from his hot air balloon on this matchbox label.

"Prime. G. S. Harris Sons, Phila." For two other cigar box labels printed by the lithographic firm of Geo. S. Harris & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa., see First Rate and Prime , and Professor Morse --printed by the

"First Rate. G. S. Harris Sons, Phila." Three cigar box labels--First Rate, Prime , and Professor Morse --printed by the lithographic firm of Geo. S. Harris & Sons, Philadelphia, Pa.

Printed on the back of this sample cigar box label: "Geo. S. Harris & Sons, Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. No. 4505. Prof. Morse, trade mark. $6.00 per 1000. 70 cts. per 100. Also furnished blank." For two additional cigar box labels printed by the same lithographic firm, see First Rate and Prime .

"First Pick. O. L. Schwencke, lith., N.Y." A cigar box label printed by O. L. Schwencke. Notice how a box featuring this label appears within the design of the label itself. This recursive picture-within-a-picture is called the Droste effect , which is named after the Droste cacao tin that featured an illustration of a nun holding the tin.

A cigar box label featuring an artist's conception of what Conrad Weiser might have looked like. According to Wikipedia, Conrad Weiser (1696-1760) was a Pennsylvania German "pioneer, interpreter, and effective diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native Americans. He was a farmer, soldier, monk, tanner, and judge. He contributed as an emissary in councils between Native Americans and the colonies, especially Pennsylvania, during the 18th century's tensions of the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War)."

"Ithaca Journal Extra. D.B.S. Manufactured by D. B. Stewart & Co. Ithaca Journal."