The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1900-03-13
ART IN CIGAR LABELS
n H3s Developed in Rapid Strides in
Recent Years

Tie AdLSl co4AAArS "a sAoA N-o~o "a HAN
chanical work. One Of the largest
photographers Of this city says that the
variety Of designs on cigar labels far
exceeds that Of any other branch Of
the trade. "There is an ever chang
ing demand for cigar labels" said this
manufacturer, "and it is something
new, something new every hour Of the
I dsv. And better art is wanted. The
Americans buy an article on its looks.
! know one manufacturer alone who
has 1858 shapes Of cigars, made to
catch the eye.
Not many years ago cigar NAM
facturers were willing TO pay any
price for label in six colors, and the
I kind turned out then was shabby
when compared with the production
Ct these days. A moderate price for
The commonest was between S65 and
s.5 thousand Then labels had to
be attractive rather than artistic.
Each manufacturer now requires
from 100 to $50 brands, and while he
insists that they must be nice, he
leaves the photographer to walk the
floor 50 far as the conception and
execution are concerned. Artists in
theold days did well to get s25 week.
1t is now pretty hard to get a first
class man for less than $50. Some Of
my best men get SIS a week and mag
inc that they are being imposed upon
at that. Increase Of work and compe-
tition has resulted in the trade fur
uishing a high class Of work at less
than it used to charge for common
prints. Many cigar manufacturers
judge a label by the number Of oolors
it is said to contain. But that has lit
tie to DO with the artistic effect
Sometimes a six-color label costs
more than one having ten solors. A
good artist can produce better results
with four colors than an inexpert can
with six.
Here is a pretty design as a sam
pie. 1t is in sepia tints, which are
quite popular. The only color in it
is brown, but there are six shades, and,
combined, they are a beautiful har-
mony. Here is another If it were
anything but q cigar label it might
win a frame and be dearly priced as
an ornament Il is equal in beautyto
the best Of the holiday and birthday
cards; yet the latter sell for 25 and 80
cents, and the manufacturers think
this is dear at five OF six cents. Many
come in here and say: Show me any
thing that hasn't the figure Of wom-
an in it, Others 60 into raptures
over the female form. But the major
/ ity DO not know at first what they
want, and a most commonplace thing
Like dog in a label will drive some Of
them into raptures. For many years
the popular label was an American
beauty representing Connecticut
holding hands with Cuban maiden.
Frequently l have been expected
to explain the meaning of a phrase
chosen for a label One recently given
US was Until Death Do Us Part
That was a stickler to the artist, and
BE nearly went insane trying to
fathom its meaning His only solu-
ton of the problem was that it meant
a poor, miserable wretch holding on
10 a bad cigar. 1 have frequently
studied personal characters in the
purchasers of labels. The man who
likes the turf wants a flying equine,
the athlete revels in Hercules throw
ing a hammer as big as a 13-inch gun,
or a chap on the cinder path, and the
devotee Of the prize ring wants the
latest star in the fstic sky. Some
times a manufacturer, generally a
small one, shows his reflex by order
ing label containing his picture.
"Comical labels? There is little or
no call for them They soon get to be
what are known as chestnuts, and are
seldom used outside Of bar rooms.
Within the last year or so there has
been a popular craze for labels con-
tanning numerals, such as the III or
the 4-11-44.
at is seldom that label comes up
in excellence to the proof The latter
} is hand work and the label itself is
the output of machinery. The wealth
, er has much to do with lithographing
because it is a chemical process. a
color will dry ordinarily in day il
. the weather be sunshiny, but in bad
: weather it may not dry for a week
Good colors, if not exposed TO the sun
T 1i0ht will last two years. No. thank