Saturday, October 26, 2019

Early Herbsaint Pint Bottle from 1934

As the post prohibition era began J. Marion Legendre had launched Legendre Absinthe,  and would soon find that the word Absinthe was not allowed on liquor labeling.
Having quickly renamed his product Legendre Herbsaint, Legendre & Co. began expanding their product line, launching new bitters, bottled cocktails, and liqueurs, in full size bottles, mini bottles, and pint bottles.

This early 1934 Legendre Herbsaint pint bottle, dates from the the period of time when Legendre & Co. changed the name of Legendre Absinthe, to Legendre Herbsaint.

This unique early Herbsaint bottle used a different shaped bottle for the short period it was in production until about 1935, when Legendre & Co. would adopt a new pint bottle that matched the design of the full sized Herbsaint bottles. 

The earliest 1934 Herbsaint Bottles would be produced with out the now familiar "Herbsaint" outlined at the bottom of the label, until J. Marion Legendre printed a transitional Herbsaint logo,to be added beneath the main label,to make the Herbsaint name stand out.









Saturday, July 27, 2019

Drinking Absinthe At The Old Absinthe House

Among several recent additions to our collection, is this vintage postcard of the The Old Absinthe House, sent May 1st, 1909.



The front of the postcard is a fairly common image, but what was written on the back, was quite fascinating as the text reads: "Absinthe is a great French drink, this is the only place in this country where they drip it, Holes are worn in the marble, an inch deep."






Another somewhat later version of the same C.B. Mason postcard was sent to tell of the sender celebrating the night of Repeal of Prohibition.
 

The postcard writer mentions: "This is where I spent the night of repeal", "You Have No Idea What Absinthe Does To The Soft Southern Drawl".



One might wonder whether it was left over pre-ban absinthe, or perhaps some of Mr. Legendre's early product to toast the end of prohibition.







 It must have been quite an evening...

Saturday, February 16, 2019

Legendre Absinthe

Following repeal of Prohibition on Dec. 5, 1933. J. Marion Legendre would apply and receive one of the first Federal permits to begin making liquor in the Southern part of the USA.

By the latter part of Dec. 1933 Legendre & Co. would launch Legendre Absinthe, and begin adverting his new product.


 12-21-1933 Newspaper advertisement




Jan 1934

Two Surviving Legendre Absinthe Bottles, With Legendre Absinthe Booklet


Soon after obtaining his federal rectifiers license, J. Marion Legendre would launch Legendre Absinthe, bottling his product in the finished attic of his home on Jefferson St. in New Orleans.
However, the FACA (Federal Alcohol Control Administration) would soon inform Legendre & Co., as well as the other two New Orleans distillers L.E. Jung & Wulff, and J.C. Yochim, that not only was absinthe still banned from sale, and that the word absinthe, could not be used on liquor labels.



Newspaper article from 1934

This action by the FACA would be a major challenge to all three New Orleans distillers, but J.M Legendre would turn this potential disaster to his advantage, quickly changing the name of Legendre Absinthe, to Legendre Herbsaint.

More in out next installment