This piece is a combination business card (or calling card) and envelope. The envelope was printed in the same manor as aThe artwork generally followed the same designs used on the distillery's invoices and other various paperworks. Because it was very expensive and labor intensive to print each representative's name on the cards, the name was intentional left off and was later filled in by hand. The "M" is abbreviated French for Mr. or mister. This rare card was hand stamped with the representative's name and town he was from.

These business cards were sometimes printed on thick paper which was also used to make buvards (ink blotter paper), thus serving a dual purpose.

The artwork and text used on this business card were originally made by pressing an engraved copper plate to a rubber stamp which would then have been used to transfer the image onto the paper. Each copper plate would have been engraved, or carved, entirely by hand and was then and is still today, considered true works of art.

The printing was done by an offset lithograph press. This printing technique originated in England in the 1870's and revolutionized the printing world by providing a low cost method of reproducing artwork in large volumes. Offset printing is still in use today as a way of economically producing large quantities of high quality prints that requires very little maintenance.

Wonderful piece of absinthe history. Perfect for framing.

• Dates pre 1915.
• Measures 5.5" (14 cm) x 3.5" (9 cm).
• Printed in France.