This is an original antique facture (invoice) from the Vautrin distillery located in Fougerolles, France. The interesting thing about this facture is it is a pre-ban invoice (printed with the words "Fabrique d'Absinthe," which was illegal after the ban to use the word "absinthe"), but used some 8 years after absinthe was banned in France (dated May 10, 1923).

The artwork and text used on this invoice were originally made by pressing an engraved copper plate to a rubber stamp which would then have been used to transfer the image onto the paper.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.

• Dated: May 10, 1923.
• Measures approx. 8.5" (21.5 cm) x 10.75" (27.3 cm).
• Made in France.