Monday, September 15, 2014

Wine Label Table

 Look at this amazing table, the top of which is decoupaged in an assortment of wine labels from many countries. Very imaginative, don't you think?

Created by Jenerjijewelry

One of my favorite things to sell in my vintage Etsy shop are wine and liquor labels. My mother was an artist whose favorite medium to use was paper ephemera, of all sorts--portraits, advertisements, story illustrations, you name it.

Italian Wine Labels

Years ago she had an acquaintance whose family had a liquor distillery business. His hobby, presumably, was collecting labels off of bottles of liquor and wine and he amassed an enormous amount of labels over a period of years. One day, he decided my mother should have them, since she loved ephemera. He brought her this collection, which she eventually sorted into categories. She used some of them, but could never have gotten through the majority of them--there were just too many.

Bourbon Labels

Four years ago, when I opened my vintage Etsy shop, Autena, she gave me scads of these bottle labels to sell. I admit that I really enjoy looking
through them when I am ready to list a set.
 I don't really have a favorite.
Rum, gin, French, Italian, they are all little works of art, especially
 when paired with others, as they have a variety of shapes and colors,
 sizes and designs.

Champagne Labels

But back to that table... A very creative woman, whose beautiful Etsy shop is called jenerijewelry, turned what I am sure was a lovely wood table into a work of art, using some of these labels. I love the way it came out--the transparency of the labels allows you to see what is underneath, so nothing is hidden. It gives it a wonderful depth and, I can just imagine sitting at this table and getting lost in the labels.

Very inspiring I have to say. I'm sure Mr. F. would be amazed at what his collection has wrought.

Small Bottle Neck Liquor Labels