To celebrate the coming New Year, we present for your viewing pleasure.
Two Legendre Absinthe bottles!
Legendre Absinthe was the original name for Legendre Herbsaint, appearing after prohibition was repealed during December 1933.
Below is a billboard on Canal St. in New Orleans, Dec. 1933 announcing Legendre Absinthe.
A very early poster for Legendre Absinthe, from the Sazerac Co. archives.
With Legendre Absinthe, J. Marion Legendre had an advantage over his other competitors in the spirits industry, Legendre Absinthe did not need years of barrel aging like other spirits, so J.M. Legendre was able to have Legendre Absinthe bottled and ready for sale during the first month of repeal.
Below is a Newspaper ad for Legendre & Co., Dec. 31, 1933.
A very Rare Legendre Absinthe drink recipe booklet from the Sazerac Co. archives.
Unfortunately for Legendre & Co., the Federal Alcohol Control Administration would be unprepared to regulate the spirits industry, and properly deal with the rush of business during the early days of repeal, and by the first few months of 1934, the Federal Alcohol Control Administration, would require that Legendre & Co. remove the word absinthe from the label.
Legendre & Co. was not the only New Orleans distiller caught up in the post prohibition legal confusion, regarding absinthe, two other old time New Orleans distillers would also find that they too, would have to remove the word absinthe from their labeling of their products.
We will talk more about this in the coming days...
Stay Tuned & Happy New Year!
December 5, 1933 Repeal of Prohibition is celebrated at The Old Absinthe House, as documented by a recent postal card find.
It is quite interesting to see the writer celebrating repeal at The Old Absinthe House, and mentioning "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...
Pictured are two mid 1950s Legendre Herbsaint bottles, the standard full size bottle, and the less common pint bottle.
We will have more and better photos up soon, after the holidaze!
We will have an extraordinary new addition to showcase very soon, stay tuned to see a very rare Legendre & Co. find profiled that one won't see everyday.
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 bottle for a short period until 1935, when Legendre & Co. would adopt a pint bottle that matched the full sized Herbsaint bottles, with a raised circular area to hold the Legendre & Co. seal of quality.
Back label:
We have been rather busy lately, and have acquired some new additions which we will post shortly, ranging from two recently found Legendre's Drugstore bottles. and a couple of major Legendre Herbsaint finds, that are quite stunning.
Watch for new photos shortly...till then, stay tuned!
A quick preview:
