Cheese Labels

1920’s to 1990’s    Eight French cheese labels from a variety of regions, all displaying some form of FC.  $6 each from  Bertrand Cocq, Calonne-Ricouart, France, Sept., ’20.  Different Ligueil label for €7.50 from Albert van den Bosch, Antwerp, June, '23.

Like so many things in French culture, there is a strong and tasteful use of color in these labels!  My favorite here has the fox playing a guitar to charm the crow!

1930?  Three small (slightly over 2" diameter) cheese labels: "K.H. De Jong's Exporthandel" and "Fromage de Hollande."  Labels of fables in French and once in English.  $15 from Bertrand Cocq, Calonne Ricouart, France, Sept., '18. 

It is curious that the De Jong labels feature one French and one English for the fable title.  It is just as curious that the De Jong image for FC is the same image used in the more generic "Cheese from Holland" label.

1974 Emmental franco-Suisse Cheese.  “Les Fables de La Fontaine.”  6 numbered bilingual Dutch/French labels for Emmental cheese: the whole set of six.  4.2” in diameter.  Unknown source.

These labels – or are they perhaps inserts in the round of cheese? – are unusual in being bilingual by half of the circle of each card.  The moral for each fable is taken from La Fontaine. 

1980? Camembert Extra Fin cheese label. Fromage du Fin Renard. "Ce Qui Se Fait de Mieux." Litho. Myncke, Brussels. $8 from Dany Wolfs, Roeselare, Belgium, August, '00.

This circular label is a specimen of lovely colored printing. The crow, perched on the "Fromage" sign in the label, weeps visible tears. The fox walks away pleased, with a wheel of Camembert under his arm. There seems to be a number 41 stamped just above the crow's head.