Liste des Grands Vins Fins. [a collection of 37 commercial catalogues]

ÉTABLISSEMENTS NICOLAS MAISON. Liste des Grands Vins Fins. [a collection of 37 commercial catalogues]. [FIRST EDITIONS] Établissements Nicolas Maison: Charenton-le-pont [Paris] 1929-1973 and 1993-1997. Various formats with associated ephemera.

ÉTABLISSEMENTS NICOLAS MAISON

Liste des Grands Vins Fins. [a collection of 37 commercial catalogues]


Charenton-le-pont [Paris] : Établissements Nicolas Maison Fondée en 1822, 1929-1973 and 1993-1997. First and only editions.  Printed by Imprimerie Draeger Frères, Montrouge.

A set of  thirty-seven extravagantly produced annual fine wine commercial catalogues issued by the Parisian wine merchant Établissements Nicolas Maison between 1929 to 1973, together with associated tariff cards, advertising cards and ephemera,  and Carte Fines Bouteilles commercial catalogues issued for the years 1993-1997.   This set lacks only the extremely rare 1927 and 1928 catalogues.  No catalogues were published in 1937, 1940-1948, 1952, and 1968.  In French.

Continuing the trend established by Nicolas earlier in the 1920s, with the publication of Monseigneur Le Vin and the extremely successful 'Nectar' advertising campaign, Nicolas' groundbreaking catalogues were illustrated and designed by famous artists and typographers of the twentieth century including  Cassandre, Darcy, Iribe, Legrand, Fantin-Latour,  Galanis, Diginimont, Buffet, Chapelain-Midy, Lorjou, van Dongen and others. The illustrations are reproduced in a range of different techniques, including screen printing, lithography, photo-montage and four color printing.   Each catalogue or Liste is a design statement and a work of art in itself; not to mention a record of the extraordinary wines on offer and their price and availability over time. 

Liste 1929: (240x165mm) black and gold illustrated stiff card wrappers, stab sewn [2],23,[1]pp; illustration by Jules Isnard Dransy (1883-1945); two advertising cards for the fine wines of Bordeaux laid in. Near Fine.

Liste 1930: (240x180mm) spiral wire bound, gold illustrated stiff card wrappers [24]pp; illustration not attributed (Paule Iribe is sometimes suggested, possibly Alfred Latour), but using the designs of Dransy, advertising card for the fine wine of Burgundy laid in. Small offset blemish to two plates, boards faintly worn. Very Good.

Liste 1931: (240x180mm) spiral wire bound, blue and silver illustrated stiff card wrappers [2],24,[2]pp; illustration by Cassandre [Adolphe Jean Marie Mouton (1901-1968)], bi-fold letter from Nicolas to its customers arguing for the introduction of appellation control rules in Burgundy laid in. One or two faint blemishes, Near Fine.

Liste 1932: (240x180mm) spiral wire bound, black, inlaid colour illustration, stiff card wrappers 31,[1]pp; illustration by d'Edy Legrand [Edward Louis Warschawsky Leon (1892-1970)]; small loss to wire binding in two spots, faint foxing to several pages, illustration not affected. Very good.

Liste 1933: (240x180mm) spiral wire bound, silver, inlaid colour illustration, stiff card wrappers 31,[1]pp; illustration by Jean Hugo; bi-fold typed letter dated 18/2/1933 offering wholesale Bordeaux wine; small blemishes to wrappers, light foxing to endpapers and title-page. Very good.

Liste 1934: (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, colour illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],30 (folded leaves),[2]pp; colour illustration and vignettes by Alfred Latour (1888-1964). Gutters of wrappers lightly wormed, not affecting text or structure; wrappers lightly soiled.

Liste 1935: (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, bronze illustrated stiff card wrappers, 35,[1]pp; illustration by Darcy [Georges-Edouard (1883-??)]; broadside on blue paper from Nicolas to its customers noting the anemic qualities of the 1934 vintage and trade card for Doyen Champagne laid in; faint offset toning to wrapper turn-ins, else fine.

Liste 1936: (240x180mm) black plastic comb binding, colour illustrated stiff card wrappers, 48 (folded leaves),[4]pp; colour illustration and vignettes by Cassandre; general tariff card and tariff card for Jules Muller Kanzlerberg Grands Crus d'Alsace laid in; upper wrapper lightly scuffed, faint foxing to endpapers, comb not original (?); internally fine.

Liste 1938: (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, colour illustrated stiff card wrappers, 50,[4]pp; colour illustration and vignettes by Galanis [Demetrios (1879-1966)]; edges faintly age-toned, rear wrapper lightly soiled, internally fine.

Liste 1939: (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, cream, decorated initial, stiff card wrappers, 44,[4]pp; colour illustration by C Erickson [Carl Oscar August (1891-1958)]; layout and typography by Cassandre; wrapper edges lightly soiled; faint age-toning not affecting the text or illustration;

Liste 1949: "Sous le Signe de Paris" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, cream illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],31 (folded leaves),[7]pp; illustration by Dignimont [André (1891-1965)]; artistic direction by Cassandre; poster card and general tariff card laid in; wrapper edges lightly soiled; small chip to bottom edge of rear wrapper, else near fine.

Liste 1950: "Sous le Signe de Soleil Levant" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, cream illustrated stiff card wrappers, [4],32 (folded leaves),[4]pp; illustration by R Harada [Rihaka (1890-1954)]; typography by Alfred Latour; 'Kino Rok' advertising card an bi-fold price list laid in; wrapper edges and fore-edge lightly soiled, else near fine.

Liste 1951: "Sous le Signe d'une Vierge Folle de Strasbourg" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, cream printed stiff card wrappers, [4],33 (folded leaves),[5]pp; illustration by Berthommé Saint-André [Louis (1905-1977)]; typography by Alfred Latour; wrapper edges faintly soiled, else near fine.

Liste 1953: "Sous le Signe de Don Quichotte" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, black, gilt and colour decorated stiff card wrappers, [2],39 (folded leaves),[5]pp; illustration by Léon Gischia; ornaments and typographie by Alfred Latour; single leaf tariff card extract laid in; faint offset toning to several pages, else near fine.

Liste 1954: "Sous le Signe de quelques Jolies Filles des Provinces de France" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, original glassine outer wrapper, pink printed stiff card wrappers, [4],33 (folded leaves),[5]pp; watercolour illustration by Van Dongen [Cornelis Theodorus Maria(1877-1968)]; typographie by Alfred Latour; bi-fold tariff card extract laid in; Near Fine.

Liste 1955: "Sous le Signe des 'Still Life' (vies silencieuses)" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, original glassine outer wrapper, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],31 (folded leaves),[5]pp; paintings by André Marchand (1907-1997); ornaments and typography by Alfred Latour; edges lightly soiled, internally near fine.

Liste 1956: "Sous le Signe de L'lle de France" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],34 (folded leaves),[4]pp; paintings by Roland Oudot (1897-1981); typography by Alfred Latour;  edges faintly age-toned, else near fine.

Liste 1957: "Sous le Signe d'une Petite Fille" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],34 (folded leaves),[4]pp; watercolour illustration by Constantin Terechkovitch [Kostia (1902-1978)]; typography by Alfred Latour; page edges faintly age-toned, faint shelfwear, else near fine.

Liste 1958: "Sous le Signe du Soleil (Provence)" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],34,[4]pp; paintings by Roger Limouse; typography by Alfred Latour; edges faintly age-toned, else near fine.

Liste 1959: "Sous le Signe du Mexique" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],43 (folded leaves),[5]pp; paintings by Christian Caillard (1899-1985); typography by Alfred Latour; wrapper edges faintly worn; page edges faintly age-toned, else near fine.

Liste 1960: "Sous le Signe des Antilles Françaises" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],35 (folded leaves),[5]pp; paintings by Robert Humblot (1907-1962); ornamentation and typography by Alfred Latour; wrapper edges faintly worn; page edges faintly age-toned, else near fine.

Liste 1961:  "Sous le Signe des Fruits de la Terre de France" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],35 (folded leaves),[5]pp; paintings by Georges Rohner (1913-2000); ornaments and typography by Alfred Latour; bi-fold cream tariff card laid in; faint shelf wear, else near fine.

Liste 1962: "Sous le Signe de l'étè de la Saint-Martin" (240x180mm) clear plastic comb binding, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],34 (folded leaves),[4]pp; paintings by Mineaux [André (1923-1986)]; typography by Alfred Latour; faint shelf wear else near fine.

Liste 1963: "Toreros" (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],32 (folded leaves),[4]pp; watercolour illustrations by Bernard Buffet (1928-1999); typography by Alfred Latour; light shelf wear, wrapper edges lightly rubbed; internally near fine.

Liste 1964: "Les Sept Péchés Capitaux" (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],36 (folded leaves),[6]pp; paintings by Claude Schurr (1921-2014); ornaments and typography by Alfred Latour; wrapper edges faint shelf wear, top edges trifle dusty, else near fine.

Liste 1965: "Profondeurs Marines" (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],34 (folded leaves),[6]pp; watercolour illustrations by Chapelain Midy [Roger (1904-1992)]; typography by Alfred Latour; two tariff cards laid in; wrapper edges light shelf wear, lightly worn, top edges trifle dusty, one or two spots to endpapers, otherwise internally near fine.

Liste 1966: "Gens du Voyage" (280x220mm) original glassine outer wrapper, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],36,[6]pp: paintings by Guiramand [Paul (1926-2007)]; typography by Jean Latour; wrapper edges lightly worn, light shelf wear, top edges trifle dusty and lightly soiled, internally near fine.

Liste 1967: " La Chaleur du Terroir" (280x220mm) original glassine outer wrapper, illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],37 (folded leaves),[5]pp; paintings by Maurice Savin [Louis (1894-1973)]; ornaments and typography by Jean Latour; wrapper edges faint shelf wear; faint foxing to end-papers and top edges, else very good.

Liste 1969: "Le Paradis Terrestre" (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2], 32 (folded leaves),[6]pp, two folding plates; paintings by Lorjou [Bernard (1908-1986)]; typography by Jean Latour; wrapper edges rubbed, light shelf wear; gift inscription in ink to Michel Bonnefond (the owner of Ruchotte Chambertin) on the front free endpaper, else internally near fine.

Liste 1970: "Les Saisons" (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],31 (folded leaves),[7]pp; paintings by Ghiglion-Green [Maurice (1913-1989)]; typography by Jean Latour; front wrapper small scuff, wrapper edges rubbed, light shelf wear; cnrs gently bruised, else very good, internally near fine.

Liste 1971 "Des Alpilles à la Mer" (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2],33 (folded leaves),[5]pp; paintings by M E Sarthou [Maurice Elie (1911-1999)]; typography by Jean Latour; bi-fold order form for the 1980 vintage laid in; wrapper edges lightly worn, corners faintly bruised, internally near fine.

1972 "Le Génie du Vin" (320x265mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, sewn [28]pp; thirteen gouache illustrations by André Derain (1880-1954), reproduced lithographically; printed by Draeger Frères, Montrouge.; wrappers lightly soiled, internally near fine.  A 'Liste' was not published for 1972.  Le Génie du Vin was instead published  to commemorate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Établissments Nicolas, founded in 1822.

Liste 1973: (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers [2],31 (folded leaves),[7]pp; paintings by Guerrier [Raymond (1920-2002)]; typography by Jean Latour; wrapper edges faint shelf wear, lightly worn; page edges faintly age-toned; small blemish to p.[36], else internally near fine.  This was the last of the Liste des Grands Vins Fins published.  The tradition was resumed in a slightly different format in 1993 with the publication of the 1992 Carte.

Carte 1992: Nicolas Carte Fines Bouteilles 1992. (285x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, [2]-50,[4]pp.  Illustrated by Philippe Favier (1957- ); spine faintly sunned, else near fine.

Carte 1993: Nicolas Carte Fines Bouteilles 1993. (250x310mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, 63,[1]pp.  Illustrated by Gérard Puvis (1950-  ); wrappers faintly soiled, corners faintly bruised; internally fine.

Carte 1994: "Plantes" Nicolas Carte Fines Bouteilles 1994. (350x280mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, stapled [24]pp.  Illustrated by François Boisrond.  Wrappers faintly soiled, one corner gently bruised; internally fine.

Carte 1996: "Variations Naturelles" Nicolas Carte Fines Bouteilles 1996. (280x280mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, stapled [28]pp.  Illustrated by Emmanuelle Cremer.  Wrappers faintly soiled, internally fine.

Carte 1997: Nicolas Carte Fines Bouteilles 1997. (280x220mm) illustrated stiff card wrappers, stapled [32]pp.  Illustrated by Philippe Dupuy and Charles Berberian. Wrappers faintly sunned to one edge, internally fine.

Nicolas remains today France's preeminent wine merchant.  During it's two centuries of trade it has significantly changed the way consumers drink and consider wine.  First, it was the first merchant to sell table wine in bottles rather than casks, making it easier for the average person to drink a glass of wine at home, rather than in a tavern. Second, and more relevant here, Nicolas' association of fine wine with fine, contemporary and avant-garde art changed the way wine was marketed and perceived by the public.  Nicolas' use of art to promote and communicate the qualities of wine has been much imitated since the 1920s and continues today to be used by premium wines and wineries throughout the world. 

Notwithstanding the contributions of the various celebrated contributing artists, much of the unique character of the Nicolas Listes can be attributed to Alfred Latour (1888-1964), a French painter and engraver, who worked extensively as a graphic designer for Nicolas and was a friend of Cassandre and many of the other contributing artists.  After his death, in 1966 his son Jean took over his position at the Établissements Nicolas Maison.

A scarce collection of some of the most innovative and elegant wine marketing materials and ephemera ever produced.

§  OCLC suggests there are no holdings of a complete or partial run in institutions and that holdings of individual titles are scarce; a complete run of digital copies appears to be held by the Bibliothèques Patrimoniale/Forney Paris.
§  Oberlé Fritsch 597; Bibliothèque Forney