{"product_id":"oranje-bitter-vintage-advertising-poster-1897","title":"Oranje Bitter Vintage Advertising Poster, 1897","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eOranje Bitter (1897–1905)\u003c\/em\u003e, dated 1897 and attributed to an anonymous Dutch designer, places a monumental bottle of orange bitters amid ripe fruit, curling leaves and emphatic advertising copy. The bottle rises at the right of the composition in deep amber-brown, its rounded body carefully modelled with highlights and shadow. Across the pale ground, red and black lettering supplies the counterpoint: exuberant, immediately legible and arranged with enough irregularity to give the design a distinctly playful energy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eProduced at the turn of the twentieth century, the poster belongs to a flourishing culture of illustrated advertising and popular commentary. Commercial graphics needed to communicate quickly in streets, shops and periodicals, and this design does so through an economical hierarchy of brand name, bottle and ingredients. Its French headline—“le Seul Véritable ORANJE BITTER”—claims the drink as the sole genuine article, while the instruction “Exigez la marque de Fabrique” urges customers to insist upon the trademark. Such language places authenticity itself at the centre of the sales message, suggesting a competitive market in which a recognisable label and bottle mattered as much as the product name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eA closer look\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe eye first meets the broad red lettering at the upper left. “ORANJE BITTER” is given particular weight, its thick strokes and looping curves standing sharply against the warm cream background. From here the composition moves diagonally towards the bottle on the lower right, avoiding the rigid symmetry common to more formal advertisements. The shifting scale—from oversized words to fruit, foliage and container—creates the brisk visual rhythm of a poster intended to register at a glance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe bottle is the most naturalistically handled element. Tonal gradations travel across the brown glass, lending its body curvature and substance, while the narrow neck rises into the otherwise open upper field. Its white label interrupts the darker surface and contains the name “Feyen \u0026amp; Looienga” with “Hasselt” beneath, accompanied by a small star-shaped emblem. That star provides a compact identifying device: a detail easily remembered and readily matched to the printed instruction to look for the correct trademark.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt lower left, small oranges nestle among dense green leaves. Their yellow-orange skins echo the warmth of the bottle but contrast with the cool foliage, preventing the palette from becoming uniformly red and brown. The leaves are articulated with finer internal detail than the broad lettering, while the fruit remains rounded and simple. Together they act as both ingredient imagery and compositional ballast, balancing the large bottle without competing with it. The result moves deftly between flat graphic design and more softly modelled representation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eContext and significance\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe work is catalogued as an anonymous Dutch satirical print as well as a vintage beverage poster, reflecting the close relationship between advertising, public humour and topical visual culture during this period. Its title, \u003cem\u003eOranje Bitter\u003c\/em\u003e, carries an immediately Dutch resonance, while the French promotional wording broadens its address beyond a purely Dutch-language audience. Rather than relying on extensive explanation, the design compresses its argument into a few forceful signs: vivid colour, a distinctive bottle, fresh oranges and repeated assertions of authenticity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat gives the poster its lasting visual interest is this blend of commercial directness and informal wit. The jaunty typography refuses strict alignment, the fruit seems to spill into the lettering, and the commanding bottle is rendered with almost portrait-like prominence. It is a concise example of how turn-of-the-century graphic art could make an everyday beverage memorable through scale, colour and carefully staged brand identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChoosing the right size and finish\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eArtwork can feel intimate at smaller sizes and dramatically more architectural at larger ones. Use the room preview, model image and size guide to see how the proportions and scale will work in your space.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you need an exact size, specialist framing or help planning a larger display, \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003eask our workshop for advice\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe model in the listing images is holding the 36x14in (90x35cm) version of this art print.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhere personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, or one considered visual detail. \u003ca href=\"\/it\/pages\/map-personalisation\"\u003eSee examples of personalised artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChoose Original to retain the colour and character of the source artwork, or Aged for a warmer, more antique appearance. \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/sepia-aged-maps\"\u003eSee examples of our Aged artwork\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEvery piece is produced to archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte art paper. Choose an art print, framed art print or framed canvas using the finish options above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFramed art prints use crystal-clear optical acrylic for excellent clarity, lower weight and safer delivery than glass. Each piece arrives professionally framed and ready to hang.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSelected artworks can be produced at statement sizes up to 3 metres (10ft). Custom sizing and \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/custom-framing\"\u003especialist framing\u003c\/a\u003e are also available. If the exact option you need is not listed, \u003ca target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/it\/pages\/contact-us\"\u003econtact our workshop\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"The Unique Maps Co.","offers":[{"title":"9x18in (23x45cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649375928711,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"9x18in (23x45cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649375961479,"sku":null,"price":95.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"9x18in (23x45cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649375994247,"sku":null,"price":105.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x24in (30x60cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649376027015,"sku":null,"price":63.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x24in (30x60cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649376059783,"sku":null,"price":150.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"12x24in (30x60cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649376092551,"sku":null,"price":160.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x36in (40x90cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649376125319,"sku":null,"price":88.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x36in (40x90cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649376158087,"sku":null,"price":240.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"16x36in (40x90cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649376190855,"sku":null,"price":250.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x40in (50x100cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649376223623,"sku":null,"price":110.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x40in (50x100cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649376256391,"sku":null,"price":330.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"20x40in (50x100cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649376289159,"sku":null,"price":330.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"22x50in (56x127cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649376321927,"sku":null,"price":195.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"22x50in (56x127cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649376354695,"sku":null,"price":875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"22x50in (56x127cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649376387463,"sku":null,"price":875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"27x60in (70x150cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649376420231,"sku":null,"price":265.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"27x60in (70x150cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649376452999,"sku":null,"price":1400.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"27x60in (70x150cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649376485767,"sku":null,"price":1300.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"32x70in (80x178cm) \/ Art print","offer_id":67649376518535,"sku":null,"price":415.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"32x70in (80x178cm) \/ Framed art print","offer_id":67649376551303,"sku":null,"price":1875.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"32x70in (80x178cm) \/ Framed canvas","offer_id":67649376584071,"sku":null,"price":1750.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0257\/0344\/8638\/files\/file_3456799d-feed-43cb-81ca-95e77530672a.jpg?v=1791388770","url":"https:\/\/uniquemaps.co.uk\/it\/products\/oranje-bitter-vintage-advertising-poster-1897","provider":"The Unique Maps Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}