The Label Made Me Buy It: From Aunt Jemima to Zonkers -- The Best-Dressed Boxes, Bottles and Cans from the Past

This is a excellent book. I highly recommend this book to anyone that collects antique crate and food labels. Lots of information in the book on the different labels, history of the companies, etc. Great color photos of lots of different antique labels. I give this book 5 stars. If you are into antique labels then this book is for you. You will be pleased just as much as I am.

I have a framed vintage fruit can label hanging in my kitchen and antique spice tins on a decorative shelf. I've always loved these reminders of earlier times. I'm glad to discover this book which expands even more my appreciation for the illustrations on old boxes, bottles and cans. In addition to giving you historical information about label makers and food companies, it has listings of patents, dates, legal wording, and lithographers. The book has many uses as well. You can photocopy the labels to use in craft projects such as scrapbooking, card making or decoupage. If you want them on the high-quality glossy paper that's in the book, maybe just buy a 2nd copy to cut up. The colorful labels range in size from 2 x 2 to 6 x 8 inches.

Ralph and Terry Kovel created a wonderful coffee table book that outlines some of the best ICONS in commercial and advertising art. This book has deep appeal to not only designers but anyone who has a love for retro design and just plain cool art direction. American trends and packaging and even culture spring out of the depiction of many of these gorgeous four color labels. I enjoyed this book and even my teenage kids found it a really neat thing to look at.For history and antique buffs there is also enough information to make them happy as well.