Clacquesin is a liqueur produced from ca. 1860 by Paul Clacquesin, industrialist, owner of a distillery company founded in 1775 at rue du Dragon in Paris, and produced in his factories in Malakoff. Clacquesin was very popular at the beginning of the 20th century. To promote their liqueur, Claquesin published a unique series of postcards in the mid-1930s. The cards show portraits of French film and stage stars and sports celebrities combined with nice little drawings that illustrate their careers.
![Josephine Baker]()
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin. Collection: Marlene Pilaete.
Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was well-known as a singer and dancer. In 1925 she became an instant success in Paris, because of her erotic dance. She also performed in a handful of silent and early sound films, La Sirene des Tropiques (1927), Zouzou (1934), and La princesse TamTam (1935).
![Charles Rigoulot, publicity for Clacquesin]()
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins. Caption: "To be[come] strong, it is funny but you only have to drink every day a Clacquesin."
Charles Rigoulot (1903-1962) was a French weightlifter, professional wrestler, racing driver, and actor. Rigoulot won a gold medal at the 1924 Olympics, and between 1923 and 1926 he set eight official world records. In 1931 Rigoulot hurt himself in weightlifting and quit. He turned professional and worked as a car racer, strongman in the circus, an actor and singer in the theatre, and as a wrestler. Rigoulot acted in several films: Un soire de bombe (Maurice de Cammage, 1935), L'aventure est au coin de la rue (Jacques Daniel-Norman, 1944), Cent francs par seconde (Jean Boyer, 1953) - in which he played himself, just as in Sur deux roues (René Lucot, 1953). His last film role was in À la manière de Sherlock Holmes (Henri Lepage, 1956).
![Albert Préjean, publicity for Clacquesin]()
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins. Caption: "Under the Roofs of Paris, with gaiety and spirit I drink Clacquesin."'Sous les toits de Paris' refers to one of Préjean's most popular films, Sous les toits de Paris (René Clair, 1930).
French actor and singer Albert Préjean (1894-1979) was a former WWI flying ace. He is best known for playing heroes in the silent films of René Clair, and for playing George Simenon's detective Maigret.
Clacquesin was described as a tar liqueur or hygienic tar, in reference to one of its main constituents, Norway pine tar. Clacquesin was a medalist at the Paris 1900 World Fair and enjoyed growing success on this occasion.
From 1903, the production, until then at rue du Dragon, was transported to a factory located in Malakoff. Clacquesin was very popular during the 1920s and 1930s - in the 1930s it was one of the most consumed French liquors - but production stopped in 1942, during World War II. Clacquesin struggled to restart afterwards.
The Malakoff factory ceased production in 1995 and the building was classified as a historic monument in 2002. Clacquesin was then produced in Provins, from which 50,000 bottles were produced each year, distributed mainly by wine merchants.
![Antoine Magne]()
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins.
Antonin Magne (1904-1983) was a French racing cyclist, who won the Tour de France in 1931 and 1934. He raced as a professional from 1927 to 1939 and then became a team manager.
![Marcel Thil]()
French postcard. Publicity for Clacquesin liquor.
Marcel Thil (1904-1968) was a French boxer. A big friend of actor Jean Gabin, Marcel Thil fought in the 1930s in the middleweight category, a category in which he was world champion from 1932 to 1937. After his boxing career was over, he became a trader in wood and coal. During the war he was a trainer of boxing amateurs. In 1942 he played a boxing arbiter in the film Le grand combat (Bernard-Roland, 1942). Thill died after a car accident.
![Marie Dubas]()
French postcard. Publicity for Clacquesin liquor.
Marie Dubas (1894-1972) was a French actress and singer, who starred in several popular operettas. Later, she became one of the queens of the music hall.
![Albert Préjean for Clacquesin]()
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins. Caption: "For your pleasure, for your health, drink Clacquesin every season. The healthiest appetizer."
French actor and singer Albert Préjean (1894-1979) was a former WWI flying ace. He is best known for playing heroes in the silent films of René Clair, and for playing George Simenon's detective Maigret.
Source: Wikipedia (French).
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin. Collection: Marlene Pilaete.
Josephine Baker (1906-1975) was well-known as a singer and dancer. In 1925 she became an instant success in Paris, because of her erotic dance. She also performed in a handful of silent and early sound films, La Sirene des Tropiques (1927), Zouzou (1934), and La princesse TamTam (1935).
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins. Caption: "To be[come] strong, it is funny but you only have to drink every day a Clacquesin."
Charles Rigoulot (1903-1962) was a French weightlifter, professional wrestler, racing driver, and actor. Rigoulot won a gold medal at the 1924 Olympics, and between 1923 and 1926 he set eight official world records. In 1931 Rigoulot hurt himself in weightlifting and quit. He turned professional and worked as a car racer, strongman in the circus, an actor and singer in the theatre, and as a wrestler. Rigoulot acted in several films: Un soire de bombe (Maurice de Cammage, 1935), L'aventure est au coin de la rue (Jacques Daniel-Norman, 1944), Cent francs par seconde (Jean Boyer, 1953) - in which he played himself, just as in Sur deux roues (René Lucot, 1953). His last film role was in À la manière de Sherlock Holmes (Henri Lepage, 1956).
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins. Caption: "Under the Roofs of Paris, with gaiety and spirit I drink Clacquesin."'Sous les toits de Paris' refers to one of Préjean's most popular films, Sous les toits de Paris (René Clair, 1930).
French actor and singer Albert Préjean (1894-1979) was a former WWI flying ace. He is best known for playing heroes in the silent films of René Clair, and for playing George Simenon's detective Maigret.
A medalist at the Paris 1900 World Fair
Clacquesin was described as a tar liqueur or hygienic tar, in reference to one of its main constituents, Norway pine tar. Clacquesin was a medalist at the Paris 1900 World Fair and enjoyed growing success on this occasion.
From 1903, the production, until then at rue du Dragon, was transported to a factory located in Malakoff. Clacquesin was very popular during the 1920s and 1930s - in the 1930s it was one of the most consumed French liquors - but production stopped in 1942, during World War II. Clacquesin struggled to restart afterwards.
The Malakoff factory ceased production in 1995 and the building was classified as a historic monument in 2002. Clacquesin was then produced in Provins, from which 50,000 bottles were produced each year, distributed mainly by wine merchants.
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins.
Antonin Magne (1904-1983) was a French racing cyclist, who won the Tour de France in 1931 and 1934. He raced as a professional from 1927 to 1939 and then became a team manager.
French postcard. Publicity for Clacquesin liquor.
Marcel Thil (1904-1968) was a French boxer. A big friend of actor Jean Gabin, Marcel Thil fought in the 1930s in the middleweight category, a category in which he was world champion from 1932 to 1937. After his boxing career was over, he became a trader in wood and coal. During the war he was a trainer of boxing amateurs. In 1942 he played a boxing arbiter in the film Le grand combat (Bernard-Roland, 1942). Thill died after a car accident.
French postcard. Publicity for Clacquesin liquor.
Marie Dubas (1894-1972) was a French actress and singer, who starred in several popular operettas. Later, she became one of the queens of the music hall.
French promotion postcard for Clacquesin, Extrait de Pins. Caption: "For your pleasure, for your health, drink Clacquesin every season. The healthiest appetizer."
French actor and singer Albert Préjean (1894-1979) was a former WWI flying ace. He is best known for playing heroes in the silent films of René Clair, and for playing George Simenon's detective Maigret.
Source: Wikipedia (French).