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Firmmuseum


It may sound funny but even some decades weaving labels was a quite dangerous job: the first automated looms working with cotton yarns tended to catch fire once in a while. Since fire prevention regulations were still weak that time seats of fire could expand and destroy company records and samples from the dawn of label production.

Nevertheless we have made up a small repertoire of labels from the 19th century to give you an insight into these early times.

As you will notice the basics of label production were the same as they are nowadays, but given the simple machines the larger expenditure of human labour turned labels into exclusive branded goods which were sewn into products of renowned tailors and manufactures at home and abroad.



SPITZER, G.E. Famous Viennese company for ladies' fashion at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century. The company name is woven with golden yarn. In the middle of the label there are 3 coat of arms, below the writing G.E. Spitzer. On the left side you can see the address in French Vienne/12 Kärnthnerring woven with white silk on white femininum satin, on the right side the address in German Wien/Kärnthnerring 12.



STEINER, MORIZ. Upper Austrian company for ladies' fashion at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century. The company name is woven with golden yarn on white satin in diagonal weave: Mor. Steiner/Robes & Confection/Gmund.



DRECOLL, CHRISTOPHORE. Viennese fashion company at the end of the 19th century till the first quarter of the 20th century. The company name is woven with white silk on femininum satin: Vienne/Ch. Drecoll/ Paris/Modele Déposé



CHANCEAU, IZAMBARD. Unknown tailor from Russia (?).
The company name is printed with golden colour onto a white satin ribbon in diagonal weave: in the middle Izambard Chanceau/St. Pétersbourg, on the right and left side coat of arms with the letters M.


LAMANOWA, NADESHDA PETROWNA. Renowned Russian couturiere at the end of the 19th / beginning of the 20th century. The fashion house's name is printed with golden colour onto a white silk rep ribbon.

Apart from labels our small museum offers you an insight into the world of flags 100 years ago. You can take a look at the historical flags of seafaring countries and of the largest shipping companies from the turn of the last century.