The Arkley is nestled away in the leafy suburb of Barnet. It is a country pub providing a wide selection of food and drink. The pub is named after the village it’s located in— Arkley, a village centered along a long road, linking Hertfordshire to North London. At 482 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest points in London.
The Arkley pub is currently displaying a series of advertising posters from the 1920s to the 1950s. Stopping off for a pint of local ale, Digital Journal’s reporter took advantage of the stop-over to survey the posters.
The first poster is one for Martini Vermouth.Not to be confused with the classic cocktail, Martini is made from four ingredients: wine, botanicals, sugar, and alcohol.Vermouth is an aromatized wine, a type of fortified wine flavored with various botanicals.
A related drink is Campari, forever associated with the 1970s. Campari is an alcoholic liqueur, considered an apéritif, made from the infusion of herbs and fruit (including chinotto and cascarilla) in alcohol and water.
An alternative picture of Campari. Note the soda fountain. Soda was used to promote the drink in the U.S. market. Taking it this way is also popular in Italy. Traditionalists serve it simply with two parts soda water to one part spirit.
A different liqueur — quinquina — which is an aromatised wine. The drink is a variety of apéritif wine. Traditionally quinquinas contain cinchona bark, which provides quinine. The Saint Raphael brand is still in production.
A alternative type of quinquina, this one is still produced today. Dubonnet is a sweet, aromatised wine–based aperitif with 15 percent alcohol by volume. Dubonnet was first sold in 1846.
The Pontarlier drink, named after the French village in the Franche-Comté region. The drink, similar to Absinthe, is still made today.
Charnay Green Tea Aperitif. The drink is popular today, with aromas of lychee nut, gun-powder green tea and citrus flowers. The vintage poster here is in a modernist style.
Rum is a popular drink worldwide. This French poster depicts a rum no longer in production. The poster and name captures the “romance” of the era — Rhum des Roches Noires.
Here we have a French beer, Gangloff. A lot of great artists worked for Gangloff in the 1920s and 1930s, although the beer is no longer in production.
A different beer, called “Phenix.” Phoenix Beer began production in 1963 on Mauritius. The poster shows the golden lager advertised in French.
After beer comes whisky. This poster advertises a U.S. bourbon called Sea Brook. The drink is no longer in production. Bourbon has been distilled since the 18th century.
The next poster depicts a drink that is also no longer produced: Gincana bisleri liqueur.
Moving onto wine, the next poster shows a brand called Sisca. This Italian wine is no longer in production. The poster is by the artist Henri Le Monnier.
la Bledine, Chablisene, Cordial Medoc, Hule Lesieur, La Societe (Blue Cheese), Cemoi Chcolat Dauphin, Chicoree williot, Cafe Noblot, Cap d’Or Aperitif; Sisca Cassis, Cordial Topaze marie Brizard & Roger, Le Poele Cresu-Faure, Spongia, Flor Savon en Petales, La savon Soprosoie, Dobra, La Gant Perrin (gloves), Jouet Freres, Englebert Ballon (tires), Automobiles Unic, La Montagne, and many more.
Using more established artists seemed to be a theme for French wine. This poster for Berger 45 is by Roland Ansieau. Ansieau was an early 20th-century French art deco graphic artist. This poster is from 1935.
This poster depicts champagne from the Joseph Perrier house. The Cuvée Royale Brut is a blend of 35 percent Chardonnay, 35 percent Pinot Noir and 30 percent Pinot Meunier, with around 20 percent reserve wine.
Finally a poster for Masera Aperitif, a liqueur no longer being manufactured. This poster blends a modernist theme, with the figure in revolutionary posture. The poster print displays sharp, vivid images with a high degree of color accuracy.
