Three gin & liquor bottles, André Ricard (1963, 1965, 1966)

As an industrial designer Ricard had to work all kind of commissions, and a business that was growing fast in the mid 60 and early 70s was that of alcoholic dirnks.

Of these three bottles the most famous one is, doubtless, the Licor 43 one... a Spanish sweet liquor -very popular amongst tourists- from 1946 and for which he designed a bottle in 1966, but there's not doubt the most interesting bottle is that of Foca Dry Gin (designed in 1963).

As you can see this bottle hasn't got a rounded base but a triangular one, and its neck isn't located at the center but right at one of the angles... and not for a whimsical reason. The Foca Dry Gin was a good gin popular amongst connaisseurs, but as it wasn't advertised in the media, it didn't sell too well. What's more, when someone's asking for a drink usually looks at the shelves behind the barman to choose a drink... and if one cannot see the name of a drink, won't ask for it. The position of the bottle on a bar-shelf was esential for this bottle and Ricard managed to get the perfect one because...
a) When the barman takes this bottle holding it from the flat side with the brand label on it and...
b) When the barman returns it on the shelf, he puts it always in the same position with the label facing the costumers...

This is a fine example of what a real designer can achive, much more than just being a mere stylist. And this is why I admire Ricard so much (well, not only for this bottle, but for the whole of his work).

The other two bottles are nice ones but they lack that little something that turns the Foca one into a masterwork. By the way, the design of the Green Fish Gin bottle dates back from 1965.

The funniest thing about the bottle in my collection.... When I first found out this was a design by Ricard -in one of the few books dedicated to his work- I knew I had seen that bottle before and I thought it was at my parents place by the beach... I called them but it was a different one. So sad! I found it weeks later at my parent's cellar when my mother asked me to pick up something for her. It was a huge joy finding it there, waiting for me. In fact my parents have been my biggest source for Ricard stuff... (the OSLO wood set also came from my parents's, as well as many other things).

Ricard not only designed glass bottles for alcoholic drinks. He also designed a bottle for milk and another one for fruit juice... One day' I'll get those too!