MATERIAL REVIEWS.
MESSRS. CARSON'S CHOCOLATES.* I am particularly pleased to respond to your request for a critical "review" of Messrs. Carson's chocolate packings sub- mitted to me, as I consider them a real advance on anything of the kind yet attempted in this country on a commercial scale.
Just before the War I brought back somewhat similar boxes and wrappers from the admirable Commercial-Art section of the Cologne Exhibition, with which I now for the first time find something comparable of purely English origin.
The " Nursery Rhymes " series boxes are clearly drawn in a suitably simple convention and the colour is clean, though the rather excessive amount of grey undoubtedly dims their potential richness and brilliance.
The special success of the " Queen of Hearts " design is, in my opinion, attributable to the bold use of black that is entirely lacking in the others.
A black label on a gold ground is, again, most effective in the case of the " Tray Milk Chocolate " box, the well-displayed white lettering and the spot of colour provided by the little flower piece making a very attractive ensemble. [This is the design by a member of the South Kensington staff mentioned in Mr. Martin Hardie's letter.] Best of all, however, are the blue-and-gold " The Royal " boxes, where the conventional flower trophies sparkle through the gelatine paper wrappers in a most engaging way.
To wish, again, for a little black emphasis and a rather stronger green is perhaps to be hypercritical. • Messrs. Carson's " Fine Chocolate in Sticks " wrappers are simply commercial in the old sense and are entirely devoid of interest. Their doubtless excellent contents are dissembled by a most undistinguished dress.—CLouGH WiLmams-Emas.
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