This is another version of a set called "Les Ecritures", which means "The Writings" but shows the story of writing and languages.
When we say "another" we really mean it for there are a lot of versions, all using the same pictures. These are summarised along with the first version of this set that we featured on our website as our Card of the Day for the 16th of July, 2024, that being Series 22.
Most of those are a combination of the names of four issuers, but our version only bears the name of Cailler. It is also entirely different in its appearance, having the title of the set at the top border, and the maker`s name in the dark cartouche inside the picture. And also it is perforated to every edge. Which begs the question were all of them perforated, to every edge, or were there edge stamps which had either a straight top, bottom, or side, depending on its place in said sheet ? And also were the ones that have no perforations at all simply trimmed by someone who wanted them more as cards than stamps ?
Cailler is a brand, but was also a man, Francois-Louis Cailler, who was born in 1796. He opened a grocery store, in 1818, in Vevey, Switzerland, with a partner Abram Cusin. One of the things they sold was chocolate, the sort that we today know as drinking chocolate.
This is where the story gets complex, as some collectors say that it looks as if this drinking chocolate was a line he bought in from someone else, then wondered how easy it would be to make on his own, cutting out the middleman. The problem with this is that he opened a factory in a town nearby in 1819 and he was not only far enough along in his efforts to feel a factory was necessary, but he had also discovered how to convert the cocoa powder into solid blocks and tablets for eating. And within a relatively short time he was able to offer different flavours and styles - sixteen in all.
By 1840 he had three factories, a wife and two sons. However in 1852 he died, and his wife and sons took over. He must have had a daughter too, because in 1861 one of his factories was taken over by his son in law, Daniel Peter. And he has a huge claim to chocolate fame, for he invented milk chocolate. But we speak of him elsewhere on this site (somewhere...)
The merging with Peter and Kohler happened in 1911, to make Peter, Cailler, Kohler. And they were bought by Nestle in 1929.