Horticulturalist Ephraim Wales Bull developed Concord grapes in 1849, through experiments with wild, native grapes (Vitis labrusca). The grape’s name derives from the location of Bull’s research--Concord, Massachusetts. Concords flourished in the Finger Lakes region of New York State and by the 1870s there was a vigorous trade in shipping ripe Concords to buyers around the country. Used as table grapes as well as for making jelly and Kosher wine, Concord production increased significantly in the late 19th century. Their most famous application was in the making of non-fermented grape juice, a process introduced by Dr. Thomas Welch, of New Jersey, in 1869.
This colorful printed label was for “Gold Star Brand” Concords, a brand shipped by Samuel McMath & Co., out of Penn Yan, a village nestled on the north end of the east branch of Keuka Lake, one of New York’s Finger Lakes. Established in 1875, McMath’s company was one of several that shipped wooden baskets of grapes by rail to commercial processors and retail businesses. Labels like this would have been pasted on the lids of the “pony” baskets, 1250 of which could fit in a single rail car. McMath died in 1918 and his son John continued buying and shipping grapes out of Penn Yan until 1932.
This shipping crate label was used by Orange King brand Valencia oranges grown and packed by the Orange Mutual Citrus Association of Orange, California around 1927. The lithographed label has a blue background with a large golden lion in the center.
This shipping crate side contained Gargoyle brand “A” mobiloil that was made by the Vacuum Oil Company of New York City, New York in the early 20th century. The Vacuum Oil Company merged with the Standard Oil Company of New York in 1931 and marketed the Gargoyle Mobiloil brand for several years before Mobil became the new company name and Pegasus the new logo. The crate contained ten one-gallon cans of oil.
This shipping crate side originally contained Citrus Washing Powder manufactured by the Citrus Soap Company of San Diego, California in the early 20th century. The crate contained 48 packages of Citrus washing powder.
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
This Tumwater brand apple crate label was used by the Cashmere Fruit Exchange in Cashmere, Washington during the beginning of the 20th century. The lithographed label was produced by Stecher-Traung of San Francisco, California. Tumwater Canyon is pictured on the label, and its large stream that runs into Lake Wenatchee is surrounded by a forest, flowing down from the mountains. Fruit crate labels often depicted landscapes like this to evoke the idea of rich, natural produce.
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
This Foot Hill brand apple crate label was in use in Wenatchee, Washington around 1900-1940. The image of a rising sun over the mountains and the slogan "From the Foothills of the Cascades" evokes a sense of nature that was often used in fruit crate labels. The apples were shipped by Tyrrell’s of Wenatchee, Washington. Wenatchee was one of the largest American apple producing regions during the early 20th century.
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
This Snoboy brand apple crate label was used by the Pacific Fruit and Produce Company of Seattle, Washington during the early 20th century. The lithographed label was produced by the Schmidt L. Company of Seattle, Washington. The label has a blue background, with an illustration of a snowman holding a red apple and waving.
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
This Cas-Co brand apple crate label was used by the Associated Fruit Company on Cashmere, Washington during the early 20th century. The red lithographed label has a central illustration of a barrel with “CAS-CO” written in the center. The label calls Cashmere “The Heart of the famous Wenatchee Valley,” which was one of the most productive apple-producing regions of the United States.
This tobacco shipping crate end is imprinted with the text “Climax, 7 oz., 3x12, 6 spaces.” Climax was a brand of plug tobacco manufactured by the P. Lorillard Company in the 1890’s. Plug tobacco is a form of chewing tobacco that is pressed into sheets and kept together by the addition of molasses. The Lorillard Tobacco Company was founded in 1760 by Pierre Abraham Lorillard. It is the United States oldest tobacco company.
This side portion of a Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company shipping crate is imprinted with the company’s Star trademark. Liggett and Myers had been in the tobacco business since 1822, and incorporated in 1873 in St. Louis, Missouri. By 1885 Liggett and Myers was the largest manufacturer of plug tobacco, a molasses-sweetened form of chewing tobacco sold under their “Star” brand.
This Cliff brand apple crate label was used by Chelan Falls Orchards of Chelan Falls, Washington during the early 20th century. The lithographed label features an illustration the Chelan Falls gorge, with an apple orchard near the banks the Chelan Gorge that is spanned with a bridge. The Chelan Falls are formed where Lake Chelan spills into the Columbia River, and is part of the fertile apple-producing region of Washington in the Columbia River basin.
Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
This Hi Buy All brand apple crate label was used by the Butler Trading Company, Inc. of Wenatchee, Washington during the early 20th century. The lithographed yellow label features an image of two large red apples on the branch. These apples came from Wenatchee, Washington which claimed to be the “Apple Capital of the World.”
This shipping crate side contained Meadow brand evaporated milk produced by the Meadowbrook Condensed Milk Company of Seattle, Washington during the early 20th century. Before refrigeration allowed fresh milk to easily be kept on hand, cans of evaporated or condensed milk were a staple of household pantries.
This shipping crate side has a label for Gilbert S. Graves Family Gloss Starch that was manufactured by the National Starch Company of Buffalo, New York during the late 19th and early 20th century. The crate contained 16 3-pound boxes of starch. The National Starch Company was one of the largest American producers of starch during the early 20th century, controlling a number of companies including the Gilbert S. Graves Company.