By Melody Amsel-Arieli Paper products are generally short-lived, meant to be used, then thrown away. Yet incredibly, many paper crate labels, created to identify contents of wooden fruit and vegetable crates, have stood the test of time. As the California Gold Rush tapered off in the 1850s, disappointed miners turned to agriculture instead. The state’s coastal plain, with its mild climate , abundant sunshine, and fertile soil, was particularly suited to citrus cultivation. In addition to growing sweet, seedless, sizable navel oranges , other citrus, as well as new varieties , were eventually created. By the 1880s, when millions worked on farms, expanded rail routes crisscrossed the country, providing a quick, reliable, inexpensive way of marketing perishable agricultural produce. For protection, these were packed in hefty wooden crates. Their glued paper labels not only identified their contents, but their brand names. They also identified their packers’ names and places of origin. In 1893, citrus farmers, seeking a more profitable way to market their produce, established the cooperative Southern California Fruit Exchange — now known as Sunkist Growers. The California Fruit Exchange followed in 1901. As family farms began marketing through these central exchanges, they changed their labels. Some included Fruit Exchange logos in their labels; others used Exchange labels in place of their own. As a result, two versions sometimes existed for an identical product — one with a Fruit Exchange label, another without. Because exchange negotiations with brokers and shippers markedly increased sales, packers began commissioning printed crate labels cheaply, in bulk. Generally, California farmers shipped oranges, lemons, grapes, and raisins, while Oregon and Washington State farmers shipped pears, apples, plums, cherries, and peaches. Louisiana shipped sweet potatoes and yams, Florida shipped citrus fruit, and Texas shipped vegetables. As packing techniques improved and refrigeration was introduced, more perishable produce, like tomatoes, lettuce, and melons, were also marketed. Since Eastern groceries and markets commonly displayed produce in their original shipping crates, their beautifully crafted labels not only differentiated between competitors, but were also effective marketing tools. Many featured catchy slogans, eye-catching designs, vivid hues, and bold lettering, as well as finely detailed stone-lithographed graphics. Most crate labels were designed by unknown commercial artists, then water-colored on linen or paper, After creating sample lithographs (some of which still exist today), hundreds of American printing companies, like Schmidt Litho, Carton Labels, and Western Lithograph, produced millions of copies. Over time, packers in Mexico, Argentina, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Holland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Japan created crate labels as well. Since they had to withstand varied temperatures en route, they were typically printed on heavy, high- quality, lustrous paper. The earliest crate labels featured lifelike images of rosy-cheeked children, miners, landscapes, trains, and flowers. The Wildflower Brand Citrus label, created for the Randolph Marketing Company for example, depicts oranges and lemons amid flowery blooms. The School Boy Brand Apple label, created for the Curtis Fruit Company, depicts a young, apple-toting scholar. From the 1920s, crate labels usually depicted their contents. Since they had to sell in a timely manner, they had to be eye-catching. Many of their dramatic designs, like the Ful-of-Health citrus label packed in Cocoa, Fla., conveyed fruit freshness and flavor. Others, reflecting regional or national history, depicted Native Americans, cowboys on bucking broncos, or scenes of the Gold Rush. Others depicted memorable images of dragons, greyhounds, lions, bears, reindeer, mountain goats, wolves, cows, horses, or house pets. Over time, designs became more commercial, featuring geometric patterns and bolder lettering, which promoted easier product recognition. Though the College Heights Orange and Lemon Assn. label, for instance, depicts fruit and distant citrus groves, its brand name , EL PRIMO, looms largest of all. Other crate designs featured instantly recognizable icons. The dramatic Blue Goose label, for example, promoted the American Fruit Growers Inc. in Yakima, Wash. The Wise Bird owl, “whoo” promoted Winter Garden, Fla., citrus fruits. In the 1950s, when economical, preprinted cardboard boxes replaced wooden crates, crate label production drew to a close. During the 1960s and ’70s, collectors and dealers located millions of never-used ,leftover labels tucked away in attics, basements, and bureau drawers. They have also found millions languishing forgotten, either stockpiled by former farm workers or forsaken in lithography archives or packing houses. Many of these were printed in small runs, 1,000 to 50,000 pieces. A large packing house, like the Placentia Mutual Orange Association, however, may have had over 100,000 labels left over. To many collectors, crate label condition is critical. However, if the label is rare, then Thomas P. “Pat” Jacobsen at www.fruitcratelabels.com, said “Having any rare one, in any condition is fantastic.” Other collectors acquire crate labels in poor condition, with hopes of replacing them if better ones become available. Crate label prices are determined by not only by age, rarity, and subject matter, but by their graphic appeal. The better the image, the higher the price. Labels with particularly attractive images, like charming children, cuddly animals, or red-ripe cherries, sell most quickly. Images of Santa, Uncle Sam, sports, and famous people are also perennially popular. Label prices are also determined by the commodities they market. A small, narrow, or odd-sized cherry, prune, avocado, or asparagus “strip” label may cost up to $175 on today’s market. Pear labels may cost $400; apple labels may cost $750. A Florida Citrus label may cost up to $1,000. A California Citrus label , currently the most desirable of all, may command as much as $5,000. Rare, appealing fruit labels in pristine condition, like premium Sunkist King David oranges, generally earn the highest prices of all. Common, mid-19th century labels, however, can currently be found in the $1 to $10 range. So about $100 could start a basic collection. Besides, since crate labels are becoming increasing popular – and increasingly scarce, their prices tend to rise. People collect crate labels for a variety of reasons. Some, through them, retrace the history of agriculture, advertising, printing , or the packing industry. Some value their old-fashioned charm and beauty. Others love them for their colorful designs, bold graphics, or historic appeal. With thousands of designs available, many focus on a particular region, product , color, or image. Others seek pieces with strong personal appeal. |