 |
Crate label vintage citrus crate label for
Seedless Washington Navel Oranges, packed by the Griffin & Skelley Co. in Riverside, California. Created around 1893, this label is a piece of California's agricultural history, specifically from the era known as the "Second Gold Rush"—the citrus boom.
Label Details and History
Company: Griffin & Skelley Co. was founded in Riverside in 1881 by Willard M. Griffin. Originally orange packers, they became pioneers in the dried fruit and canning industries before merging in 1916 to help form the California Packing Corporation, now known as Del Monte Foods.
The Fruit: The Washington Navel orange is the variety that launched the massive California citrus industry. It can be traced back to two original trees sent to Riverside from Brazil in 1873.
Lithography: This specific label was printed by the Dickman-Jones Co. of San Francisco. These colorful, detailed labels served as "rolling billboards" to market California's produce across the country via the railroad. |
|
|
