The Artistry of Crate Labels

From the late 1800s to the mid 1950s, fruits and other produce were packed in wooden crates of various sizes and transported to markets where they were displayed for consumers. Crate labels were printed on paper and glued to the ends of the wooden crates. Attractive or informative crate labels were an important part of enticing consumers to choose one brand over another. Labels could be funny, elaborately decorative, serious or simply beautiful. They pictured everything from the produce being sold, to where it came from, to plays on words or puns involving the brand name. Competition kept packers working to improve their displays.

By the 1950s, as more government regulations dictated the information that must be included on labels, preprinted boxes began to replace the wooden crates and their beautiful labels. With the loss of the crate and its label, an art form was lost. Today, this craftsmanship and artistry are finding new appreciation among collectors and anyone looking for unique vintage prints.

If they're lost, where are they coming from?
Large produce companies that packed up to one million crates needed to keep lots of labels on hand. As the changeover from wooden crates to preprinted cardboard took place, leftover labels were often simply discarded. But many were left in packing houses or printing warehouses. In some cases, there were thousands of labels left. It is from these sometimes forgotten stores of labels that collectors are now rescuing these printed treasures.

Wooden crate labels had to be strong to survive the hazards of getting from the packer to the marketplace. First they are glued to a wooden crate. Then they had to be able to survive rough handling and damp or even wet transportation by railroad or truck to the market. Therefore crate labels were printed on high quality, relatively acid-free paper. Then the very fact that they were forgotten and stored in quantity in dry packing and storage houses helped to keep them from deteriorating. This is why original, vintage labels are available for collecting today.

So many different labels ...
The labels come in a variety of sizes, colors and designs. The size and firmness of the produce determined the size of the wooden crate and, therefore, the size of the label. For instance, tomatoes and grapes were packed in shallow crates, called "lugs." So these labels are wide and not very tall, perhaps 3 to 6 inches tall by as much as 14 inches wide. Apple and citrus labels were about the largest, measuring up to 12 inches tall or wide. Pears are a little more delicate and were packed in slightly smaller crates. Pear labels may be about 8 by 10 inches. Vegetable labels were usually even a little smaller, usually 5 x 7 inches or 7 x 9 inches.

Original can labels, printed to be used around tin food cans are also becoming popular collectibles. These can labels are wide and not as tall. They would wrap around a can and be glued. The glue margin on the end of the label often carries date and other information. Many older can labels are beautiful works of art.

The colors and variations in label designs usually signified the various grades of quality of the produce. Many label designs are nearly alike except the color of the background or an item pictured is different. Also, many brands were sold for a long time and a label design might have been used for up to 50 years. During that time, the label would be modified to keep up with current regulations or to update an image.

Some labels include a print date. Others have no indication of when they were printed. Precisely dating some labels can be difficult. Among the hints to dates are: the information included on the label, such as legal information like zip codes; what people pictured look like; typography; and other style changes.

Expensive or not so ...
The pricing of labels is very subjective. Price is primarily determined by quantity available, quality, age and aesthetic appeal. Like most collectibles, price is an outcome of supply and demand. Many very old labels sell for just a few dollars. Some very rare and desirable labels sell for hundreds of dollars. However, there are plenty of reasonably priced labels available for anyone who wants to begin collecting crate labels with a minimum investment.

Reproductions
Oobydooby.com sells only original, vintage crate labels and no reproductions.

Old, original labels have a distinct look, feel and even smell. Often you will see some aging of the paper. If you look at the printing with a lupe or magnifying glass, you will see that the printing on very old labels is actually very different from today's printing techniques. Old stone lithography, for instance, is completely different from today's four-color process printing. Stone lithography used as many colors of ink as were in an image. Four-color printing uses just four colors to create all the colors on a print.

As the labels get newer, into the 1950s, it becomes more difficult to tell original prints. However, close inspection will often show many of the same details as for older labels. Unauthorized reproduction also carries the threat of legal action, since many labels include copyright, trademark, patent or license information.

Most of the labels available today are original. The best way to avoid purchasing a reproduction is to purchase from reputable dealers.

Label art ...
This is just the basic story of crate labels but we hope we have instilled an appreciation for this all-but-lost art form. Browse our label pages at Oobydooy.com and you will indeed see that this is craftsmanship. It is history. It is Americana. It is art. Enjoy!