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Exhibit
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With the completion of the transcontinental railroads and
subsequent expansion lines in the 1880s, California’s
citrus growers were able to ship their products to eastern
markets. Shipping by rail led to the development of a rectangular
wood box for easy and efficient packing into railroad cars.
At the ends of these crates were 11" by 10" paper
labels that functioned as small advertising posters, identifying
the product and brand.
Citrus
growers in California sold oranges using numerous brand names.
The crate labels were designed to catch the attention of eastern
wholesale buyers who had to make quick purchasing decisions
from among stacks of crates of competing brands.
But
like much good advertising campaigns, citrus crate labels
caught the attention of the public. Bookshelves, sleds, and
other household items were made from the wood crates and attached
labels. The citrus crate labels we have today are from these
items as well as from salesman’s sample books, printing
house archives, and packinghouse storage basements.
Less expensive cardboard boxes replaced the wood crates in
the mid-1950s. These cardboard boxes had preprinted labels,
therefore paper labels were no longer needed. But during the
70 years of their use, citrus crate labels featuring over
8,000 designs had been used on over 2 billion crates shipped
throughout the country.
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