Collecting Fruit Crate Labels

We had an estate sale back in late summer where there were beautiful vintage peach crate labels from the Muse Farm. These labels were beautiful lithography labels with beautiful bold colors. Here in Georgia, we are mostly familiar with peach packing labels and stencils, but there are all kinds of fruit crate labels from all over the country. Many people collect these labels. They may be a specific fruit or a specific area of the country. In the Pacific Northwest, apple labels are favored as grapes are in California and citrus in Florida.

These beautiful labels appeared on wooden crates in grocery stores and orchards to grab the attention of shoppers. This was way before plastic and styrofoam containers. There were three distinct eras that collectors can choose from. The labels first appeared in the late 1800s and often featured pictures of happy children, colorful fruits, farms and Native Americans or cowboys. This era is sometimes referred to as the “natural” era and ended around World War I. The next era included the Flappers, the Great Depression and the Art Deco period.

Some of the characters on labels would not be appropriate in today’s marketplace. These fruit labels are beautiful little pieces of art. The square ones were on the ends of the crates and the long ones went on the side slats. Many are so pretty they should be framed! Many people keep them in albums so they can look through them.

The last era was post-World War II, with bright geometric designs and space-age decorations. Of course, there were thousands of different labels produced through the years, and it’s not uncommon for serious collectors to have hundreds or even thousands in their collections. The prices have come down quite a bit over the years from where they used to be, but they are easier to find on the internet now. Most labels can be bought online for $3-$15. Remember, condition, rarity and quality are key. Happy Collecting!

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