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Research by Gordon Freegard These colourful
labels were a very important presentation part of marketing and promoting our
fruit overseas. Their history is now a thing of the past and would be
completely lost if it were not for a few serious collectors who have cherished
and saved, over the years, some rare examples. These have been salvaged from
dust covered surplus stock stored in the back of the growers packing sheds. DISPLAY OF FRUIT CASE LABELS #1 |
METAL STENCIL FOR W. E. DAVEY PICKERING BROOK #2 |
Early means of identifying fruit for market was by stenciling the ends of the wooden fruit cases. Metal stencils were punched out for various things such as; growers name, type of fruit, size and grades. They were carefully placed in position on the end of the box and brushed with black paint to leave the identifying marks on the box. This method was used for many years but as times change, so did the presentation and marketing, to keep up with world trends. |
METAL STENCIL FOR SATUMA PLUMS #3 |
Concern with
marketing fruit overseas was being raised on a number of fronts. Particularly
in regards to presentation at the market place. Details on the case was so
important as was emphasised by the British Trade Publicity Officer Mr. Hyland
during his short visit to Bridgetown in early 1930's. He said the outstanding
feature of all labels used for export fruit should be the country of origin and
not the name of the shipping agent as it was at the moment. The words
"Western Australia" should be the outstanding feature of all labels
used on cases of fruit sent overseas from this State. As the Australian trade developed it was becoming an increasing habit of buyers to buy by grower's name. That is, if a customer purchased apples bearing a certain grower's name, and which has proved highly satisfactory to him in all respects, there is every likelihood that next year he will especially look out for fruit from the same source. This method of preference occurs time after time, and therefore there was the necessity for growers to put their name on every case that is shipped. The best way to keep their apples in the limelight was to present them displaying an attractive and distinguishing label. |
STENCILED WOODEN BOXES AT ILLAWARRA ORCHARD #4 |
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LABELED WOODEN BOXES BEING PACKED #6 TRUCKLOADS OF WOODEN BOXES OF APPLES LAST TRUCKLOAD OF GRANNY SMITH APPLES FOR EXPORT C. FANCOTE WITH LAST TRUCKLOAD OF GRANNY SMITH APPLES FOR EXPORT
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In July 1928 the
Westralian Farmers Stores Ltd., in Bridgetown presented to fruit growers an
entirely new label for their fruit cases in connection with the overseas
marketing of their apples. Its very attractive design should assist materially
in the pushing of the apple trade on overseas markets. It is made to cover one
end of a dump case, and is coloured, with a black swan in the centre, and two
apples nearby. There is a space for the size or grade of the fruit, growers
name, as well as a place for the insertion of the variety. 1. Australia is the
only country of any importance in the fruit "world" which has not
discarded stenciling as a means of giving the necessary particulars on cases.
Other countries have taken up labels to give necessary details in a clearer
and more concise form, and we are obliged to meet this phase of foreign
competition. 2. That labels make a
more attractive article, which is a great deal from the seller's point of view
inasmuch as a good-looking, and well got up article commands better prices than
a poorly dressed one. 3. That in all
probability the cases containing fruit bought by us will be required to have
these labels on, and further that the time saved between stenciling and
labeling will go a long way to make up for the cost. It takes a good man to
stencil neatly, but a boy can paste the labels on. 4. That the Eastern
States fruitgrowers have recently adopted labels and that we cannot afford to
be left behind in this phase of business. Anybody interested in fruit growing
and marketing will readily appreciate the value of such labels. In the years following many very colourful labels were produced mainly by the wholesalers in large quantities which brought the cost down to a few cents. The growers could have his own names and other details added to personalise their label. Some larger orchards, such as Illawarra, Rocky Hill, E.G. Hall and others, produced their own range. Wholesalers that produced some of these colourful labels for
Western Australian produced apples were; Growers that produced some of these colourful labels for
Western Australian produced apples were;
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It is reported that Jarrah was used for cases for the local markets but not for the export markets, as it shunk. Karri was used for the cases for the export market. But as the supply of timber for the wooden boxes dwindled there was a move to another method of packaging - cardboard boxes and trays. This method exists right through to today. Many attractive and colourful printing designs appear on these boxes.
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EVAN LORI of KELMSCOTT TRANSPORT LOADING GRANNY SMITH APPLES April 1971 #10
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TRUCKLOAD OF GRANNY SMITH APPLES IN CARDBOARD BOXES FOR EXPORT April 1971 #11
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TRUCKLOAD OF GRANNY SMITH APPLES AT ILLAWARRA ORCHARD IN CARDBOARD BOXES FOR EXPORT #12 |
The era of Fruit Case labels has ended and if it was not for people like the three listed below, they would be lost forever. These four local enthusiasts have carefully gathered together rare collections of these labels and have given us permission to publish images of them on this website. |
BRUNO DEL SIMONE #13 Bruno Del Simone has
collected 32 different Western Australia Case Labels over the past 20 years.
Bruno grew up on "Springhill Orchard" in Urch Road, Roleystone and
has spent his whole life involved in the fruit growing industry. He joined
Mercer Mooney at the age of 17 and was quickly promoted to an in-charge
position a year later. His relationship with Mercers has been very good and fourty-two
years later his is still with the company, managing their Pickering Brook
Depot. He is very well respect in the industry and was mentored by John
Guimelli over the years. Their relationship was very close and although
operating businesses that were in opposition to each other, the repore between
these two was always friendly, mutual and helpful to each other. |
ROGER MARCHETTI #14 Roger Marchetti is a collector of many things and over the years has accumulated one of the largest collections of Western Australian Case Labels including some very rare ones. Roger grew up on an orchard in Roleystone and today operates a business supplying machinery and equipment to the growers
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TOM PRICE #15 Tom Price is a third generation orchardist operating "Illawarra Orchard" at Karragullen. Over the years his family have accumulated a massive collection of Case Labels from many countries. They form a huge wall display on his property. Illawarra Orchard was one of the leaders in grading, packing and presentation of apples for export, winning medals for their produce in overseas markets. Their brand name was always highly visable on their fruit cases via means of their own very colourful case labels. Their produce became recognised and was always eagerly sort after because of the respect the markets had for their brand |
TONY VINCENTI #16 Tony Vincenti of "Weemala Orchard", Carmel has been involved in the fruit growing industry all his life and is agent for manufacturers of machinery and equipment for orchardists and growers. Tony has a nice select collection of case labels that he has managed to salvage over the years, representing a lot of local orchardists and agents that have serviced the industry over the years
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1948 #17
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1925 #18
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1925 #19
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1925 #20
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1947 #21
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1947 #22
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #23
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #24
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #25
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #26
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #27
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #28
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #29
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #30
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #31
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #32
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THIS LABEL USED Pre-1958 #33
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN c.1937 #34 BURRIDGE & WARREN LTD USED THIS LABEL TO MARKET WEST AUSTRALIAN APPLES IN THE SOUTH-EAST ASIAN REGION.
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1929 #35
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1929 #36
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1927 #37
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THIS LABEL USED c.1950s #38
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1952 #39
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1934 #40
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1951 #41
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1954 #42
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THIS LABEL USED Post-1958 #43
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THIS LABEL USED Post-1958 #44
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN Post-1948 #45
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN 1928 #46
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN ???? #47
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN ???? #48
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN ???? #49
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN ???? #50
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN ???? #51
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BRAND FIRST KNOWN ???? #52
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References: Article: Gordon Freegard Images: 1, 2, 3, 13, 14, 15, 16 Gordon Freegard
Copyright : Gordon Freegard 2008 - 2020
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