Vintage Fruit Labels

Apple Box Art DVD

                                                                                                                     

M & M Productions of Wenatchee, Washington (the Apple Capital of the World) has announced the summer release of "Apple Box Art," a DVD documentary about the history of Pacific Northwest fruit crate labels.

Historical photos, rare film, label collectors and interviews with people who once worked in the early-day packing sheds and orchards are featured in the production.  Material was collected from museums, historical societies, private collections, dealers and the National Archives.  The historical film especially gives a rare glimpse into the early days of the fruit industry and the struggle and successes of the fruit pioneers.

Digital animation techniques used in the documentary add a richness to the "art on the end of an apple box" that is both surprising and entertaining as it sometimes appears that the historical black and white photographs are actual motion picture film.  The DVD is both informative and entertaining and will be an important resource to anyone interested in the art and history of fruit crate labels.

More information is available at M & M Productions and the DVD can be ordered on-line.  It will also be available at museum gift shops and antique stores throughout North Central Washington.  The documentary will be broadcast on PBS at a time to be announced. 

New fruit label book published

"Extra Fancy, The Label Art of the Pacific Northwest" has just been released.  This is the long-awaited effort by Pat Jacobensen. 

Jacobensen is acknowledged as the expert on fruit crate labels of Washington and Oregon and his book will be a great resource for fruit crate label collectors.

"Extra Fancy" is described as the "most definitive work available on the subject of Crate Label Art in the Northwest and has taken more than twenty years to compile.  It provides thousands of facts about the history of the great Northwestern Territory, how agriculture re-formed the landscape and how the apple became king of fruits."

Jacobsen's efforts resulted in a book of 540 pages, 1,500 illustrations, 100,000 words of text and features labels from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.  He claims it is the real history of the Northwest.

Chapters include:

• The Oregon Territory
• Washington State
• Eras of Label Design
• Label Regions
• Neighboring States
• The Packing Process
• Types of Products
• What Makes A Good Label

"Extra Fancy" can be ordered by sending $63.85 (including shipping and handling) to: Thomas P. Pat Jacobsen, P.O. Box 791,Weimar, CA 95736 .  It can also be ordered at fruitcratelabels.com.