Antique 1920s Avenue Brand Citrus Crate Label — Victoria Avenue Citrus Ass'n, Riverside California

An original Avenue Brand citrus crate label. The brand is AVENUE - that is the word set large on the sheet - and Victoria Avenue Citrus Ass'n of Riverside, Riverside Co., Cal. is the association that grew and packed under it. The two get run together constantly, but the packer is not the brand.

The art is the point of the name: an avenue receding between rows of fan palms and eucalyptus with a single motorcar coming down it, on an olive-gold ground inside a black border. That is Victoria Avenue itself, the palm-and-eucalyptus boulevard laid out in the 1890s through Riverside's Arlington Heights citrus land and still one of the landmarks of the city. No fruit is depicted and none is named on the sheet; the trade record has the brand used on orange crates.

The association's other brands are where the famous faces live - its sister label, Victoria Brand, carries Queen Victoria herself. Avenue Brand does not, and anything you may have read about portraits on this sheet belongs to a different label out of the same packing house.

On the date: no year is printed on the sheet, and the printer's imprint at the lower left is too fine to read from the available images, so no printer is claimed here from the object. The 1920s attribution is corroborated by the trade record, which dates the Avenue Brand label of the Victoria Avenue Citrus Association to circa 1920 to 1929, printed by Schmidt Litho. Co., with the design credited to C. A. Beck.

11" x 10" ~ little to no wear.

Once a common sight, these Crate Labels are now a treasured relic of a bygone era, becoming increasingly scarce. The impeccable lithography process used in their creation, involving a stone or metal plate to design, is a testament to the skilled craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail that went into their making. This process remains unparalleled, adding to the allure of these labels. The soaring demand for these labels, with museums and art institutes dedicating galleries to them, underscores their growing importance in art and collectibles. This makes them a must-have for any serious collector. The rarity of these labels adds a sense of urgency and importance to your purchase.

Picture this remarkable vintage advertising, a unique piece of history, adorning the walls of your home. Instead of being confined to a museum, it can bring a touch of nostalgia and unparalleled elegance to any room in your home, elevating the aesthetic and sophistication of your living space.