Vintage 1940s River Lad Brand California Fresh Asparagus Crate Label — Blue Goose, American National Foods, Los Angeles

Hold onto your hats, folks! The River Lad Asparagus Crate Label isn't just any old piece of advertising - it's a thrilling slice of Americana that'll make your heart race! Distributed by American National Foods, Inc. in the bustling city of Los Angeles, California, during the roaring 1940s, this label is a true gem that'll have collectors swooning.

Picture this: a 9 1/4" x 9" label, unused, ready to transport you back to a time when produce was king and marketing was an art form. It's not just rare; it's seldom seen offered!

But wait, there's more! These vintage asparagus crate labels weren't just slapped on willy-nilly. Oh no, they were designed with the precision of a master architect. This sheet is cut as a plain rectangle with four square corners. Talk about eye-catching!

Now, let's dive into the juicy history of the Blue Goose brand. This isn't just any old fruit and veggie label - it's a legacy! Born from the innovative minds at American Fruit Growers, Inc, the Blue Goose brand started as a mark of supreme quality. These folks weren't messing around; they handpicked the cream of the crop from growers and packers across the land, slapped on that Blue Goose label, and sent it out to conquer the world of produce!

From humble beginnings with oranges and grapefruits, the Blue Goose brand spread its wings to cover a cornucopia of fruits and veggies. We're talking apples, asparagus, cabbage, onions - you name it, Blue Goose branded it! By 1922, they were flying high with a whopping 165 sales offices across North America. Talk about taking the produce world by storm!

Fast forward to 1961, and the company decided to go all-in on their feathered friend, changing their name to Blue Goose Growers and focusing on those zesty citrus fruits. It's like they knew the Blue Goose was destined for greatness!

Now, here's where it gets really exciting. This Blue Goose asparagus crate label isn't just a pretty face - it's a rare treasure! The lithography process used to create this beauty is like the Da Vinci of printing techniques. We're talking stone or metal plates, meticulous craftsmanship, and a level of detail that'll make your eyes pop!

And get this - Surviving unused examples of this brand are seldom offered. That's right, you could own a piece of history that's rarer than a blue moon! It's not just a purchase; it's an investment in a slice of Americana that's disappearing faster than you can say "asparagus"!

But here's the kicker - why let this masterpiece gather dust in some stuffy museum when it could be the star of your home? Imagine this vintage Blue Goose asparagus crate label gracing your walls, turning heads and sparking conversations. It's not just decor; it's a time machine that'll transport you and your guests back to the golden age of American agriculture!

Whether you're a die-hard collector, an art aficionado, or just someone who appreciates the finer things in life, this label is the missing piece in your home's puzzle. It's versatile, it's stylish, and it's got more character than a classic Hollywood film. Plus, it's a Blue Goose brand label - that's like the Rolls-Royce of produce branding!

So, don't let this opportunity fly away! Grab this piece of history, this testament to American ingenuity, this Blue Goose asparagus crate label that's more than just a pretty face. It's not just a purchase; it's an adventure into the heart of vintage Americana. Your walls (and your guests) will thank you!

📋 What Is Printed On This Label

Every line of type on the sheet, transcribed from the label itself rather than paraphrased:

• RIVER LAD
• BRAND
• CALIFORNIA
• FRESH ASPARAGUS
• TRADE MARK REG.
• BLUE GOOSE
• QUALITY
• AMERICAN NATIONAL FOODS, INC.
• DISTRIBUTED BY
• LOS ANGELES - CALIFORNIA
• MIN. NET WT. 30 LBS.
• PRODUCE OF U. S. A.

Printer: the sheet carries a lithographer's imprint. At the resolution of these photographs it reads as SCHMIDT LITHO. CO. S.F. — offered as a probable reading, not a certainty, until a flat re-scan of that corner confirms it.

River Lad is the brand; Blue Goose is the distributor's quality mark. RIVER LAD is printed in the largest type at the top of the sheet with BRAND beneath it. The Blue Goose device is a small orange oval at the lower left, lettered TRADE MARK REG. around the top, BLUE GOOSE at upper left, QUALITY at the right and AMERICAN NATIONAL FOODS, INC. around the bottom.

This sheet is a plain rectangle. It is cut square, with four right-angled corners, consistent with its 9 1/4" x 9" dimensions — visible on both the printed face and the blank back. Some asparagus labels were cut to odd shapes to suit a sloped crate side; this one was not.

Printed and uncited until now: CALIFORNIA / FRESH ASPARAGUS as the two-line product block, MIN. NET WT. 30 LBS., PRODUCE OF U. S. A., and DISTRIBUTED BY above the American National Foods block — distributed, not packed and not printed.

The picture is a Dutch genre scene. A boy in a black cap, pink-striped shirt, brown buttoned waistcoat, full blue knee-breeches and wooden clogs stands on a green bank with his hands in his pockets, looking out across a flat polder; a purple windmill and a low village silhouette sit against a graded yellow-to-orange sunset sky.