Vintage 1970s Progress Brand California Asparagus Crate Label 🍎 Bilingual, R&J Packing Sales, Lodi CA

Hold onto your hats, folks! The Progress Asparagus Crate Label is not just any old piece of advertising - it's a thrilling slice of Americana that'll make your heart race! Named on the sheet as EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS — R&J Packing and Sales Co. Inc. out of Lodi, California, in the groovy 1970s, this bad boy is one of the latest and rarest examples of crate labels you'll ever lay eyes on. Its jaw-dropping design and historical significance aren't just eye-candy; they're a portal to the past that'll transport you faster than a time machine!

Measuring a perfect 9 1/2" x 9 1/2" and boasting little to no wear, this asparagus crate label is fresher than the veggies it once advertised. But here's the kicker - it's not just any label, it's a showstopper: a long suspension bridge crosses the whole width of the sheet in the foreground, its deck a dark grey-black through-truss picked out in yellow-green steel latticework, carried on a square steel tower with a big X cross-brace standing on a yellow pier in blue water. Behind and below the deck sits a downtown skyline of orange-lit towers, including a tall slender pyramid-topped tower and a waterfront clock tower, with a hill at the right and a white liner, a ferry and a tug on the water. Talk about a visual feast!

A note on shape, because it is often got wrong: many asparagus labels were cut as trapezoids to hug the slanted sides of a wooden crate. THIS sheet is not one of them — it is a true square with four square corners and straight edges on all four sides. It's this perfect blend of form and function that makes collectors go weak at the knees!

Let's shine a spotlight on the masterminds behind this marvel - R&J Packing and Sales Co., Inc. The address printed on the label itself is LODI, CALIFORNIA 95240 — no street address appears on the sheet — and the firm's own record gives 2 West Pine Street, Lodi, from July 14, 1970. That's over 50 years of packaging perfection, folks!

Now, here's where things get really exciting. These crate labels, once as common as coffee shops, have become rarer than hen's teeth! The lithography process used to create them is a lost art, involving stone or metal plates that make each label a unique masterpiece. This isn't just a purchase; it's a race against time to own a piece of history before it vanishes forever!

Picture this: this stunning piece of vintage advertising, this slice of Americana, gracing the walls of your home. It's not just decor; it's a time machine, a conversation starter, and a work of art all rolled into one! Whether you're a die-hard collector, an art aficionado, or just someone who appreciates the finer things in life, this Progress Asparagus Crate Label is the missing piece in your collection. Its classic design and vibrant colors are chameleons, blending seamlessly with any interior style from retro to ultra-modern.

Don't let this opportunity slip through your fingers! This isn't just an asparagus crate label; it's a ticket to the past, a piece of California's agricultural heritage, and a stunning example of advertising artistry. Make it yours and become part of the legacy of the Progress Asparagus Crate Label!

🇫🇷 What the Label Actually Prints — Including the French

• PROGRESS arched across the sky in heavy red serif capitals
• CALIFORNIA over ASPARAGUS in a yellow ribbon banner — the printed product line
• EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORS — then a small blue-and-white diamond device lettered R&J, followed by PACKING & SALES CO. INC.
• LODI, CALIFORNIA 95240
• NET WT. 30 LBS / POIDS NET 13.61 kg
• PRODUCE OF U.S.A. / PRODUIT DES ETATS-UNIS

The weight and country blocks are set in English and French — an export marking, and the single most distinctive printed feature on the sheet. R&J is a monogram inside a diamond device, not typeset words in the company line. No grower, no packing shed and no association is named, and there is no lithographer's imprint anywhere on the label; the reverse is plain unprinted cream.