Hiram Sibley & Co. "Beet Long Red Mangelwurtzel" Seed Packet, Used in the C.W. Barnes Store, 1882-1888
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Artifact Overview
Commercial seed production and distribution depended on standardized practices. Employees at Hiram Sibley and Co. measured vegetable seeds by the quarter pound into printed and hand-tinted packages, tied them with colorful string, and packed them in specially designed boxes for shipment. Sibley marketed pre-packed collections of seeds to home gardeners and general stores owners alike during the mid-1880s.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Seed packet
Date Made
1882-1888
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
29.1987.18.8
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Printing (Process)
Color
Multicolored
Dimensions
Width: 2.625 in
Height: 3.875 in
Inscriptions
on front: PRICE BEET 20 CTS. / IMR. MAM. LONG RED MANGELWURTZEL / HIRAM SIBLEY & CO. / ROCHESTER, N.Y. & CHICAGO, ILLS. / MENSING & STECHER LITH., ROCHESTER, N.Y.
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Related Artifacts
ArtifactHiram Sibley & Co. Seed Box, Used in the C.W. Barnes Store, 1882-1888
Hiram Sibley and Co., reputedly the largest seed grower in the world, owned land in several states and foreign countries, operated test gardens to improve seed quality, and used illustrations of multistory seed-packing warehouses to impress customers. Employees packed boxes like this one with collections of seeds (described in company catalogs) and shipped them to home gardeners, farmers, and general stores owners alike.