Hiram Sibley & Co. "Cabbage Dwarf Ulm Savoy" Seed Packet, Used in the C.W. Barnes Store, 1882-1888
THF279008 / Hiram Sibley & Co. "Cabbage Dwarf Ulm Savoy" Seed Packet, Used in the C.W. Barnes Store, 1882-1888
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Artifact Overview
Distributing seeds required sealing them into little packets or "papers" constructed like envelopes. Seed companies advertised their businesses on these packets, illustrated the vegetable with hand-colored images, and specified growing directions, sometimes in multiple languages. Hiram Sibley and Co. packaged collections of vegetable seeds in specially designed boxes and shipped them to general stores for sale to home gardeners.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Seed packet
Date Made
1882-1888
Place of Creation
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
29.1987.18.33
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Printing (Process)
Color
Green
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Width: 2.625 in
Height: 3.875 in
Inscriptions
on front: CABBAGE / DWARF ULM SAVOY / SEND FOR OUR ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE... / HIRAM SIBLEY & CO. / ROCHESTER, N.Y. & CHICAGO, ILL.
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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.
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