Citrus Labels of Redlands and San Bernardino County (1906-1955)
SOURCE (Series of steps, Origin, Use at the time it was created, Reality Check, Context and Curiosity, Evidence)
Origin:
Who is the creator (in the case of an object)? The creators vary between Schmidt Litho. Co. and Western Litho. Co.
When was it made? “Carro amano aranci” and “Gold buckle brand” have unknown approximate dates and are estimated to be made between 1906-1955. “Cactus brand oranges” was made in 1916, “Highway brand” was made in 1937, and “Hope chest brand” was made in 1941 or 1942.
Where was it made? The printer location of all five labels was in Los Angeles, California.
How was it made? The labels are all lithographs printed with colored images.
Is this a unique document/object or is it one of many duplicates? Citrus labels usually have many duplicates as they were mass-produced.
Use at the time it was created:
What was it intended to do? Citrus labels provide information about where the fruit was coming from and what company had packed and shipped it.
Was it used in other ways? Now, citrus labels are used in citrus ephemera. They can be displayed as pictures and even reprinted on post cards, shirts, and other souvenirs.
Who were the users (in the case of an object)? The users at the time of their production were citrus growers who used the labels to label their fruit when packing it.
Was it common or rare? Citrus labels, like the ones shown in the exhibit, are common.
Did the creator intend for it to last? No, citrus labels were produced constantly with new information and images by their producers.
Reality check:
What are the limitations of this source? “Carro amano aranci” and “Gold buckle brand” both have unknown dates, which makes it harder to examine them.
What were the biases of its creator? The creators may have an orange bias and displayed the oranges as appealing.
What questions about it can never be answered? The approximate dates of “Carro amano aranci” and “Gold buckle brand.”
Would any community oppose its use in an exhibit? No, the citrus labels used in the exhibit do not have any offensive imagery or slogans.
What biases do you bring that might affect how you understand this source? Growing up in Redlands, CA, I would constantly see citrus labels in shops and around the city, but never understood exactly what they were. Now, understanding the history of citrus labels has made me enjoy them and purchase citrus label merchandise.
Context and Curiosity:
What relevant events were taking place at the time of this source’s creation or use? The citrus industry was still prosperous during the time of these labels’ creations, however the “Hope chest brand” label created in 1941/1942 has a different look than the others. This is most likely because of WWII as the backdrop caused them to change their design to fit with the times.
Is this source in keeping with your understanding of the historical context or does it surprise you? In other words, does it support or contradict what you already know about the subject you are studying? The citrus labels support what I already know about citrus labels, and they all have a consistent structure with lots of detail about the growers, printers, and location, which makes them easier to examine than other objects that do not have much detail.
Does this source represent a change or innovation? The citrus labels do not represent a change or innovation, as citrus labels were common and have a consistent look to them.
What questions about it remain unanswered but fully answerable? The dates of “Carro amano aranci” and “Gold buckle brand” could be answered. Maybe not the approximate dates, but definitely narrowed down from the broad years of 1906-1955.
What further research might be necessary to fully understand the source? Examining citrus labels from the rest of Southern California and even maybe another state with a large citrus industry, like Florida or Georgia, to see how citrus labels change but also stay the same.
Evidence:
How can you use this source as evidence in your current argument? The citrus labels can be used to further examine the citrus industry in Redlands and San Bernardino and the consistency of the industry during the first half of the 20th century.
Do the answers to the other sets of questions establish its credibility to the point that you can include it with confidence? Yes. Although two of the labels’ approximate dates are missing, they were still created in the first half of the 20th century, making them fit in with the rest of the collection.
If questions remain, do you have enough evidence to engage in responsible speculation? For the missing dates, no. But the broad years given still make the labels able to be included in the exhibit.
What caveats about it do you need to include? The collection shown in the exhibit is only a small number compared to the hundreds of citrus labels available.