BLUE FLAG Lodi Flame Tokay wine grapes;Vintage Grape Crate Label for the Earl Fruit Company, San Francisco - early trade mark; "pat. display lug U. S. Pat. 1.160.681 - 11-16-15 ; (This must be very important information to be included here).  Deep Blue flag on golden pole; Schmidt litho. Co. S.F. Custom framed, ready to hang. Measures approx. 4 1/2 x 13 inches. This fine old original produce label was lithographed during a time when lead, cobalt and other compounds were often introduced as a part of the ink used to make the images brilliant, vivid and colorful. "Grapes are a major California agricultural product, consumed as tables grapes, raisins, and wine. While grapes are grown throughout California, table grapes are grown mainly on the east side of the San Joaquin valley in central California, in Tulare, San Joaquin, Kern and Fresno counties. Many varieties of grapes are grown, with Thompson Seedless, Emperor, Tokay and Malaga being of key commercial importance. Grapes are very perishable, and require careful handling to prevent crushing. They are packed in flat lug boxes containing about 25 pounds of grapes, with labels about 13" x 4". Wooden boxes were used until the early 1960's. The long narrow shape of grape labels requires different design treatments than those on the relatively square labels used for other fruit boxes. Effective designs are those which feature extended lettering and elongated images. Fruit Box Labels, McClelland and Last, 1983" (Out of Print)