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Illustration Art, Food Can Label, Faribault Canning, Sweet Corn, Antique Painting (Sold)

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Old Colony Brand Sweet Corn, Faribault Canning Co., Faribault, Minn
Minneapolis: c. 1906-1920
Gouache and ink with gilt highlights, mixed media applied printing, on cardstock
Stamped verso by Kimball-Storer Co.
4 x 11.25 inches illustration
7.5 x 14.75 inches as later hinged to mat board

Hand-painted original illustration art of a label for a can of corn for Old Colony Brand Sweet Corn, Faribault Canning Co., Faribault, Minnesota. It is illustrated with two ears of white corn on a plate and the company emblem, and with a portrait medallion of Alexander Faribault. It also includes various related text including “Packed Under Regulations of and In Factory Inspected by Minnesota Dairy & Food Department.” Overall it is hand painted and lettered, including gilt highlights. The corn illustration appears to be die-cut printed and applied, then with hand painted details. The portrait face is printed and applied, also with hand painted details. The illustration also has two printed small pastedown printed text portions, one in the central circle describing the contents of the can, the other with wording regarding packing regulations. In addition, it has the original issued tissue paper applied for protection, having pencil notations identifying the subject of the artwork, now folded to the backside

Product description continues below.

Description

The artwork was created for the Kimball-Storer Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is one of a group of six designs for canned food companies in Minnesota and Wisconsin that George Glazer Gallery offers for sale. Each is in a graphic style influenced by Art Nouveau. Although they are undated, most have text referring to the Food and Drugs Act of June 30, 1906. Other information about companies for which the labels were made suggests that as a group, the labels were produced no later than around 1920.

Alexander “Alex” Faribault (1806 –1882) was an American businessman and politician. He was born in Prairie du Chien, Michigan Territory. He helped to found the city of Faribault, Minnesota and was its first postmaster. He owned a trading post and in 1851 served in the Minnesota Territorial House of Representatives. The historic Alexander Faribault House, still extant, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Faribault Canning  & Preserving Company was founded by a group of investors in Faribault, Minnesota, in 1888, and bought out and reincorporated by a group of farmers seven years later as Faribault Canning Company. By 1903 the company was on track to pack 1.5 million cans of corn, until fire devastated the facility in 1904. They rebuilt and continued operating under the Faribault name (eventually becoming Fairbault Foods), although ownership changed hands several times. The company grew throughout the 20th and early 21st century. In 2014 it merged with Arizona Canning under the name La Costeña, and is a major food processing company that still operates a large factory in Faribault, Minnesota.

The artwork is ink stamped verso: Kimball-Storer Co. 500 So. Fourth St. Minneapolis. The Kimball-Storer Company was a Minneapolis, Minnesota, printing and firm that also published books. It was in business from at least 1897 to at least the 1920s.

References:

“Alexander Faribault.” Wikipedia. 7 May 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Faribault (30 October 2017)

“Our History.” Faribault Foods. http://www.faribaultfoods.com/about.php (30 October 2017)

Additional information

Century

20th Century