SPICE TIN CHECKLIST
The following is a partial listing of the many spice tins available to the collector. I would very much appreciate hearing from anyone with additional information to add new items or correct the items below. Brand names are listedfirst followed by Manufacturer or Distributor, then City/Town, and State if known.
AC’CENT, Amino Products, Chicago, IL.
ADAMS, Rex F. Adams & Co., Tacoma, WA.
AG, Associated Grocer’s Company. St. Louis, MO.
AIRCRAFT, The Donald Company, Grand Island, Nebr.
ALLSPICE, Home Products, Inc., Dallas, TX.
ALTA, The Jones Paddock Co., San Francisco, CA.
AMOCAT, Tacoma, WA. (an example sold for $120.27 onebay 8/9/98)
ANCHOR, David G. Evans Coffee Co., St. Louis, MO.
ANNA DALE, Topeka Wholesale Grocery Co., Topeka, KN.
ANN PAGE, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., NY, NY.
A&P, The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., NY, NY.
A&P Spices, Sultana Spice Mills. (an examplesold for $55 on ebay 7/28/98)
ARBUCKLES, Arbuckle Brothers, Chicago, IL.
ARCO, Holls Supermarkets, Inc., Farmingdale, LA.
ARISTO, The Market Coffee Co., Chicago, IL.
ARROW
ASCO, American Stores Co., Philadelphia, PA.
ASTOR, B. Fischer Co., Inc., New York & Buffalo. est. 1859. also B. Fischer,Inc.
ASTOR, Janesville, FL.(?)
ATLAS, The Woolson Spice Company, Toledo, OH.
ATWOOD’S
AUNT NELLIE’S, Harrisburg Grocery Company, Harrisburg, PA. (anexample sold for $108.47 on ebay 8/17/98)
BAKER’S, S.F. Baker & Co., Keokuk, IA.
BATAVIA, Sprague, Warner & Company, Chicago, IL.
BEE BRAND, McCormick’s.
THE BELL, Bell, Conrad & Co., (Not sure if packaged in tins?)
BELL’S
BENEFIT, Direct Importing Co., Inc., Boston, MA., PCB
BEN-HUR, Ben-Hur Products, Inc., Los Angeles, CA.
BEST MADE, Favorite Mfg. Co., Minneapolis, MN.
BEST YET, Scrivner Products, Oklahoma City, OK., (plastic top)
Betsy Ross, Distributed by The Akron Coffee & Grocery Co.,Akron, Ohio
BETTY ANN
BLACKBIRD, H.P. Lace Co., Lincoln, NE.
BLACK DIAMOND
BLUE BIRD, Model Groc. & Baking Co., Springfield, MO.
BLUE PINE, Scowcroft’s, Ogden, Utah.
BLUE RIBBON, Canada.
BLUE SEAL
BOARDMAN’S, Hartford, CT. (an example sold for$79.98 on ebay 8/17/98)
BREAKFAST CALL, The Independence Coffee and Spice Co., Denver, CO.
BRIARDALE, Grocers Wholesale Co., Des Moines, IA.
BUILDERS, Better Business, Inc., Distributors, Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN.
BURMA, Empire Spice Mills, Chicago, IL.
BUSTER BROWN, Jas. H. Forbes Tea & Coffee Co., St. Louis, MO., est 1853.
, Steinwender-Stoffregen Coffee Co.
BUSY BIDDY, Davis-Strauss-Stauffer Co., Allenton, Bangor, Easton, Stroudsburg,PA.
BUTTERNUT, Paxton, Gallagher Co., Omaha, NE.
CAIN’S, Cain’s Coffee Co.,Oklahoma City, Wichita, KN.
CANOVA, Nowlands Landford.
CASWELL’S, Geo. W. Caswell Co., San Francisco, CA.
CATSUP SPICE, IGA Distributing Co., Chicago, IL.
CHELOONGS
CIRCLE R (REGOES), Rigo Manufacturing Co., Nashville, Tenn.
CITY OF LAKES, Allied Grocers, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.
CLAREMONT
CLARION, The Midland Grocery Company of Ohio., PCB.
CLARK & HOST, Milwaukee, WI.
CLAREMONT, McClintock-Stern Co., Inc., San Francisco, CA. Also see SAVORY.
CLOVER FARM, Clover Farm Stores Corp., Cleveland, OH.
COLBURN’S, The A. Colburn Co., Philadelphia, PA.
,The Colburn Branch of the R.T. French Co., PA.
COLIMA MILLS, H. Huddleston & Co., San Francisco, CA.
COLLEGE TOWN, New Brunswick, NJ. (An example soldfor $194.28 on 7/31/98)
COLMAN’S – R.T. French Co., made in Britain, Colman’s of Norwich.
COLUMBIA, Clossett & Devers, Portland, OR. (anexample sold for $106.43 on ebay 7/28/98)
CONDOR, Boudrias Brothers, Limited, Montreal, Canada.
CONN, George H. Conn Company, Freeport, IL.
CONQUEST, Lewis, Hubbard & Company, Charleston, W.VA.
COOK’S, Cook Coffee Co., Detroit, MI. and Cleveland, OH.
CO-OP, National Cooperatives, Inc., Chicago, IL.
COURTHOUSE, C.F. Smith Pure Food Stores, Detroit, MI.
COUNTRY CLUB, (McMurray’s), R.E. Belland Co., St. Paul, MN.
COUNTRY TAVERN, Mutual Spice Company Division, Hygrade Food ProductsCorporation, Detroit, MI.
COWAN’S
CHRISTY, Christy, Inc., Newark, NJ.
CRAMPTON’S – English Packed Mancester, England Est 1849, Packers of highgrade spices and flavouring essences. On the reverse side it is in French, but isNOT a new bilingual Canadian version…this tin is old.
CRESCENT, Crescent Manufacturing Co., Seattle, WA.
I worked for this company in the restaurant division from1965 until in 1973-1974 when the Canadian company of Stuarts BrandedFoods, dba “Weschler Foods” & “Goodhost Foods” boughtout the restaurant division I was a part of. Crescent Foods (as it wascalled) was as I was told, the original coffee roaster on the U.S. westcoast in Seattle Washington. This was closed when the Canadian companytook it over. There was a very large vault in the basement that had manyhistorical artifacts that would be priceless today. A Marshall Weiss(sp?) was the coffee blender. He wasa very large man and his blending was done over a very large roundmarble table that was like a lazy-susan. A coffee pot of hot water wasin the middle. Also in the middle were containers of various coffeebeans, some ground, some to be ground with a pistil(?). The outside edgeof the table was lined with heavy-based 4oz clear glasses for tasting. Below the table was a brass spittoon(?) Crescent’s corporate office and spice production was onDearborn Street and coffee and nut roasting was done on 1st Avenue. A3rd location for distribution was done in the mid 70’s. I’m toldSchilling Spices has since taken over the company. Richard McLaughline-mail: rd4y2k@hotmail.com p.s. I still have 8 of those 4oz coffee tastingglasses but have no idea of their value.
Regarding placing his above message here:
I’m honored and including apicture of those 8 tasting cups. My job at Crescent was servicingrestaurant equipment and my shop was in the basement where the whole spiceswere stored. It gave a whole new meaning to the odor of “AllSpice”. The vault in question was also in that basement and Ibelieve the address was 640 Dearborn Street. As a matter ofroutine, sample bottles of spices and extracts were put in that vault suchas the original bottles of Mapeliene, Vanilla extracts, etc. Perhapsthe City of Seattle has a historical society that might shed some light onthe whereabouts of them.
CROWN COLONY
CHUBBUCK’S LINCOLN BRAND, Chubbuck’s, Binghampton, NY.
DAINTY DOT, First National Stores, Inc., Somerville, MA.
DAISEE, Herrmann Co., Paterson, NJ. (an examplesold for $252.49 on ebay 8/10/98)
DALE BROS., Dale Bros. Inc., Fresno, CA.
DAVIES, D. Davies & Co., Seattle, U.S.A.
DEERWOOD, United Buyers Corporation, Chicago and San Francisco.
DEFIANCE, Associate Food Distributors, Inc., Coldwater, MI.
DINNER PARTY, Smith Lichty & Hillman Co., Waterloo, IA.
DINING CAR
DOLLY VARDEN, Fargo Mercantile Co., Fargo, ND.
DOVE BRAND, The Frank Tea & Spice Co., Cinncinati, OH.(anexample sold for $86.89 on ebay 8/19/98)
DR. KOCH’S, Dr. Koch Vegetable Tea Co., Winona, MN.
DR. PETER’S, Rigo Manufacturing Co., Nashville, TN.
DURKEE’S, E.R. Durkee & Co., Elmhurst, NY.
DURKEE’S, Durkee’s Famous Foods.
EAGLE, Bacon, Stickney & Co., Albany, NY.
EATON’S, Canada.
ECCO
EDDY’S, Eddy & EDDY Mfg. Co., St. Louis, MO.
EDWARD’S, Dwight Edwards Company, Portland, OR.
EHLERS, Albert Ehlers, Inc., Brooklyn, NY.
E-JAY, tin made by the RC Can Company, St. Louis, MO. (soldfor $50.99 on ebay 8/28/98)
EMPRESS, Empress Mfg Co., Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.
FAIRFAX HALL< Wholesale Grocers Exchange, Inc., Richmond, VA. (an example sold for $75 on ebay 8/20/98)
FAIRMONT, Tacoma Grocery Co., Tacoma, WA.
FAIRWAY (an example sold for $90.00 on ebay8/12/98, This 3-1/4″ tall Fairway spice tin is the early version with the twochildren, paper over cardboard and tin. Fairway was from the Twin City Wholesale GrocerCo., St. Paul, Minn.)
FAME, Kotlier & Willar, Worchester, MA.
FARMER’S PRIDE, Hulman & Co., Terre Haute, IN.
FERNDELL, Sprague, Warner & Company, Chicago, IL.
FESTIVAL, McFadden Coffee and Spice Co., Dubuque, Iowa.
, Fick & Son Grocer Co., Traverse City, MI.
FIESTA, Field & Start Wholesale Grocers, Utica, NY.
FIESTA, Coffee Products of America Inc., Los Angeles, CA.
FINAST, First National Stores, Inc., Somerville, MA.
FIRST PRIZE, Tolerton & Warfield Co., Soiux City, IA.
FISCHER MILLS (O.P.), B. Fischer & Co., Con Beach & Greenwich Sts, NewYork.
FLAVORITE, Wood Selice, Inc., NY, NY.
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE, LaSalle Mfg Co., Chicago, IL.
FOLEY BROS. & KELLY, Foley Bros. & Kelly Mercantile Co., St. Paul. MN.
FOLGER’S
FOLTZ MAID, The Foltz Grocery & Baking Co., Cinncinati, OH.
FOOD CLUB, Topco Associates, Inc. Dist., Skokie, IL.
FORBES (see Martha Washington Brand), Jas. H. Forbes Tea & Coffee Co., St.Louis, Mo. (another version doesn’t have Martha Washington’s name or picture onit).
FOREST CITY, Gorman, Eckert & Co., Ltd., London andWinnipeg, Canada.
FORTUNE, Fortune Products, Chicago, IL. (cardboard & tin)
FRANK’S, The Frank Tea & Spice Co., Cincinnati, OH.
FRENCH’S, The R.T. French Company, Rochester, NY. and Philadelphia, PA.
GALES, gales Products, Minneapolis, MN.
GAUNTLET BRAND, Durkee’s.
GEMAC, Gemac Laboratories, Chicago, IL.
GERNOLD, Baraboo-Nold Wholesale Co., Baraboo &Portage, WI., PT.
GILLETT’S, Sherer-Gillett Co., Chicago, IL.
GILT EDGE, Mosnie Bros.
GLADIATOR, Gladiator Pure Spices, Quebec.
GLENDORA, Glendora Products Co., Warren, PA.
GOLD BOND, Jewett & Sherman Co., Milwaukee, WI.
GOLD CORD, Guyer & Calkins Co., Freeport, IL.
GOLD SHIELD, Sciwabacher Bros. & Co., Inc., Seattle, WA.
GOLD STANDARD, Canada.
GOLDEN BEAR, Golden Bear Coffee Co., Ltd., Los Angeles, CA. (an example sold for for $378.99 on ebay 8/26/98)
GOLDEN GATE, Folgers.
GOLDEN KEY, The Great American Tea Co., NY, NY.
GOLDEN RULE, The Citizen’s Wholesale Supply Co., Columbus, OH.
GOLDEN SUN, The Woolson Spice Company, Toledo, OH.
GOLDEN WEST, Closet & Devers, Portland, OR. and Seattle, WA.
GOOD TASTE
GRAND UNION, The Grand Union Company, New York, NY.
GREAT AMERICAN, The Great American Tea Company, NY, NY.
GRIFFIN’S, Griffin Manufacturing Co., Muskogee, OK.
HABICHT, BRAUN & Co. IMPORTERS, New York and Chicago.
H&K, Hanley & Kinsella Coffee & Spice Co., St. Louis, MO.
HALE’S LEADER
HARDY’S
HARVEST HOME, The Jett & Wood Merchantile Co., Wichita, Kansas.
HARVEST QUEEN, Red Owl Stores, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.
HATCHET
HAZEL, Geo. Rasmussen Co., Chicago, IL.
HEALTH-O, Health-O Bonded Products,The Milson Co., Cinncinati, OH.
HEEKIN’S, The Heekin Company, Cincinnati, OH.
HELLICK’S, Geo. F. Hellick Coffee Co., Easton, PA.
HIGH LINDENS, Thos. Roulston, Inc., Brooklyn, Long Island, and Staten Island.
HILLMAN’S, Hillman’s, Chicago, IL.
HOFFMANN’S, John Hoffman & Son Co., Milwaukee, WI.
HOLLEB’S, Holleb & Company, Chicago, IL.
HOLLYWOOD, Commercial Importing Co., Seatlle, WA.
HOME BRAND, Griggs, Cooper & Co., St. Paul, MN.
HONEST, Gillies’, Gille’s Coffee Company, New York, NY. est. 1840.
HONEY-DEW, Forbes Bros. Tea & Spice Co., 112 Locust St., St. Louis, MO. (an example sold for $224.17 on ebay 8/8/98)
HONEYMOON, Conen Wholesale Grocer, Inc., Sioux City, IA.
HOYT’S, Hoyt Brothers, Inc., Newark, NJ.
HOYT, W.M., W.M. Hoyt Company, Chicago, IL.
HUDSON, Hudson Tea Company, Brooklyn, NY.
HYKLAS, Beaty Grocery Co., Inc., St Joseph, MO.
IDEAL, Ideal Tea Co., Portland, OR.
IDEAL, S.J. Wines Coffee. Co., San Diego, CA.
IGA, Independent Grocers Alliance Distributing Company, Chicago, IL.
IMPERIAL, Baker’s and Confectioner’s Supply Co., Spokane, WA. (an example sold for $240.29 on ebay 7/26/98)
IMPERIAL, R-U-Delapenia & Co., Inc., New York, NY.
INDEX, Elliott Grocery Co., Logansport, IN.
IRIS -Smart & Final Iris Co., since 1871, Los Angeles, CA (also seeSMART and FINAL)
IVANHOE, C.G. Meaker Co., Syracuse, NY.
IVES CARNATION, The F.B. Ives Co., Oshkosh, WI.
JACK SPRAT, Western Grocer Mills, Marshalltown, IA.
, Western Grocer Co.
, Jack Sprat Foods, Inc.
JAMESON’S, W.A. Jameson Coffee Co., Ltd., Victoria,British Columbia
JENKINS, Jenkins Bros. Co., Inc., Old Spice Co., Des Moines, IA.
JEWEL, Jewel Tea Co., Inc. Barrington, IL. (anexample in blue sold for $52.25 on ebay 8/26/98)
JOANNES, Joannes Bros. Co., Green Bay, WI.
JORDAN’S, Jordan Stevens Co., Minneapolis, MN.
JUNO, The McClintock Trunkey Co., Spokane, WA.
KAMO, Paxton & Gallagher Co., Omaha, NE. (anexample sold for $131.37 on ebay 7/23/98)
KEEN’S
KENNY’S
KEYSTONE, Keystone Company, San Jose, CA.
KING PARROT, The Anthony Wholesale, Grocery Company, Anthony, Kansas; Alva andFairview, OK. (an example sold for $221.49 8/3/98)
KKK, KKK Medicine Co., Kepkuk, IA. (Hi,Iwas looking up KKK Medicine Co. when I found your page on the web. I justwanted to tell you that KKK Medicine Co. is from Keokuk, IA, you haveKepkuk, Ia listed. Do you have any info on the KKK Black Pepper spice can?I have a wonderful can of this and was wondering how much it is worth, thanks,Deb)
KNICKERBOCKER, Knickerbocker Mills Co., New York, NY.
KO-WE-BA, Kothe, Wells & Bauer Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, Kokomo, Wabash.
KO-ZEE INN
KROGER, The Kroger Co., Cinncinati, OH.
LAKE VIEW, Mallott-Johnson Co., Chicago, IL.
LANCO, Lange Grocer Co., Sparta, WI.
LANDFORD, The Geo. H. Nanland Co., Cinncinati, OH.
LANGES, The Lange Company, Delaware, MD.
LC, L.C. Mercantile Company, Inc., Dixon, IL.
LEADWAY, Leadway Foods, Chicago, IL.
LECROY’S, John Lecroy & Son, Camden, NJ.
LEE, The H.D. Lee Mercantile Co., Kansas City, MO.
, The H.D. Lee Company, Inc., Kansas City,MO., and Salina, Kansas
LEE & CADY
LIBERTY, McLaughlin Gormley King Co., Minneapolis, MN.
LILY, Lawndale Spice Co., Chicago, IL.
LINCOLN BRAND, see CHUBBUCK’S. (an example sold for$229.16 on ebay 7/31/98)
LITTLE BOY BLUE, Lansing Grocery Co., Lansing, MI., marked Canco (an example sold for $85 on ebay 8/24/98)
LITTLE ELF, Bursley & Co., Fort Wayne, Elkhart, Richmond, and Marion, IN.and Lima, Ohio.
LITTLE GEM, Park Chemical Co., Ottumwa, IA., (cardboard)
LITTLE’S, Pearsall’s Foods, Elgin, IL.
, Little & Co, Inc., Chicago, IL.
LOCKE’S SPICES, Locke Food Mfg. Co.
LORD CALVERT, Levering Coffee Co., Baltimore, MD., established1842.
Made=Better,E.A. Bergwall Co., Milwaukee, WI.
MAISON ROYAL
MALKIN’S, W.H. Malkin & Co., Lid, Vancouver,Canada.
MALTESE CROSS, Meyer Brothers Drug Co., St. Louis, MO.
MANHATTEN, Manhatten Products Co., St. Louis, MO. (anexample sold for $152.50 on ebay 8/25/98)
MAPLE LEAF, Wallace Supply Co., Inc., Ogdensburg, NY. (anexample sold for $51 on ebay 8/18/98)
MARCO, H.A. Marr Grocery Co., Denver, Co. and Enid, Omaha, Amarillo.
MARKET BASKET, Market Basket, Los Angeles, CA.
MARTHA WASHINGTON BRAND, (Forbes), Jas. H. Forbes Tea & Coffee Co., St. Louis, MO.,Est. 1863.
MAX-I-MUM, Western States Grocery Co., Seatlle, Portland, Oakland, Bakerfield. (an example sold for $72.77 on ebay 8/10/98)
McCONNON’S, McConnon & Company, Winona, MN.
McCORMICK,
When Willoughby McCormickstarted his company in 1889 he didn’t immediately sell spices, that came in 1896 when hepurchased F.G. Emmett’s spice company in Philadelphia. Bee Brand and Silver Medal brandswere used originally with his flavoring extracts and fruit syrups. He introduced theReliable brand in 1900 and Banquet brand later in 1902. Source:Advertising – Identification and Price Guide by Dawn E. Reno.
McDONALD’S, McDonald’s Mfg Co., Toronto, Canada.
McKESSON’S, McKesson & Robbin, Incorporated, New York, NY.
McLAREN’S
McLAUGHLIN’S (MGK), Mclaughlin-Gromley-King Co., Minneapolis, MN.
McMURRAY’S, Wm. McMurray & Co., Saint Paul, MN.
McNess, Furst-McNess Company, Freeport, IL.
MEXENE
MILANI’S
MILLAR’S
MINNEOPA, Bismarck Grocery Co., Bismarck, ND.
MISS VIRGINIA, Virginia Foods, Inc., Pulaski, VA.
MOGUL BRAND, Groneweg & Schoengen Co., Council Bluffs, IA.
MOHICAN, The Mohican Company, New York, NY. (anexample sold for $77 on ebay 8/25/98)
MONARCH, Reid, Murdoch & Co., Chicago, IL. and Boston, Pittsburgh, NewYork, Est. 1853.
MONARCH (WILLSON’S), Monarch Laboratories,Willson Bros.,Sole Prop’s., Edgerton, WIS.
MONOPOLE, Wadhams & Kerr Bros., Portland, OR.
MONTCLAIR BRAND, Sears, Roebuck and Co., Chicago, IL.
MOON, Wiffen Wholesale Grocery, Sterling, IL.
MOON ROSE, Recorg Supply Corp., Chicago, IL.
MOREY & LEE, Troy, NY. marked Ginna & Company
MORTON’S, Morton Salt Co., Endicott, IL.
MOTHER DAWSON, Kennedy Products, Gloversville, NY. (anexample sold for $71.04 on ebay 8/24/98)
MOTHER HUBBARD, Mother Hubbard Products Co., Chicago. IL., PFTCB.
MULFORD’S, G.O., NY.
MUSCATINE, Muscatine Spice Mills, Muscatine, IA.
NABOB, Canada.
NATIONAL, Geo. Rasmussen Co., Chicago, Minneapolis, Milwaukee,Des Moines.
NATIONAL, National Package Drugs, Inc., St. Louis, MO.
NATCO, National Tea Co. , Chicago, IL.
NEBIA, Grainger Bros. Co., Lincoln, NEB.
NEMOCK, Nemock Specialty Co., Lowell, MA.
NEWMARK’S
NICOLET, Frank C. Schilling Co., Green Bay, WI. (Two examples sold for $80-85 on ebay late July and 8/5/98, anotherfor $52.51, mint cond. on 8/27/98)
, Red Owl Stores, Inc., Distributors, Eastern Division, GreenBay, Wis.
NJC, Northern Jobbing Corporation, St. Paul, MN.
NONE-SUCH, Sprague, Warner & Company, Chicago, IL.
NUGGET, Nugget Distributors, Inc., Stockton, CA.
OCEAN, Ocean Mills, Limited, Montreal.(an example sold for $231.00 on ebay 8/4/98)
Oh-MOM, Hanley & Kinsella Coffee & Spice Co., St. Louis, USA.
OLD JUDGE, David G. Evans Coffee Co., St. Louis, MO.
OLD MANOR
OLD MANSION, C.W. Antrim & Sons, Richmond, VA.
OLD TIME, John Hoffman & Sons, Milwaukee 4 ozs.4×21/4x 1 1/4, early paper on cardboard. (an example soldfor $65.99 on ebay 8/9/98)
ORIENTAL (Saffrin’s)
OUR FAMILY
THE OWL DRUG CO, NY, NY.
PARADISE FARM, Gould, Wells & Blackburn Co., Madison,WI.
PARKE’S NEWPORT
PERFECTION, T.M. Gobble Co., Clinton, Iowa.
PERRIGO
PICKWICK
PIEPER’S, O.R. Pieper Co., Milwaukee, WI.
PINE HILLS, Schultz Brothers Company, Green Bay, WI.(also Sheboygan and Oshkosh – possible earlier sites)
PITKIN’S, Pitkin, Inc., Newark, NJ.
PLU-NEL and PLU-NEL-CO brands, Plumber-Nelson, Manitowoc,WI.
POCONO, Grand Union Co., NY, NY.
POEHLER, The Theo. Poehler Mercantile Co.
POLAR BEAR, Griffen Coffee Co., Muskogee, OK. or Sexton, St. Louis.
PREFERRED STOCK, General Grocery Co., Portland, OR.
PREMIER, Premier Food Products, Francis H. Leggett & Co., NY, NY.
PREMIUM MILLS, Stephen H. Parsons, Albany, NY., (niceexample went for $228.50 on eBay 6/1/98)
PRESIDENT, Gildemaus, Wulfing & Co., St. Louis, MO.
PRINCESS, Western Grocer Co., Minneapolis, MN.
PUCK, Puck Food Products Co., Memphis, TN. $146.50 on 6/1/98 eBay
PUREPAC, Purepac Food Co., Chicago, IL.
PYRAMID, New York, NY.
QUAKER, Lee & Cady, Detroit, MI.
QUALITY, Milwaukee, WI.
QUALITY-SERVICE, Quality Service Stores, Battle Creek, MI.
QUEEN QUALITY, The Zinke Co., Fond du Lac, WI.
QUINCY
RADFORD’S
RAINBOW, Fleming Companies, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK. (plastic top)
RAJAH, Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co.
RAWLEIGH’S, The W.T. Rawleigh Co., Freeport, IL.
RBC, Raymond Brothers-Clarke Co., Lincoln, NE.
RED BIRD, Midland Grocery Company, Ohio.
RED LABEL, S.S. Pierce Co., Boston, MA.
RED OWL, Red Owl Store, Minneapolis, MN.
RED RIBBON, J. & M. Steiner, Inc., Milwaukee, WI.
RED & WHITE, Red & White Corp.,
Chicago, IL. (General Offices – Buffalo, NY?)
REGOES, Rigo Manufacturing Co., Nashville, Tenn.
RELIANCE, National Grocery Company, Seattle, WA.
REXALL, United Drug Company, (cardboard)
RICHELIEU, Sprague-Warner, Chicago, IL.
RICH’S, E.C. Rich, Inc., NY, NY.
ROBB-ROSS, Robb – Ross Co., Sioux City, IA.
ROCCO, Janesville Wholesale Grocery Co, Janesville, Wis.
ROSEMARY, Samuel Kunin & Sons, Inc., Chicago, IL.
ROSSICK’S
ROUNDUP, Roundup Grocery Co., Spokane, WA. (anexample got to $100 on ebay 8/17/98 but the Reserve bid was not met)
ROUNDY’S, Roundy, Peckham & Dexter Co., Milwaukee, WI.
ROYAL BLUE STORES, Royal Blue Stores Inc., Chicago, Ill.
ROYAL BOY
ROYAL CHEF SPICES, General States Coffee Co., St. Louis, MO.
ROYAL QUEEN, John A. Brehmer & Sons, Distributors, Detroit, MI.
ROYAL SHIELD, Campbell Bros & Wilson, Ltd. Winnipeg,Canada.
S & F
SAFE OWL, Safe Owl Products, Inc., Brooklyn, NY.
SANTA FE, Ranney-Davis Mercantile Co., Arkansas City, KS. Bottom may bestamped R. C. CAN CO. ST. LOUIS MO. (an example soldfor $51 on ebay 8/2/98)
SAUER’S, C.F. Sauer Co., Richmond, VA.
SAVORY, McClintock-Stern Co., Inc., San Francisco, CA.
SAXON, Royal Mfg. Co. of Duquesne, Duquesne, PA.
SAYMAN, T.M. Sayman Prodts. Co., 2111-3237 Franklin Ave., Sayman Building, St.Louis, MO.
SCHILLING, Schilling & Company, San Francisco, CA.
SCOWCROFT’S, Ogden, UT.
SENECA, Empress Mfg Co., Vancouver, B.C.
SENTRY, Fleming Companies, Inc., Oklahoma City, OK., plastictop
SERVU, Canada.
SERV-US, Red & White Corp’n, USA.
SEXTON, John Sexton & Co., Chicago, IL.
SHOPPERS VALUE, Preferred Products, Inc., Eden Praire, MN.
SHULBRO, Schultz Bros. Co., Sheboygan, WI.
SHURFINE, National Retailer Owned Grocers, Inc., Chicago, IL.
SILVER BUCKLE, Godfrey & Sons Co., Milwaukee, WI.
SIMON PURE, Simon Bros. Co., Inc., Madison, WI.
SINGAPORE’S BEST, Singapore Spice Co., Ltd., Vancouver,B.C.
Sioux Falls Coffee & Spice Co.(LILY brand coffee)
SLADE’S, D&L Slade Co., Boston, MA.
SNOW-BALL
SO FRESH, (STANDARD’S), Standard Grocery Co. Food Stores, L.A. Jackson, Inc.,Indianapolis, IN.
SOLITAIRE, The Morey Mercantile Co., Denver, CO.
SPARTAN
SPICE OF LIFE, McLaughlin Gormley King Company, 1715 S.E. Fifth Street,Minneapolis, MN. Since 1902.
SPICE RACK, Rose Spice, Inc., Wilmington, NC. (plastic top)
SQUIBB’S, E.R. Squibb & Sons, New York, NY.
STANDBI
STANDBY, Fine Foods, Inc., Seattle, WA.
STEVENS Oval, E.S. Stevens, Beatrice, NEB. (anexample sold for $62 on ebay 8/5/98)
STICKNEY & POORS, Stickney & Poors Spice Co., Boston, MA.
(Advertised as “Oldest Spice Millers”)
STONE’S, Stone-Ordean Wells Company.
STUART’S HANDY, C.H.Stuart & Co.,Newark & New York,U.S.A. (an example sold for $87.77 on ebay 8/9/98)
,Stuart Products, Inc., Newark and New York.
SUDAN, Wesco Foods Co., Cinncinati, OH.
SUMMER GIRL, H.D. Lee Mercantile Co., Kansas City, MO.
SUN GLO, T. Eaton Co., Winnipeg, Canada.
SUNNY BROOK, Weathersby-Brunner Co., Memphis, TN.
SUPERB, Tolerton & Warfield Co., Sioux City, IA.
SYMON’S BEST, Symon Bros. & Co., Saginaw, MI. (Hello,The listing on page 4 of your spice page has typos. It should be Symons’Best,Symons Bros. & Co. Currently it is listed as Symon’s and Symon.It’s not that big of a deal unless you grew up with the name, like me, andeveryone spelled it wrong. The company was started by my great greatgrandfather and his twin brother, John and Samuel Symons. Sincerely, Lisa Aumann)
T&T, Thompson & Taylor Spice Co., Chicago, IL.
, Warfield’s Thomson & Taylor,Chicago, IL.
TASTE-RITE, Euclid Coffee Co., Cleveland, OH.
TEMPLE GARDEN, The Temple Garden Co., Boston (main office), NY, Chicago. (an example sold for $97 on ebay 8/8/98)
THOMPSON & TAYLOR SPICE CO, Chicago, IL (Breakfast Delight coffee).
3-CROW, Three Crow Brand Products, The Atlantic Spice Co., Rockland, ME. (an example sold for $74 on ebay 7/27/98)
TIME O’DAY, Jordan Stevens Co., Minneapolis, MN.
TOGSTAD’S, C.I. Togstad Co., Kokomo, IN.
TONE’S , Tones Spice Co., Des Moines, Iowa.
TOPMOST, General Grocer Co., St. Louis, MO.
YORK’S, G.W. York Co., Madrid, IA.
TRADE WIND, Trade Wind Foods, Inc., New York, NY.
TROPICAL BRAND, Jewett-Sherman Co., Kansas City, MO.
TRUMPET, (Petring’s), H.P. Coffee Company, St. Louis, MO.
TURKEY RED, Merchants Wholesale Grocery Co., Chicago, IL.
TUXEDO
TYLER’S, S.H. Tyler & Sons, San Francisco, CA.
UNION TEA CO., Brooklyn, NY.
UNITED, Milwaukee, WI.
VALLEY QUEEN, Wilson Mercantile Company, Wausau andRhinelander, WI.
VAN CURLER, Va Curler Food Products, Co., Schenectady, NY.
VANITY, A. Kickbusch Grocery Company, Wausau, WI.
VETERAN BRAND, A.W. Walsh Co., Kalamazoo, MI.
VIKING, Muskegon Wholesale Co., Co-op of Muskegon, MI.
WADHAM’S, Wadham’s and Company, Portland, OR.
WAGNER, JOHN & SONS TEA & SPICE MERCHANTS.
WAPELLO CHIEF, J.G. Hutchison & Co., Ottumwa, IA.
WARD’S, Winona, MN.
WATKINS
WATSON’S BEST, The Watson Wholesale Grocery Co., Salina, KS.
WEDDING BREAKFAST, The Nash Coffee & Spice Co., Denver, CO.
WEIDEMAN, The Weideman Co., Cleveland, OH.
WEIKEL’S
WELLMAN, Wellman, Peck & Co., San Francisco, CA.
WHEAT SHEAF, Gold Standard Manufacturing Co., Winnipeg,Canada.
WHITE FAWN, Collins Company, San Antonio, Tex. Soldfor $456 ebay 6/29/98.
WHITE HORSE, Reid, Murdock & Co., Chicago, IL.
WHITE ROSE, Seeman Brothers, Inc., NY, NY.
WHITE VILLA, White Villa Grocers, Inc., Cinncinati and Dayton, OH.
WHITMER’S, The H.G. Whitmer Company, Columbus, OH.
(Note: Therewas a H.C. Whitmer’s company in Columbus Indiana that produced and packagedspices and medicines.in the 20;s .We have a few of their tins and bottles . Iwas just wondering if this might be the ( H.G. Wiitmer’s of
Columbus Ohio ) you have in your list .Sincerly nryle@bcremc)
Widlar’s, CW Brand, Standard Brands, Inc., Widlar Products,Cleveland, Ohio (The Widlar Co.)
WIGWAM, Carpenter Cook Co., Menominee, MI.
WILDE’S, Sam’l Wildes Sins Co., New York, NY.
WINFIELD SUPREME
WIXON, Wixon Spice Co., Chicago, IL.
WOOLSON, The Woolson Spice Company, Toledo, OH.
The Woolson Spice Companyand Jas. Forbes Tea & Coffee Corp. Div. in St. Louis, Mo may have merged sometime.
WYLER’S, Wyler’s Company, Chicago, IL.
YANKEE GIRL, L. Frankel’s Son’s, Wilkes-Barre, PA.
YELLOW BONNET, Springfield Grocer Company, Springfield, MO.
YELLOWSTONE, Paxton and Gallagher Co., Omaha, NEB. (anexample sold for $129.50 on ebay 8/19/98)
ZANZIBAR, B. Heller & Co., Chicago, IL.
ZEST
A Spicy History
by Mike Reilly
Spices and herbs have played a dramaticrole in the development of Western civilization. Spices today are plentiful and are usedmostly as flavorings. However, in ancient and medieval times, they were rare and preciousproducts, used for medicine, perfume, incense, and flavoring. Caravans risked dangers incarrying spices.
Arabs traded spices and herbs among earlycivilizations from 3000 BC to about 200 BC. The earliest recorded use of a spice – sesameseed – comes from an Assyrian myth. This myth claims that the gods drank sesame wine thenight before they created the earth. The first real evidence we have of spice use comesfrom the art work and writings of early civilizations. Hieroglyphs in the Great Pyramid atGiza show workers eating garlic and onions for strength. In Genesis, Joseph’s olderbrothers sold him to a passing caravan of spice merchants traveling from Gilead to Egypt.Later, in the book of Kings, the Queen of Sheba made a tribute to King Solomon in the formof spices, gold, and precious stones. In 1453 BC the first Olympians in Greece celebratedvictory wearing wreaths of bay and parsley. Around 400 BC Hippocrates, the Greekphysician, listed more than 400 medicines made with spices and herbs, about half of whichwe still use today.
An extensive spice trade route “theGolden Road of Samarkand” developed, stretching across the deserts of southern Asiaand the Middle East between kingdoms. For centuries, Arabs controlled this route and madefortunes as middlemen, trading locally produced goods, products from Africa, and spicesfrom the Far East. Caravans of donkeys and later thousands of camels followed this routecarrying products to far-off lands where demand was great.
From 200 BC to 1200 the Romans controlledthe trade. As their empire grew to dominance, Romans started sailing from Egypt to Indiato trade spices. It was a difficult two-year voyage across the Indian Ocean to get pepper,cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. By the first century, a Greek merchant sailor,Hippalus, noticed that the changing winds of the monsoons blew southwest from April toOctober and northeast from October to April. Rather than fighting the winds, traders beganto take advantage of them, and shortened their voyage to less than a year.
During Roman times, spices wereavailable only to the upper class, who valued them as highly as gold. In 65 AD, in a showof honor, Romans burned a year’s supply of cinnamon at the funeral for Nero’s wife. TheGoths overran Rome in 410. Their leader, Alaric I, demanded 30,000 pounds of peppercornsalong with precious gold, jewels and silk. This ransom was his price for sparing thepopulation from death. Spice use and trading in Europe declined after the fall of theRoman Empire
As European culture developed in theMiddle Ages, the demand for spices was a key to expanding world trade. Many of the world’smost valuable spices came from China, India, and the Indonesian islands, including theMoluccas (or Spice Islands). Europeans dealt directly with these Eastern cultures forspices, and explorers sought new worlds in their quest for exclusive trade routes.
In the late 13th century, MarcoPolo’s exploration of Asia established Venice as the most important trade port. Veniceremained prosperous until about 1498. At that time the Portuguese and Spanish found spiceprices so high that they began searching for their own route to the spice-producing lands.Portuguese explorer Vasco De Gama sailed around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope to reachCalcutta, India. He returned with pepper, cinnamon, ginger, jewels, and deals for thePortuguese to continue trade with Indian princes. In 1492 Christopher Columbus arrived inAmerica while searching for a direct western route to the Spice Islands. Though he did notfind the Spice Islands, Columbus brought allspice, vanilla, and red peppers from the WestIndies back to his Spanish supporters.
As the middle class grew during theRenaissance, the popularity of spices rose. Conflict developed over who would dominate theprosperous trade. Wars over the Indonesian Spice Islands broke out between expandingEuropean nationsand continued for about 200 years, between the 15th and 17th centuries.Spain, Portugal, England, and Holland all fought for control.
Portuguese traders reached the Eastby sailing south around Africa and across the Indian Ocean. Their Spanish rivals searchedfor another route to the spice-growing regions. In 1519 Spain sent Ferdinand Magellan on avoyage to sail west around the world. Magellan died in the Philippines, and his crew lostfour of his five ships. However, the remaining ship brought back so much pepper and otherspices that the trip was a financial success.
Meanwhile, Holland had begun toprosper by supplying ships and crews to the Portuguese. In the beginning of the 16thcentury, the Dutch gained control of shipping and trading in northern Europe. By the endof the century their influence had expanded, and they entered the spice trade, overtakingPortuguese control. They made many expeditions to the East Indies and set up new dealswith local rulers.
By the early 17th century Dutchcontrol was more complete. Holland conquered the city of Malacca in 1641. This conquestalso brought them control of the Malay Peninsula and nearby islands. In 1658 they gainedcontrol of the cinnamon trade in Ceylon. In 1663 they established exclusive trading rightsin the pepper ports along the Malabar Coast of western India. By the end of the 17thcentury more Indonesian Islands fell under Dutch control, giving Holland unchallengedrights to the Asian spice trade.
When prices fell, the Dutch plottedto keep profits high by burning cinnamon and clove trees. They soaked nutmeg in “milkof lime,” a solution they thought would prevent rivals from purchasing these seeds togrow their own trees. France was a major power in the 17th century, but it did not play alarge part in the developing trade because it did not invest in spice exploration.However, Frenchmen did help to break the Dutch hold on the market. They stole enoughcloves, cinnamon, and un-limed nutmeg from the Dutch to begin plantings onFrench-controlled islands in the Indian Ocean.
During the 1500s the English lookednorth for their own route to the east. They did not find one, but in 1600 Elizabeth Ichartered the British East India Company and began to take control in India. In 1780 theDutch and English fought a war over the spice trade that destroyed the Dutch East IndiaCompany. By 1799 the Dutch lost all spice trading centers, and the company closed.
Americans began their entry into theworld spice race in 1672. Boston-born Elihu Yale, a former clerk of the British East IndiaCompany in Madras, India, began his own spice business. He made a fortune that he wouldone day use to start Yale University. In 1797 Captain Jonathan Carnes sailed into Salem,Massachusetts from Indonesia with a large load of pepper. He had traded directly withAsian natives rather than going through European-held monopolies. As a result, Salem,Massachusetts became the center of spice trade in North America. The first voyage produceda 700% profit, and trading was off and running. Nearly one thousand American ships madethat around-the-world voyage over the next 90 years.
As their influence grew, Americansmade many new contributions to the spice world. Texan settlers developed chili powder in1835 as a simpler way to make Mexican dishes. In 1889 food researchers in Watsonville,California developed the techniques for dehydrating onions and garlic. In 1906 EugeneDurkee wrote the first standards for spice purity under the U.S. Pure Food and Drug Act.
World War II brought interest ininternational foods to America as soldiers brought home a love of the foods they had foundin Europe and Asia. Use of oregano, “the pizza herb” grew 5200% in the decadeafter the war.
Asia still grows most of the spices thatonce ruled the trade, including cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. However,more and more spices are being planted in the Western Hemisphere along with a wide varietyof herbs and aromatic seeds. Brazil is a major supplier of pepper. Grenada grows nutmeg.Jamaica grows ginger and allspice. Nicaragua, El Salvador, and the United States growsesame seed. Europe and California produce many herbs, and Canada grows several aromaticseeds.
From the beginning of history thestrongest nations have controlled the spice trade. The same is true today; the UnitedStates is now the world’s major spice buyer, followed by Germany, Japan, and France.
Bibliography
A History of Spices. American Spice Trade Association.1960. New York: Bernard L. Lewis, Inc.
The Horizon Cookbook and Illustrated History of Eating and Drinkingthrough the Ages. Hale, William Harlan and the Editors of Horizon Magazine.1968.American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc.
The Burns Philp Book of Spices. Norman, Jill. 1990. London:Dorling Kindersley Limited.
The Book of Spices. Rosengarten, Jr. Frederic. 1973. New York:Pyramid Books.
The Lore of Spices. Swahn, J. O. 1991. London: Grange Books.
Food in History. Tannanhill, Reay. 1973. Briarcliff Manor:Stein and Day.
The Food Book. Trager, James. 1970. New York City: TheGrossman Publishers.