{"product_id":"vintage-1940s-whistle-brand-crate-label-brass-steam-whistle-art-wileman-bros-elliott-cutler-ca","title":"Vintage 1940s Whistle Brand Crate Label 💨 — Brass Steam Whistle Art, Wileman Bros. \u0026 Elliott, Cutler CA","description":"\u003ch2\u003eWhy a Brass Steam Whistle? 💨 Vintage 1940s Whistle Brand Crate Label, Wileman Bros. \u0026amp; Elliott, Cutler\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSize:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13\" x 3 3\/4\" ~ little to no wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"max-width:315px;margin:0 auto 20px;\"\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:177.78%;height:0;overflow:hidden;\"\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uY-RbZ-VzGI\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer;autoplay;clipboard-write;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e💨 A big brass steam whistle letting off a plume of white steam against an orange sky, and WHISTLE in giant orange-and-yellow letters right beside it. No train, no track, no railroad anywhere, just the whistle, because the picture is the brand name. This long, skinny Whistle Brand crate label was packed by \u003cstrong\u003eWileman Bros. \u0026amp; Elliott, Inc.\u003c\/strong\u003e of \u003cstrong\u003eCutler, California\u003c\/strong\u003e, and it's New Old Stock, never pasted on a box, with no wear.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a natural for anybody who collects California farm history or crate label art.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e🍇 Three Partners in Cutler\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe company tells its own story this way. In 1925 two brothers, Charlie and Ralph Wileman, went in with Frank Elliott, Sr. in Cutler, out in Tulare County in the San Joaquin Valley. They started out shipping stone fruit and table grapes in wooden boxes clear across the Pacific, to Singapore, China and Australia. In the 1960s Frank Elliott, Jr. added citrus to fill out the season, and later generations added a carton plant and a juice operation. It's still a family business in Cutler today, now in its fourth generation, and still packing oranges by the thousands of cartons a day. Frank \"Tokkie\" Elliott III ran it in the carton-plant and juice years, and today Frank \"Tommy\" Elliott IV leads the fourth generation; by the company's own count its packing lines, with their grading equipment and cold-storage tunnels, put out more than 10,000 cartons of oranges a day, under trademarks like Sunshine to Go! and Bluebird Brand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhistle wasn't their only label, either. Wileman crate labels from Cutler also turn up under names like Listen, La Paloma and Bluebird.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e📅 That Little \"INC.\" Dates It\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe label doesn't print a year or even say what fruit went in the box, which makes sense for a packer that shipped grapes, stone fruit and later citrus. But look at the end of the firm name: INC., set off by itself in black. California's corporation records show Wileman Bros. \u0026amp; Elliott, Inc. was incorporated on May 10, 1948. So unless there was an earlier corporation by the same name that the records don't show, this printing came along in 1948 or later.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e🚂 Cutler\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCutler is a small farm town in Tulare County, and the railroad reached it in 1897.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003e🖼️ Why I Love Crate Labels\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese were printed by lithography, and to me the color and detail still hold up against anything printed today. Museums and art institutes have given crate labels galleries of their own, and more collectors every year are looking for the bright ones. This one would look great framed long and low over a kitchen doorway or a bar.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe supply is finite - once these last Whistle Brand labels are gone, they'll be very difficult to acquire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"relatedBlock\"\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e🔎 More From The Vintage \u0026amp; Antique Gifts Archive\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vintageantiquesgifts.com\/products\/vintage-fez-crate-label-cutler-ca-1960s-food-labels-bring\"\u003eVintage 1960s FEZ Brand Crate Label Pair 🏷️ Tamouzian Bros. Cutler California Lithograph Collectible\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vintageantiquesgifts.com\/products\/vintage-1940s-flying-colors-crate-label-watsonville-ca-american-flag-decor\"\u003eVintage 1940s Flying Colors Brand Western Vegetables Crate Label Pair ⭐ Schuman Farms, Watsonville CA, NOS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/vintageantiquesgifts.com\/products\/rare-vintage-1940s-shine-crate-label-orlando-fl-historic-tropical-decor\"\u003eVintage 1940s Orlando Shine Crate Label 🌞 Tropical Collectible\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Vintage and Antique Gifts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53127743766809,"sku":"VAG-9181179969768","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1003\/0153\/7561\/files\/il_fullxfull.7075056835_o3r3.jpg?v=1788994126","url":"https:\/\/touchofmodern.com\/products\/vintage-1940s-whistle-brand-crate-label-brass-steam-whistle-art-wileman-bros-elliott-cutler-ca","provider":"Touch of Modern","version":"1.0","type":"link"}