ADVERTISING - Seed Packet Display

 I follow almost daily online auctions of an estate liquidation company in Cincinnati, a little over an hour's drive from my house.   They have really great stuff, and it's hard to resist bidding along, but I always have to remember it has to be picked up at the house they're liquidating two days after the end of the online auction, and most times it's not worth the trip for one item unless I happen to be in town for my work anyway.   This time I didn't care.  I saw the photos of this antique seed packet display and thought "Go for it!" 

I've never been big into collecting antique advertising.  I have a great old wooden Clark Bar thermometer and an Anton Reiche catalog,  and that's about it; but this was so appealing I couldn't help myself, despite not having any place to display it. 

The store display dates from the early 1930s.   Each row has five colorful original seed packets lined up with a little tray in front of each variety.   The tray would be filled up with packets for sale.

Believe it or not, there are collectors of antique seed packets, and this store display would be a perfect way to show off their collection.   And even though it measures five foot six inches tall, it fits nicely in a corner taking up hardly any floor space.   This piece displays packets from the Jesse Lines Seed Company in Michigan. 

         For the collector, it's all about the graphics, and these are wonderful!

The outside wooden planks have the original green paint, and the two sides fold up into one large box not more than six inches deep.   This would appeal  to so many collectors -- primitives, advertising, garden, country store.  I purchased this only from seeing the online photos, but in this case it definitely did not disappoint!