Branding

Labeling Standards for Shipping in the 1880’s
As the cranberry industry grew it became necessary to set standards to identify the variety, color, size, durability, and quality of cranberries. Due to the increasing number of independent growers it was also necessary to clearly identify each cranberry shipment. The result was the Rules for Branding shown below the sample branding images.
Howes Brands
Early Blacks Brands
Other Variety Brands
My Favorites
Over the years I have acquired a rather sizeable collection of antique cranberry brand labels. In addition to those shown above (and listed in theRules of Branding below), these are some of my favorites. While they are all beautiful these are very intricate works of art.

Rules for branding - circa 1880's

General Requirements
All cranberries which are branded must be dry, sound, free from frosted or wormy berries and - with the exception of "Variety" Brand - free from berries of green color; unless specifically mentioned they should not contain any all white berries; they must be solidly and cleanly packed and reasonably uniform in size. Pie Berries must be removed by the use of a 13/32-inch grader.
Special Requirements of Several Brands are shown below.
Early Blacks Name : Brand
Late Howes Name : Brand
Skipper : Eatmor
Turkey : Not Eatmor
Early Blacks; averaging 75% colored, with not over 10% of all white berries; counting not over 130; fit for 15 days' travel.
Howes; at least 75% colored; count not over 120; fit for 20 days travel.
Chanticleer : Not Eatmor
Battleship : Not Eatmor
Blacks; at least 90% colored; count not over 125 to 130; fit for 15 days travel.
Howes; at least 85% colored; count from 120 to 140; fit for 20 days travel.
Mayflower-Lion : Eatmor
Honker-Mistletoe : Eatmor
Blacks; at least 90% colored; count not over 125; fit for 15 days travel.
Howes; at least 85% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days travel.
Minot's Light : Eatmor
Holiday : Eatmor
Fully-colored Blacks; count not over 125; fit for 7 days travel.
Howes of uniform deep-red color; count not over 120; fit for 15 days travel.
Harvard : Eatmor
Santa Claus : Eatmor
Blacks of uniform dark color; count not over 105; fit for 7 days travel.
Howes of uniform deep-red color; count not over 95; fit for 15 days travel.
Yale : Eatmor
Pointer : Eatmor
Blacks; 90% colored; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count not over95; fit for 10 days travel.
Howes; at least 85% colored; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count not over 90; fit for 20 days travel.
Capitol : Eatmor

Blacks of uniform red color; count not over 110; fit for 15 days travel.

Other Varieties
Name - Brand
Name - Brand
Paul Revere : Not Eatmor
Myles Standish : Eatmor
Early Reds; at least 83% colored; count not over 110; fit for 10 days travel.
Bugles or Chipmans; at least 85% colored; count not over 100; fit for 15 days travel.
Puritan : Eatmor
Beacon : Eatmor
Early Reds of uniform dark red color; count not over 90; fit for 7 days travel.
Bugles or Chipmans; uniform dark color; count not over 100; fit for 10 days travel.
Eagle : Not Eatmor
John Alden : Not Eatmor
Mammoths, Batchhelders, Hollistons; at least 85% colored; count not over 80; fit for 7 days travel.
Centennials; at least 85% colored; count not over 90; fit for 7 days travel.
Iris : Eatmor
Priscilla : Eatmor
Mammoths of uniform dark color; count not over 75; fit for 7 days travel.
Centennials of uniform dark color; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count not over75; fit for 7 days travel.
Plymouth Rock : Not Eatmor
Peacock : Eatmor
McFarlins; at least 75% colored; count not over 90; fit for 10 days travel.
Centrevilles; at least 85% colored; count not over 90; fit for 10 days travel.
Pilgrim : Eatmor
Pheasant : Eatmor
McFarlins; at least 85% colored; count not over 75; fit for 10 days travel.
Centrevilles of uniform dark color; count not over 75; fit for 7 days travel.
Magnolia : Eatmor
Red Cedar : Not Eatmor
McFarlins; uniform solid color; graded over a 1/2-inch screen; count not over 60; fit for 7 days travel.
Black Veils; at least 85% colored; count not over 130; fit for 15 days travel.
Faneuil Hall : Not Eatmor
Lone Pine : Eatmor
Matthews; at least 85% colored; count not over 110; fit for 10 days travel.
Black Veils; well colored; count not over 110; fit for 10 days travel.
Bunker Hill : Eatmor
Fisherman : Eatmor
Matthews; at least 85% colored; count not over 95; fit for 10 days travel.
Stanleys; at least 90% colored; count not over 110; fit for 7 days travel.
Windmill : Eatmor
Pioneer : Not Eatmor
Matthews of uniform dark color; count not over 85; fit for 7 days travel.
Natives; at least 75% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days travel.
Blue Heron : Eatmor
*Inspected : Eatmor
Pointed Howes; uniform dark red color; count not over 100; fit for 10 days travel.
Any odd variety having no established grade level; at lest 85% colored; count not over 130; fit for 7 days travel.
Chipmunk : Not Eatmor
*Bluebird : Eatmor
Smalleys; at lest 75% colored; count not over 125; fit for 15 days travel.
Any mixed variety averaging 85% colored; count not over 130; fit for 15 days travel.
White House : Eatmor
*"Variety" : Eatmor
Smalleys; at least 85% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days travel.
Any variety or mixed variety averaging at least two-thirds colored but less than the established minimum grade color of any variety containing not over 15% all white berries and 5% berries of green color; count not over 175; containing not over 5% unsound berries. Name of variety must be plainly stamped or marked on the label.
Pocahontas : Eatmor
Plainheads
Smalleys; uniform deep red color; count not over 110; fit for 10 days travel.
Any berries which do not conform to any of the requirements of the preceding grades must be shipped in unbranded packages plainly marked as to size of package, variety, and pack number.
Dragon : Not Eatmor
Pie Berries
Chipmans or Bugles; at least 85% colored; count not over 120; fit for 15 days travel.
Berries that pass through 13/32-inch screen, regraded over a 9/32-inch screen, and screened, having color of crop run of any variety, shall be marked - "No. 1 Pie Cranberries." No berries will be accepted for shipment as Pie Berries which do not meet these requirements.
Samoset : Eatmor

Chipmans or Bugles; uniform dark color; count not over 120; fit for 15 days travel.
*These brands to be used only upon definite authority of an inspector.
Notes:
  • "Eatmor" was an early Cape Cod cranberry growers co-operative. "Not Eatmor" was a farm/brand that was not affiliated with Eatmor.
  • The "days of travel" or durability rating was based on non-refrigerated shipments, usually by railroad.
  • The "count not over..." indicated the maximum number of cranberries to a standard measure.