Name/Title
Bag: Maxwell House Coffee. Regular Grind. High Grade. One Pound. Unused. N.d., ca. 1944-1952.Entry/Object ID
2015.001.0035Scope and Content
Bag: Maxwell House Coffee. Regular Grind. High Grade. One Pound. Unused. No date, circa 1944-1952.
General Foods Corporation. Address New York 17, N.Y.
Color printed white paper, ribbed finish, waxed lining, 9-3/8" high x 3-1/4" wide x 2-3/8" deep; folded flat. Three each.
Instructions on one side panel for percolated or boiled coffee. On same panel is a small labeled depiction of the original Maxwell House, Nashville, Tenn.
----
Packaging that was apparently produced during World War II to supplement the use of glass containers (which in turn had replaced metal cans, metal being a strategic war material) for domestic distribution. A 1944 Canadian newspaper ad has been seen with a bag depicted, but it was not the same as the one here. Also found was a 1944 American newspaper advertisement by a food market offering Maxwell House Coffee, Bag 29 cents, Jar 33 cents.
Bags have not been seen in national magazine advertisements of the war years or later.
The postal zone, "17," would date this no earlier than 1943. Postal zones were introduced in major cities in 1943. A code on the bottom, "HF 8-52" might suggest a late date of 1952, but that is not considered likely.
During the probable date range of this item, General Foods had their largest Maxwell House Coffee processing plant in Hoboken. (Most products processed and packaged there were labeled Hoboken, but not always and the General Foods Corp. general address has also been evident in this period.) It is unknown, at present, if any distribution of coffee in bags was done at Hoboken.
----
retail / package / food storage / containerAcquisition
Accession
2015.001Source or Donor
PurchaseAcquisition Method
PurchaseCredit Line
Museum Collections.Archive Details
Date(s) of Creation
1944 - 1952Archive Notes
Date(s) Created: 1943-1952 ca
Date(s): 1944-1952General Notes
Note
Status: OK
Status By: dw
Status Date: 2015-03-05
