packaging as content

November 9, 2008

Packaging goes Postal

I recently came upon these turn-of-the-century envelopes with illustrations of product packaging. (And what is an envelope, after all, if not a type of package?) I’m no philatelist, but looking into it a little bit, I’ve learned that, in the world of stamp collecting, envelopes are called “covers” and that the 25 covers pictured here are called “illustrated advertising covers.” Moreover, the return address & promotional graphics in each of these, is referred to as the “corner card.”

It used to be that most letters were “folded self-mailers” folded up and sealed with a blob of sealing wax. When did letters acquire this type of cover packaging?

“In 1845 an Act of Congress abolished postage rates based on the number of sheets used in forming a letter, thus began the widespread use of envelopes to send letters. Until that time envelopes were rarely used since they constituted an extra sheet of paper, thus a higher cost. Before long merchants began to use envelopes to advertise their products…”

from ebay’s guide to Advertising and Illustrated Covers

All of these images come from last year’s H.R. Harmer online auction catalog: The “Sapphire” Collection of Illustrated Advertising Covers.

Randy Ludacer
Beach Packaging Design

(18 more, after the jump…)

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