Gold Buckle Oranges c. 1930

Grown & Packed by Gold Buckle Ass’n, East Highlands, San Bernadino Co. California

Printed by Schmidt Litho Co. Los Angeles

Gold Buckle fruit label (also appearing as Gold Buckle Brand or simply Gold Buckle) is a classic California citrus crate label associated primarily with oranges (and related citrus) from the East Highlands area.

Provenance & Origin

The label originated in East Highlands (near Highland), San Bernardino County, California, USA.

It was used by the Gold Buckle Association (also styled Gold Buckle Ass’n.), a grower cooperative packing house. The association grew out of the earlier East Highlands Fruit Association (incorporated 1897). The Gold Buckle Association itself was formally organized on May 4 and incorporated on May 6, 1908, on the basis of the prior association.

The packing house was located in East Highlands and was at one time described as among the largest citrus packing plants in California. A photograph of the packing house exists from 1910.

Age & Dating

• First commercial use of the “Gold Buckle” mark is claimed as January 1, 1902.
• U.S. trademark filed December 21, 1922, and registered December 18, 1923 (Registration No. 0177558) for citrus fruits (oranges, lemons, and grapefruit) in their natural state. The mark remains active and is currently owned by Wonderful Citrus LLC.
• Surviving labels date from approximately the 1890s through the 1940s/early 1950s, with the most commonly encountered examples from the 1920s–1930s.
• Early examples (c. 1890–1900) were produced for the East Highlands Fruit Association. Later versions carry the Gold Buckle Association name.
• Dating clues include printer imprints, Sunkist-grade markings, and style consistent with the interwar period of California citrus label production.

History

East Highlands was promoted as “the gold buckle of the Citrus Belt,” a slogan that appears on many labels and reflects the area’s reputation for high-quality fruit due to its elevation, southern exposure, and protection from frost and winds.

The association was a cooperative that emphasized careful picking and packing. It pioneered pre-cooling and icing facilities in the local area around 1914, and other exchanges studied its methods. By the early 20th century it controlled a large share of East Highlands fruit and shipped hundreds of rail cars per season.

The packing house remained a landmark until it was destroyed by fire in June 1973 (estimated loss $650,000 at the time).

The broader East Highlands citrus operations, including the ranch history linked to early developer J.S. Edwards, later transitioned as the area became residential (East Highlands Ranch).

Business Relationships

• Packer/Grower cooperative: Gold Buckle Association (successor to East Highlands Fruit Association).
• Related brands packed by the same association included Lochinvar (often the extra-choice grade), Belt, Greenspot, Unicorn, Polo, Pine Cone, Sun, Silver Buckle, and others.
• Distribution affiliation: Frequently marked as Sunkist grade and distributed through the California Fruit Growers Exchange / Sunkist system.
• Modern trademark owner: Wonderful Citrus LLC (part of The Wonderful Company). The mark has passed through multiple owners and is one of several historic citrus trademarks held by the company.

Distribution & Markets

Fruit under the Gold Buckle label (and related brands) was shipped primarily by rail to domestic U.S. markets via the cooperative system. Labels commonly carry “Grown in U.S.A.” and Sunkist markings, indicating national distribution through established citrus marketing channels. Specific export data is limited in available sources, but California citrus of this era reached both domestic and limited international markets.

Design & Printer Information

The classic Gold Buckle design features a scenic view of orange groves, mountains, and sometimes dwellings, framed by a large white or gold belt with a prominent gold buckle. Oranges and blossoms often appear in the corners. The slogan “East Highlands is the gold buckle of the Citrus Belt” is frequently printed on the belt. Many versions include a Sunkist logo.

Known printers:

• Mutual Label & Lith. Co., San Francisco (early examples, c. 1890–1900)
• Schmidt Litho. Co., Los Angeles (most common later examples, active c. 1906–1955)
• Western Litho. Co., Los Angeles (some variants, e.g., Greenspot Brand dated December 1931)

Typical size is approximately 10 × 11 inches.

Collection references: Well-documented in the Jay T. Last Collection (Huntington Library), UC Riverside Special Collections, Boston Public Library Print Department, Los Angeles Public Library Fruit Crate Label Collection, and Calisphere.

Website Links & Digital Sources

• Calisphere / UC Riverside: Gold Buckle Association, Gold Buckle Brand and related items (e.g., Greenspot Brand).
• Huntington Digital Library (Jay T. Last Collection): Early Gold Buckle Brand example.
• Boston Public Library / Digital Commonwealth: Multiple Gold Buckle and related labels.
• Bowers Museum: Lochinvar Brand example linked to Gold Buckle Association.
• Trademark records: Justia / USPTO entries for Registration 0177558.
• Collector sites: thelabelman.com and various antique dealers regularly list original examples.
• Local archival notes: CSUSB Special Collections (packing house photo); Railroad Citrus Industry Modeling Group chronology.

Other Relevant Data

• Rarity & collector value: Not among the rarest California citrus labels, but the distinctive belt-and-buckle motif makes it popular. Original unused 1920s–1930s examples commonly sell for roughly $9–$25 depending on condition and exact variant. Complete wooden crates are scarcer and more valuable.
• Surviving examples: Numerous original labels exist in institutional collections and private hands; many are “warehouse finds” never applied to crates.
• Additional context: The brand exemplifies the golden age of California citrus crate art (roughly 1890s–1950s), when colorful lithographed labels served both as advertising and grade identification. The packing house’s pioneering use of pre-cooling reflects the industry’s technological advances in the early 20th century.

The Gold Buckle label remains a well-documented and visually distinctive example of Southern California citrus cooperative branding from the peak of the industry’s crate-label era.