Object number
2004/27
Description
This is a Sutton's Seeds display cabinet. It contains labelled samples of 24 grasses behind glass, plus 24 samples of grass seeds in round glass containers attached to the frame, 12 on each side. At the top of the frame is the royal crest and the inscription 'Natural Grasses Used in Mr Martin H Sutton's Prescriptions for Permanent Pastures'. At the bottom is the inscription 'Queen's Seedsmen Reading'. It was bought by the donor's father at a farm sale in Oxfordshire in the 1950s, and was displayed in the family home in Watlington for many years.
Physical description
Seeds presentation case: wood, glass
Label Text
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>SUTTONS SEEDS DISPLAY CABINET // DETAILS // Categories Forces For Change // Theme(s) Farming and agriculture // Collection Harvesting and Cultivation Objects // Date 1800s // Object number 2004/27 // DESCRIPTION // The soft wooden hues, globes of glass and intricate carving of this display case would not be out of place in a Victorian apothecary. This case, however, is for seeds. // The bottom of the case proudly proclaims ‘Queen’s Seedsmen Reading’ – the Queen in question being Victoria, and the Seedsmen being Suttons Seeds company. Famous for inventing the paper seed packet, Suttons led the world in the cultivation, supply, marketing and distribution of bulbs and seeds in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This case advertises the different varieties of grasses the company produced, and was bought at a farm sale in Oxfordshire by the donor in 1950.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'PRESENTATION CASE, SUTTON'S // Description // 1 Sutton's seeds presentation case. // ... Associated information // Bought by donor's father at a farm sale in Oxfordshire in the 1950s.', Email, Jane George to MERL, 26 January 2004 - 'I've recently inherited from my mother a Sutton's Seeds display cabinet (measuring about 5' x 3') containing labelled samples of 24 grasses behind glass, plus 24 samples of grass seeds in round glass containers attached to the frame, 12 on each side. At the top of the frame is the royal crest plus the follow text: "Natural Grasses Used in Mr Martin H Sutton's Prescriptions for Permanent Pastures". At the bottom is a batten with the words "Queen's Seedsmen Reading". We've been assured by Sutton's that the Queen in question is Victoria!
Production date
1800-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Production period
Nineteenth century
Object name
Material
Technique
Dimensions
- Height 1420 mm
- Width 820 mm
- Depth 80 mm
Associated subject
