Object Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
2020.FIC.118 |
Object Name |
Box, Food Storage |
Title |
Belle Mead Sweets Chocolate Box Lid |
Description |
The lid of the Belle Mead Sweets chocolate box is a rectangular shape with a mix of yellow, blue, green, and brown colors. On the far left side of the front, a blue and gold tree stretches from top to bottom. Instead of leaves, blue and gold circles hang from the branches. To the right of the tree is a patch of green and yellow grass, dotted with numerous yellow and blue stones. On the left side of the grass, there's a gold and green plant. On the far right, a yellow and brown two-tiered fountain stands, with each tier shaped like a semicircle. The first tier is slightly larger than the second, and both tiers appear to have frozen white water, while the bottom tier holds unfrozen blue water. In the bottom right corner of the grass, the words "ONE POUND NET" are printed in gold text. Above the grass, a blue body of water stretches, with dark yellow lines representing waves. The water is partially obscured by the plant and fountain. Above this scene, the words "Belle Mead Sweets" appear in bold black text, with "Mercer Chocolates" below it in dark yellow. The background behind the text and the top of the tree is yellow. The entire image is framed by a rectangular dark yellow border, inside of which runs a dark green curvy rectangular line. This yellow line is further framed by a blue rectangular border along the edge. The back of the box is mostly light brown, except for the yellow and blue rectangular border framing it. Near the top center, the text "942 Prospect" is written in black Sharpie. Below that, there is a black rectangle split into three sections. The top section features the words "BELLE MEAD SWEETS" in large, bold text. Below that, "BON BONS CHOCOLATES" is written. In the middle section, the text reads: "These candies are made under ideal conditions... careful workmen in our light, airy candy kitchens combine the choicest fruits and nuts with chocolate, sugar, and other pure ingredients to produce A TRULY PURE FOOD CANDY." The bottom section lists "TRENTON, N.J., U.S.A." The box opens to reveal two interior sections: the top (which is the back of the front) is lined with soft brown fabric, while the back is plain brown cardboard. According to Gillette on Hillsborough and The Hopewell History Project, John G. Muirhead founded Belle Mead Sweets in Belle Mead in 1902. Originally, they had planned to be a fruit-preserving company, but their plans changed when they realized they didn't have access to fruit. Muirhead decided to sell sweets because no candy on the market satisfied him. The company's selling point was that its candy was "pure," made without artificial colorings or flavors. As the business grew, they realized they needed more space and moved to Hopewell in 1904 and Trenton in 1905. Belle Mead often sold their candy in drugstores, and one advertisement from Geo E. Pearson's Drug Store read, "Each dainty piece is made in the Belle Mead way in the sweetest, cleanest, sunniest candy factory in America, where even the air is washed." Citations: Ddixon. (2022, June 12). The Saga of the Hopewell Chocolate Factory. Hopewell Valley History Project. https://hopewellhistoryproject.org/2021/01/23/saga-hopewell-chocolate-factory/ Gillette, G. (n.d.). The Sweetest Enterprise at Belle Mead, Belle Mead Sweets (1901 - circa 1940). Gillette On Hillsborough. https://cnhillsborough.blogspot.com/2016/04/the-sweetest-enterprise-at-belle-mead.html |
Year Range from |
1905 |
Year Range to |
1934 |
Material |
Cardboard, Fabric |
Artist |
Belle Mead Sweets |
Height (in) |
11.125 |
Length (in) |
8.375 |
Condition |
Poor |
Condition Notes |
Overall: Tears and accretions throughout Front: There is wear all around the rim. There are tiny brown accretions all around the dark yellow rectangular line. And finally, there is a little bit of green bleeding on the green rectangular line Back: A large portion of the top layer of the cardboard is missing all along the bottom and the lower right corner. There are jagged pieces of cardboard hanging off of the left and right sides. There is a tear near the top left corner. The blue and yellow rim is missing on top. There is a grey yellow accretion on top near the right side. And finally, there is a black accretion on top near the middle. Inside: There are black accretions all over the inside. There is fuzz hanging off of the left side. There is blue cardboard hanging off of the right side. And finally, the part connecting the top and the bottom is torn apart. |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Location |
Front, Top to Bottom, Right Side |
Inscription Technique |
Stamped |
Inscription Text |
"Belle Mead Sweets" Line 1 "Mercer Chocolates" Line 2 "ONE PUND NET" Line 3 Back, Top to Center, Middle "942 Prospect" Line 1 "BELLE MEAD SWEETS" Line 2 "BON BONS CHOCOLATE" Line 3 "These candies are made under the ideal conditions_ _ _ _ _ _" Line 4 "careful workmen in our light airy candy kitchens combine" Line 5 "the chociest fruits and nuts with chocolate, sugar and other" Line 6 "pure ingredients to produce" Line 7 " A TRULY PURE FOOD CANDY" Line 8 "TRENTON, N.J., U.S.A." Line 9 |
People |
John G. Muirhead |
Classification |
Domestic Life/Household Goods Business & Commerce |
Subjects |
Food Deserts Chocolate industry Candy Fountains |
Search Terms |
Blue Gold Yellow Brown 1905 1934 20th Century Choclate Candy Fountains Grass Water Trenton Pure Sweets Desert John G Muirhead Trenton Belle Mead Sweets Belle Mead Bon Bons Hopewell Food Box Storage Belle Mead Sweets Chocolate Box Lid |
Provenance |
Found in collection |