overall: 7 9/16 in x 6 11/16 in; 19.20875 cm x 16.98625 cm
Object Name:
oyster can
Place made:
United States: Maryland, Baltimore
Date made:
1920-1930
Description:
This gallon tin once contained fresh oyster meats packed by the Wm. Heyser Company. Established in 1871 between Pratt, Grant, and Ellicott Streets in Baltimore, the block became known as the “Heyser block” as the company grew.
In 1906 the U.S. Congress passed several pure food laws in response to outbreaks of typhoid fever and gastrointestinal ailments linked to poor sanitation. Several new regulations were imposed on the oyster industry after contaminated oysters were blamed for serious illnesses. The laws required inspections of oyster beds and packing houses, as well as the identification of shellfish sources and standardized labeling.
This tin probably dates to the period 1920-30, when colorful lithographed tins became popular. Heyser’s distinctive red tins featured a stylized H resting on an open oyster with the sun’s rays shining on a waterfront city certainly meant to be Baltimore. It includes the old-style bail handle, a feature that was phased out around this time in an effort to reduce manufacturing costs.
Like many Baltimore oyster packers, Wm. Heyser explicitly addressed consumers’ fears about sanitation by emphasizing the clean conditions under which the oysters were handled and citing its compliance with the law. The reverse of the tin contains this message:
“GUARANTEE / OYSTERS CONTAINED IN THIS CAN WERE PACKED IN THE MOST ADVANCED SANITARY MANNER TO MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PURE FOODS REGULATIONS
Shucked Fresh From The Beds—CAUTION—Fresh oysters are perishable. This can must be kept in refrigerator or in contact with ice until contents are used.”
