The Blue Winner Brand from Covina in Los Angeles is an ultra rare label and highly valued by citrus label collectors. It has a companion label from the Covina Heights Groves company, the Red Winner Brand, equally rare.
The distinction between a blue and red “winner” was used to inform consumers that there was a quality difference between the fruit of the two brands. Blue associated with a brand meant the fruit was of the highest quality, a “blue ribbon” first place winner. And, red was associated with the “red ribbon” second place winner. At country fairs, third place is represented by a “white ribbon.” The color white did not translate well as an eye-catcher for labels, so the colors yellow and green often were used for brands of fruit quality lower than blue and red.
Almost all of the labels that feature a means of transportation–cars, trains, boats and planes–are of high interest to label collectors.
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