Mitchell Reel Museum Discussion Group

Greetings,
I received this 300 from the original owner several years ago, and I've wondered about the information on the back of the box for as long. It's a 4th version with a serial number of C61831, and on the back of the box it's stamped "Fair Traded" and has a sticker with the price of $10.50. This doesn't appear to be a discount store sticker.
I've checked "Fair Traded" on the net and it seems to apply to imports from underprivileged 3rd world countries. I wouldn't put France in that catagory in the 50's. The price of $10.50 seems very low considering the range was near $30 shortly after this.
Any help would be appreciated.  
Ted Lanham   

  

Wallace,
Thanks for your input. For a minute, I thought that I may have place the posting incorrectly and that no one would see it.
The box is one of the all blue Mitchell 300 boxes with any Garcia Labels. I believe that it's all original, because it came from a local fellow that worked for the phone company and never through anything away. He was in the army in Europe in the late 40's. Maybe, he picked it up at one of the base stores? That might explain the cheap price. I just don't know.
Ted Lanham

Hi Ted,

I split this topic off from under another for better exposure. It appears the reel you have is a European distributed reel bought by the serviceman you mention. That would help with the low price but I'm still wondering if anyone knows what Fair Traded meant back then especially if they were bought in Europe.

Thanks for the topic

Best Regards, Wallace

Hi Wallace & Ted,

From what i can make out fairtrade is/was an organized social movement and market based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability
It would seem that many attempts to market Fairtrade products were observed in the 1960s and 1970s but Fairtrade sales only really took off with Fairtrade labelling in the late 1980s.
From what we have here does this mean FRANCE in the early 1960s was a developing country trying to sell produce to developed countries like the USA? This would explain the fairtrade print on the boxes would it not?

Regards Martin

Hi Wallace,

Late 50s like my birth year 1959 is the earliest i can find that has anything to do with fairtrading my friend.

Regards Martin