PORK INDUSTRY IN 1929

John P. Squire & Co. et al. ; Publishers

Taste the Difference: 21 Reasons for Using New England Dressed Fresh Pork

An uncommon multi-firm promotional booklet documenting the collaborative marketing efforts of five major New England provision companies on the eve of the Great Depression.
 
This 24-page unnumbered guide serves as a regional manifesto for 'New England Dressed' fresh pork, arguing for the superiority of local processing over Western competitors. The booklet features a curated selection of traditional New England recipes—ranging from crown roasts to breakfast sausage—interspersed with technical justifications for the '21 Reasons' of the title. 

Published collectively by John P. Squire & Co., North Packing, White, Pevey & Dexter, Sperry & Barnes, and the Springfield Provision Co., it represents a rare unified front in American meat-packing history.

FEATURES
+++Physical: Illustrated wrappers featuring a festive dinner scene; internal pages contain black-and-white culinary vignettes and product-specific instructional text. Period-typical 'overhang' wrappers where the cover dimensions exceed the internal text block. Specs: 5.5 by 8 inches; 24 unnumbered pages. [Complete].
+++ Regional Collaboration: A unique joint-venture publication representing the industrial power of the Boston, Worcester, New Haven, and Springfield provision hubs. 
+++ Culinary Content: Focuses on regional specialties including 'Pork Chops with Apples' and 'New England Boiled Dinner' variations. 

CONDITION: Very Good. Stapled wraps remain secure. The delicate overhang edges show expected light wear and minor creasing but remain largely intact—a rare survival for this specific binding style. Clean and unmarked. Light, even age-toning. No evidence of common kitchen damp-staining.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE —
By 1929, the 'Big Five' New England packers were fighting to maintain their market share against massive national conglomerates. This booklet was their primary weapon, leveraging the New England housewife's preference for local freshness. The '21 Reasons' focus heavily on the speed of transit from the dressing floor to the local butcher—a technical argument for 'Dressed Pork' that predates the modern 'Farm-to-Table' movement by decades. It is a vital record of Boston's industrial food history at its peak.
+++ Industrial History: Provides primary documentary evidence of regional protectionism in the food industry, specifically the attempt to combat the dominance of Chicago-based 'Western' meat packers. 
+++ Scarcity Note: Highly uncommon; OCLC locates only 7 institutional copies (including Harvard and the American Antiquarian Society), marking this as a significant survival of New England commercial ephemera.

SUBJECTS: Culinary History, New England History, Meat Packing Industry, Boston Commerce, 1920s Americana. GENRES: Cookbook, Ephemera, Advertising Booklet.

Item #21942

Price: $24.00