Antique Brazilian Coffee Tin

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On offer is a piece of antique Brazilian advertising memorabilia for Tesouro brand coffee, produced by the firm Fernandes & … Read more On offer is a piece of antique Brazilian advertising memorabilia for Tesouro brand coffee, produced by the firm Fernandes & Thomé. Tesouro translates as "Treasure" in Portuguese. The vintage tin’s lithographed design features a prominent yellow map of Brazil on a green background, along with a banner noting that this is a "Product of Brasil." Beneath the map, a steamship illustration reflects the era's coffee trade and transport methods, while identifying a Paulo Fernando as “Ship Chandler, Coffee Grower & Wholesale Dealer,” clearly a certified multitasker.
"Cafe Santos" refers to coffee from the port of Santos in the Estado de São Paulo (State of São Paulo), indicating the source of the coffee beans. Making the product inside even more appealing is an illustration of coffee beans on a branch. And should the buyer wish to get in touch, say, a century ago, the tin offers both a street and cable address.
To put this into context, by the late 1800s Brazil produced over 70% of the world's coffee. And the Port of Santos was the primary exit point for 80% of that coffee. This "Green Gold" drove the country's modernization. The need to transport beans from the interior of São Paulo to the Port of Santos led to the construction of the first major railroads. Coffee profits funded the transformation of the small town of São Paulo, the source of this tin’s contents, into a global metropolis. The tin has survived to tell a story. See less