Landreth’s Red Rock Tomato Inkstand

This inkstand advertises the Landreth Seed Company, one of the oldest companies founded in the U.S. Founded in 1784, the company sold crop seeds to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and introduced varieties of tomatoes, white potatoes, and the Zinnia plant to North America. The “Red Rock” variety was introduced      in 1915 and is now an heirloom variety. The tomato’s stem is a finial for the hinged lid which opens to access the inkwell.

The inkstand is embossed around the edges: “Founded 1784 – D. Landreth Seed Company – Seeds Which Succeed – Bristol, Penna”. Along the top of the base is embossed “Bloomsdale Seed Farms”. The underside is marked “Made by the Art Metal Works, Newark N.J.”