Seattle Ferguson-Hendrix Co. Apple Shipping Advertising 1912 Real Photo Postcard

Ferguson-Hendrix Co. operated as a Wholesale Commission House at 1015 Western Avenue in Seattle, Washington, during the early 20th century. Commission houses were crucial intermediaries in the agricultural commerce of the era, particularly in port cities like Seattle. They received produce and other goods from farmers and producers, selling them to retailers or other buyers on behalf of the original shipper, typically for a percentage-based commission. This model facilitated market access for producers and streamlined the distribution of goods in a rapidly industrializing economy.

This postcard served as a direct marketing tool, leveraging the image of a contented woman in hay to symbolize prosperity and satisfaction with the "good prices" offered by Ferguson-Hendrix Co. Such promotional postcards were a common and effective advertising medium in the early 1900s, reaching potential clients directly via mail. The company's location on Western Avenue highlights Seattle's historical role as a significant commercial hub and port for the Pacific Northwest, where wholesale businesses congregated to manage the flow of regional commodities.