Orange Paper, Fruit Wrapper: Luigi Martinelli

Paper wrapped around oranges and lemons (very rarely apples and pears) to protect them on transport and for marketing purposes - mostly from Sicily (Italy) and Spain. The colorful designs where mostly done by unknown designers. The practise began in the second half of the 19th century and peacked in the the first half of the 20th century. In the 1950ies and 60ies at least some oranges in a box where wrapped. Since then the usage of fruit wrapping paper is on the decline. Huge producer companies, faster transportation and modern distribution in supermarkets make the practice obsolete.

The designers tried to add some emotional values to the product with colorful illustrations, diverse typography ... names of agri-producers, suppliers, transporters, packers, ... all to make a good impression in the boxes on the markets and shops, where you would find different sorts of oranges. 

Orange papers are naturally wrinkled: they have to easily surround the fruit, to protect it. 

It is hard to date the papers: some designs have been used over years and printed papers have no date stamp.