More Clever Seedsmen from Rochester, New York - Briggs & Bros.

What a treat it must have been in the 1870s to have the Briggs & Bros. catalog arrive in the mail.

They had a clever hook to tempt people to send for their catalog - and then buy $5 of seeds or more,  a very nice original chromolithograph of flowers. I suspect the print was displayed in many homes. They are certainly sought by collectors now!

While we can't see them in this dinky little image, there are tiny numbers by the flowers that correspond to a key.

BRIGGS & BRO'S
Illustrated And Descriptive Catalogue Of Flower And Vegetable Seeds, And Summer Flowering Bulbs,

FOR 1871.

Is now ready for mailing. It is printed on a most elegant new tinted paper, and Illustrated with nearly

FIVE HUNDRED ORIGINAL ENGRAVINGS,

And two finely-executed Colored Plates—specimens for all of which were grown by ourselves the past season, and from our own stock of seeds. All the drawings and engravings were executed by Artists of acknowledged taste and ability, who have made the subject of Floral and Vegetable representations a special branch of their business for the last eighteen years. In the originality, execution, and extent of the engravings, it is unlike and eminently superior to any other Catalogue or " Floral Guide" extant.

The Catalogue consists of more than One Hundred Pages, and will be sent free to all who ordered Seeds from us by mail the last season. To others a charge of Fifteen Cents per copy will be made, which is really not the value of the Colored Plates. We assure our friends that the inducements we offer to purchasers of Seeds, as to quality and extent of stock, discounts and premiumB, are unsurpassed. Please send orders for Catalogues without delay.

We have now the beet artists in the country at work upon A COLORED CHROMO FOR 1871. It will be ready to send out about the middle of January. The Chromo represents Forty-Two Varieties of the moBt showy and popular Flowers, of natural size and color. We design to make it the best plate of Flowers ever issued. Size 1!) x 24 Inches. The retail value would be at least Two Dollars; we shall, however, furnish it to customers at 75 cents per copv, and shall offer it as a premium upon orders for Seeds. See Catalogue. Address,

BRIGGS & BROTHER,

ROCHESTER, N. Y.

I found this image on eBay sometime ago but had not seen the chromo until recently.

Here below is the chromolithograph from 1871.

Unfortunately, I have not found the literature with the key for 1871 yet!!