Decorative advertising and promotional map for McCormick & Company, promoting its world wide trade in coffee, tea, spices and flavorings.
The map is a fascinating blend of pictorial map, historical map (showing the routes of many early explorers), product growing region map and promotional map, showing McCormick's buildings in San Francisco, Baltimore and Mexico City. Full length portraits of John Cabot, Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus, Vasco de Gama, Friar Ruysbruk, Marco Polo, Ibu Batua and Friar Odoric, reflect the importance of overland and sea exploration in the development of the Spice Trade around the world.
McCormick & Company manufactures spices, herbs, and flavorings for retail, commercial, and industrial markets. The company was founded by Willoughby M. McCormick, in Baltimore, in 1889. From one room and a cellar, the initial products were sold door-to-door and included root beer, flavoring extracts, fruit syrups and juices. Seven years later, McCormick bought the F.G. Emmett Spice Company and entered the spice industry.
Willoughby died on November 4, 1932, and Charles McCormick was elected President and Chairman of the Board at age 36. The big "Mc" became a trademark for nearly all U.S. products in 1941. McCormick acquired A. Schilling & Company of San Francisco in 1947. Established in 1881, it was a coffee, spice and extract house that enabled McCormick to begin coast-to-coast distribution in the U.S.