Antique c1910 P.C. SHAW~DEALER IN GENERAL MDSE~JARRETTS, MINN~SPICES Red TIN BIN For Sale

Antique Circa 1910 All-Original, Authentic, and Exceedingly Rare General Store Wall-Hanging or Countertop Tin Bin. Stenciled on the slanted front lid is the following information:

FROM

P.C. SHAW

GENERAL MDSE

JARRETTS MINN.

Pictures of the P.C. Shaw General Store in Jarrett, Minn. (or Jarretts, as printed on the tin and storefront) Circa 1910 are included in the photos. The images were procured from an original antique postcard, Circa 1910, also for sale on . The store, the town of Jarrett, and this tin are highly historically significant and very rare. To procure the original tin along with a photo history of the store and the story of the town - both of which no longer exist - is something truly priceless. Because the bin has survived, the story of Jarrett, Minn. and P.C. Shaw General Merchandise lives on. What an honor to be the curator of such a precious relic.

Unlike standard rectangular tins, this large, multi-compartment, sloped, color-rich red bin features a distinctive slanted Georgian "salt box" shape. The angled lid opens into a spacious interior cavity that is further divided into two sections, one more narrow than the other. The depth of these two compartments (running front to back) slopes downward. Thus, the floor of these compartments is not flat horizontally. It angles downward, from front to back. In addition, a lower pullout compartment is equipped with 5 smaller bins. The door of the lower compartment rolls out in a downward direction, revealing the compartmentalized sections. Each section slopes downward (from front to back) and features a curved bottom. Ornate stenciling with a beautifully embellished border labels these smaller compartments as “SPICES” on the exterior panel.

In the late nineteenth/early twentieth century when this tin was made and first put to work, Jarrett, Minn. was a thriving town. The P.C. Shaw General Store was doing a booming business. Today, Jarrett, Minnesota is a GHOST TOWN. The current population is 25. See below for more info. on what the town of Jarrett, MN was in its heyday, and how it became a town that was not.

APPROXIMATE MEASUREMENTS

Overall Width: 13 inches

Overall Height: 13 1/2 inches

Depth at Widest Bottom Point: 9 1/2 inches (the gape of the one-hinge lower pullout adds on an additional approx. 1/8 inch)

Depth at Narrowest Top Point: 4 3/4 inches

Length, Width, and Depth of Left Main Compartment: 8 inches Long (or you could also say 8 inches high), 4 5/8 inches Wide x 8 1/4 inches Deep (runs on a downward slope)

Length, Width, and Depth of Right Main Compartment: 8 inches Long (or you could also say 8 inches high), 7 1/2 inches Wide x 8 1/4 inches Deep (runs on a downward slope)

Length, Width, and Depth of Each Bin in the Lower Compartment: 3 1/2 inches Long, 2 3/8 inches Wide, 3 inches Deep (runs on a downward slope with a curved bottom)

The bin is designed to hang, though it can also sit on a counter, table, or desk. One of the original hanging hooks is missing; however, two holes have been drilled in the back wall for mounting purposes. In addition, a small hole has been bored into the large, main compartment to accommodate plug-in needs for modern-day devices, i.e. cellphone charging, iPad charging, etc.

CONDITION: Fully intact structure, no breaks. Original hinges on the main compartment are attached and working smoothly. One out of two hinges on the lower pullout bin is attached. The other is not. However, the one hinge alone manages to make the pullout completely functional. It opens and closes, albeit not with the smoothest mechanism due to the single missing hinge. As mentioned above, one original hanging hook out of two is missing. Two small holes have been drilled in the back wall for mounting purposes (or the bin can sit on any flat, horizontal surface). An additional small hole has been drilled in the back wall for a cord or other charging mechanism. There is cosmetic wear consistent with an authentic 120+ year old general store/mercantile piece: paint scratching, marks, loss of detailing in the stenciled print (and some loss of legibility completely…it is challenging to decipher the “A” in dealer, most of the “MDSE”, and the entire word “MINN.” - more or less than these mentionables might be discernible depending on your eyesight and ability to decipher old, stenciled print). There is widespread surface rust/patina, as pictured, which - to be frank - adds interest and beauty to the piece and becomes a mark of distinction in its overall appearance. The inside shows standard age-related oxidation. There is at least one structural dent at the front, bottom. It is the most curvaceous and cunning dent I’ve ever seen, although it is only obvious when viewing the bin from underneath. The main compartment’s angled lid is slightly warped/distorted/bent, but it opens and closes just fine, and the only indication is a gap on each side, more pronounced on the front-facing left than the right. The pullout compartment also has some warpage to the metal and, when combined with the missing hinge, gapes a bit (about 1/8 inch) on the front-facing left side and more on the right-facing front where the hinge is gone (a little less than a 1/2” gap here). Other than the 2 mounting holes and the one cord hole drilled in the back wall, this precious metal bin is completely untouched and unrestored. It is a direct link to a past that no longer exists in our present day world. Such relics will be impossible to obtain in future years. This is a true gem from the turn-of-the-20th century. Please see the pictures.

Now, Let’s Talk About Jarrett, Minnesota…

Jarrett is an unincorporated community in Wabasha County, southeastern Minnesota, United States, situated along the banks of the Zumbro River between the villages of Hammond and Millville. Today, Jarrett boasts a population of approximately 25 residents, however Jarrett once supported a school, grocery store, and a mill. Unfortunately, these institutions declined after the railroad's departure around 1930, leaving the area as a quiet rural settlement.

The community of Jarrett, Minnesota originated from a historic ford that crossed the Zumbro River, serving as a key crossing point for early travelers and settlers navigating the region's waterways. This shallow crossing became known as Jarrett's Ford, named after the nearest resident, Mr. Jarrett, who lived in proximity during the mid-19th century.

Jarrett's formal development as a community was accelerated in 1878 with the arrival of the narrow-gauge railroad on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul line, which facilitated access to markets and spurred the construction of essential infrastructure tied to local farming. That same year, a water-powered flouring mill was built by Kimball & Kitzman on the Zumbro River, supporting grain processing for surrounding agricultural operations and marking the site's transition from a mere ford to a hamlet. Early river routes, including the ford, complemented overland paths for transporting goods, underscoring Jarrett's role in connecting isolated farms to broader trade networks in the late 19th century.

The Jarrett post office was established in 1879. It’s closure in 1919 marked a significant transition for the community, shifting it from the town’s own formally recognized postal station to its current unincorporated status within Hyde Park Township. This event reflected broader rural consolidation trends in early 20th-century Minnesota, as smaller post offices were discontinued amid declining populations and improved transportation networks. The narrow-gauge railroad line, which had driven initial growth, was abandoned around the 1930s, contributing to the decline of local institutions including the school, grocery store, and mill. The Great Depression exacerbated an ongoing agricultural downturn in Minnesota that began in the 1920s, severely impacting local farms in areas like Wabasha County through plummeting commodity prices and reduced markets for produce.

Today, local services in Jarrett are extremely limited due to its small size and rural character, with no dedicated businesses or commercial establishments within the community itself. Residents typically travel to nearby towns such as Millville or Hammond for essential needs like groceries, fuel, and other retail services. And that’s the story of Jarrett, MN. If you’re ever in the area, don’t blink - you’ll miss it. Like all places and all people, it deserves to be Notes from Seller:

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In advance, thank you very much for entrusting me with your purchase.