Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

Can anyone help me?

I need examples of Unwin's Seed packets. I don't need the seeds, just
the packets, but if this is a problem I could manage with either a
photocopy or scan of both sides.

In particular I need examples of Unwin's Economy flower packets with
packing dates (on the reverse) anytime from 1998 - 2004, and their
National Trust Classic Flower Seeds, with packing dates (on the
reverse) from 2003 - 2005.

This is most urgent, so plese could you look through your seed boxes
and see if you have any old packets.

Kind regards,


Nicholas Goodwin
Managing Director

Enterprise Russia
Tel/Fax: 01404 815029

http://www.enterprise-russia.co.uk

also see us at the Russia in Bloom site

http://russiainbloom.cjb.cc/

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...
Can anyone help me?

I need examples of Unwin's Seed packets. I don't need the seeds, just
the packets, but if this is a problem I could manage with either a
photocopy or scan of both sides.

In particular I need examples of Unwin's Economy flower packets with
packing dates (on the reverse) anytime from 1998 - 2004, and their
National Trust Classic Flower Seeds, with packing dates (on the
reverse) from 2003 - 2005.

This is most urgent, so plese could you look through your seed boxes
and see if you have any old packets.

Kind regards,
Nicholas Goodwin
Managing Director
Enterprise Russia
Tel/Fax: 01404 815029
http://www.enterprise-russia.co.uk
also see us at the Russia in Bloom site
http://russiainbloom.cjb.cc/


Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them for?
Jenny :~)

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

JennyC wrote:

Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them for?

This is most intriguing indeed. Suttons seems to be the main sponsor
for Russia in bloom. So why Unwin's seeds packets? Perhaps to make some
comparison of some sorts. Interesting though - we're currently debating
whether we should go for an architects competition in St Petersburgh
next year. We're town twined with them. Our main problem is the age.
They want architects less than 35 years old ... :o(

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

.. Our main problem is the age.
They want architects less than 35 years old ... :o(


and you're not an architect? ;-)

Mike

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them for?
Jenny :~)


So were we but too polite to ask!

Mike, Joan and Julie

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

"La Puce" wrote in message
ups.com...

JennyC wrote:

Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them for?

This is most intriguing indeed. Suttons seems to be the main sponsor
for Russia in bloom. So why Unwin's seeds packets? Perhaps to make some
comparison of some sorts. Interesting though - we're currently debating
whether we should go for an architects competition in St Petersburgh
next year. We're town twined with them. Our main problem is the age.
They want architects less than 35 years old ... :o(


On their website (from memory - 20 minutes ago anyway) they say
they've been taken over and they've re-designed the packets.

So that a new design team was brought in who immediately consigned
all the old designs and samples to the incinerator. (The idea
of them scouring rubbish dumps, simply doesn't bear thinking about)

Then a new marketing team was brought in, who immediately decided
on a "heritage range".

Ooops!

Actually the dates the O.P gave 2004/2005 are sufficiently late
you'd imagine, for some out of the way places to still have old
packets in stock. A search of the wholesaler's records might prove
fruitful. There are also dealers in out of date stock in all
sorts of fields, including packet seed, I believe.


michael adams

....

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

"Mike" wrote in message
...


Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them for?
Jenny :~)


So were we but too polite to ask!

Mike, Joan and Julie

That's what living in Holland for 33 years has done for me. the Dutch are VERY
forthright :~))
Jenny

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

In that case I have no desire to live in Holland thank you

Mike

--
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy New Year
www.rnshipmates.co.uk
"JennyC" wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...


Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them
for?
Jenny :~)


So were we but too polite to ask!

Mike, Joan and Julie

That's what living in Holland for 33 years has done for me. the Dutch are
VERY
forthright :~))
Jenny

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

www.rnshipmates.co.uk
"JennyC" wrote in message
...

"Mike" wrote in message
...


Can't help you Nicholas, but am intrigued as to what you need them
for?
Jenny :~)


So were we but too polite to ask!

Mike, Joan and Julie

That's what living in Holland for 33 years has done for me. the Dutch are
VERY
forthright :~))
Jenny

"Mike" wrote in message
...
In that case I have no desire to live in Holland thank you
Mike

Thank God for that !
Jenny

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

Dear Jenny,

I do not know whether you are aware, but Unwins packet seeds were sold
to the retail outlet on a "sale or return" basis. That means that they
were purchased by the shops or garden centres at the beginning of the
season, who then returned them to the producer at the end of the season
for a credit. Prior to 1993 these returned packets were then
destroyed. For various technical reasons this destruction process was
expensive, and the cost of it was naturally passed on to the consumer
by the seed companies in the price you paid the next year.

I work in Russia, and in 1993 I discovered that these returned seeds
could be exported to Russia and I managed to find purchasers for them.
I approached Unwins with this idea and they agreed. In doing this I
not only saved Unwins this destruction cost, which kept price of seeds
down to the UK consumer, it gave them an extra source of income, which
by the way was pure net profit. At the same time it also provided
Russian gardeners, on their meagre incomes, with much needed quality
seeds at prices they could afford (3 cents US per packet).
Naturally, I received a commission on the sums received by Unwins from
Russia.

Everything seemed to be going well until 1996 when accounting checks on
the corroboration documents provided to me by Unwin's threw up serious
doubts.

The bottom line is that since then my accountant found considerable
"anomalies" in Unwin's accounts, and I do mean considerable, which
directly and negatively effected my commission. In reply to my
questions on this Unwins stated that they were no longer supplying
these returned seeds to Russia, only new production. Instead they
were sorting out the old returned seeds and selling them back to the
retail outlets as new stock (where you then no doubt purchased them at
the price of new seed!). Strangely, during this period, that is 1996
to date, I was travelling to Russia, and every year I still purchased
this same returned stock from Russian shops..

Naturally I took Unwins to Court, and it took nearly 8 years to do it.
When we finally got to court their main witness stated that all the
packets purchased by me in Russia and produced in evidence were
manufactured especially for export. He demonstrated to the court how,
by looking at the packet ,how he could tell that it was not
manufactured for sale in the UK.

I knew that this was absolute bull***t, so set about looking for
examples of packets of their Economy Range (59p ?) that without doubt
had been sold in the past by retail outlets in the UK. The only way
that this could be done was by asking the people who purchased them,
you.

Regards,


Nick

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

Dear Jenny,

I do not know whether you are aware, but Unwins packet seeds were sold
to the retail outlet on a "sale or return" basis. That means that they
were purchased by the shops or garden centres at the beginning of the
season, who then returned them to the producer at the end of the season
for a credit. Prior to 1993 these returned packets were then
destroyed. For various technical reasons this destruction process was
expensive, and the cost of it was naturally passed on to the consumer
by the seed companies in the price you paid the next year.

I work in Russia, and in 1993 I discovered that these returned seeds
could be exported to Russia and I managed to find purchasers for them.
I approached Unwins with this idea and they agreed. In doing this I
not only saved Unwins this destruction cost, which kept price of seeds
down to the UK consumer, it gave them an extra source of income, which
by the way was pure net profit. At the same time it also provided
Russian gardeners, on their meagre incomes, with much needed quality
seeds at prices they could afford (3 cents US per packet).
Naturally, I received a commission on the sums received by Unwins from
Russia.

Everything seemed to be going well until 1996 when accounting checks on
the corroboration documents provided to me by Unwin's threw up serious
doubts.

The bottom line is that since then my accountant found considerable
"anomalies" in Unwin's accounts, and I do mean considerable, which
directly and negatively effected my commission. In reply to my
questions on this Unwins stated that they were no longer supplying
these returned seeds to Russia, only new production. Instead they
were sorting out the old returned seeds and selling them back to the
retail outlets as new stock (where you then no doubt purchased them at
the price of new seed!). Strangely, during this period, that is 1996
to date, I was travelling to Russia, and every year I still purchased
this same returned stock from Russian shops..

Naturally I took Unwins to Court, and it took nearly 8 years to do it.
When we finally got to court their main witness stated that all the
packets purchased by me in Russia and produced in evidence were
manufactured especially for export. He demonstrated to the court how,
by looking at the packet ,how he could tell that it was not
manufactured for sale in the UK.

I knew that this was absolute bull***t, so set about looking for
examples of packets of their Economy Range (59p ?) that without doubt
had been sold in the past by retail outlets in the UK. The only way
that this could be done was by asking the people who purchased them,
you.

Regards,


Nick

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

"Nick" wrote in message
ups.com...
Dear Jenny,

huge snip with explanation

I do not know whether you are aware, but Unwins packet seeds were sold
to the retail outlet on a "sale or return" basis.
I work in Russia, and in 1993 I discovered that these returned seeds
could be exported to Russia and I managed to find purchasers for them.
Everything seemed to be going well until 1996 when accounting checks on
the corroboration documents provided to me by Unwin's threw up serious
doubts.
The bottom line is that since then my accountant found considerable
"anomalies" in Unwin's accounts, and I do mean considerable, which
directly and negatively effected my commission
Regards, Nick

Ah Ha !

I've checked my seed box for you and have every conceivable seed producer except
Unwins. But then I do live in Holland and they might not be available here.

Good luck with the search.......
Jenny

Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
 

"Nick" wrote in message
oups.com...

Dear Jenny,

I work in Russia, and in 1993 I discovered that these returned seeds
could be exported to Russia and I managed to find purchasers for them.
I approached Unwins with this idea and they agreed.

Everything seemed to be going well until 1996 when accounting checks on
the corroboration documents provided to me by Unwin's threw up serious
doubts.

In reply to my questions on this Unwins stated that they were no longer
supplying these returned seeds to Russia, only new production.

their main witness [...] demonstrated to the court how, by looking at the
packet ,how he could tell that it was not manufactured for sale in the UK.


I knew that this was absolute bull***t, so set about looking for
examples of packets of their Economy Range (59p ?) that without doubt
had been sold in the past by retail outlets in the UK. The only way
that this could be done was by asking the people who purchased them,
you.

Regards,


Nick

....

As a matter of interest have Unwins lodged any examples of the
distinctive Russian seed packets with the Court, as evidence ?

And have you or your representative seen any of them?

I presume they (Unwins) not talking about having reprinted the
packets or changed the design, but merely (over) stamping an extra
code in the same way that they print on the sell-by date.

Because the thought which immediately springs to mind, is that if
they're as underhand as they appear to be, what's to stop them running
off some distinctive looking Russian packets to order especially for
the purposes of the case. i.e. overprinting some of the U.K. packets
they may already have in their possession ?


michael adams

....