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#1
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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/ |
#2
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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 :~) |
#3
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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 ... ( |
#4
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Wanted: Old Unwin's Seed Packets
.. Our main problem is the age. They want architects less than 35 years old ... ( and you're not an architect? ;-) Mike |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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 ... ( 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 .... |
#7
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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 |
#8
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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 |
#9
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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 |
#10
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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 |
#11
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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 |
#12
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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 |
#13
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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 .... |
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