Limited edition set of five miniatures now available online and at the Market
As Hoopers Island Oyster Co. evolved from a local oyster farm into a full-service aquaculture company serving shellfish growers around the world, we wanted to celebrate the Eastern Shore’s rich oystering culture and heritage. One of the ideas our team developed was to produce a series of commemorative oyster tins similar to the popular collectibles that would feature distinct scenes from the Chesapeake.
Thanks to suggestions from both customers and staff, we decided to create a set of miniature replicas of the five tins released between 2017 and 2021 for year-round or seasonal display.
The replicas make a great gift for oyster lovers, shore enthusiasts and collectors alike. We only produced 500 hand-numbered sets, and each is packaged in a mesh shellfish bag and sealed with a tear-proof tag carrying their limited-edition number.
Available online or at the Hoopers Island Seafood Market, 837 Chesapeake Drive in Cambridge, the sets are $99. Collectors can order the set with a natural twine loop suitable for hanging or without. A limited number of custom, hard-wood display units to showcase the miniature tins will be rolled out later this summer.
We modeled the Chesapeake Heritage Tins are after the iconic cans used to pack oysters in the 20th century. Beginning in the 1920’s, one gallon oyster tins were emblazoned with crisp graphics of hundreds of packing houses distinct brands using high-resolution color lithography printed directly onto the metal.
Working with Independent Can Co. in Bel Camp Maryland, we used the same printing process to create our Heritage tin series each year between 2017 and 2021. The series of tins – and the original artwork – are on display at the Seafood Market. To date, our collection includes: Heritage Series 1, Hoopers Island Light by Michael Rosato; Series 2, Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester by Kevin Davidson; Series 3, Sunrise on Fishing Bay by Lesley Giles; Series 4, Blue Heron at Low Tide and Series 5, Oyster Watch, both by Mona Pennypacker.
A 6th Heritage Oyster Tin will be release at the end of 2022.
