James,
Are you interested in artificial fruit, or specifically plastic fruit? If you want to know about artificial fruit of wax or ceramic manufacture, those forms predate 1900. Ceramic fruit is the older of the two, and Italian artisans are known for their ornamental, molded fruit and vegetables. Older ceramic pieces are highly collectible. There's also papier-mache.
In the heat of high Texas summer, my grandmother's wax fruit always looked melted. That's one advantage ceramic has over wax.
Barbara J Hickman, Staff Archeologist
Archeological Studies Program
Environmental Affairs Division, TxDOT
512.416.2637
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I am forwarding this query from the ARTIFACT list to HISTARCH. Any comments
are welcome.
Mike Polk