Discover A Virtual co-op Archive

Explore David J. Thompson’s vast collection of historical co-operative memorabilia, which underscores his passion for the cooperative spirit. Enjoy viewing the collection while learning what co-ops have done and continue to do for their billion members’ worldwide communities.

Vintage district coin from Lechworth Hitchin with the number 1/2 in the center.

Round ceramic dish with a painted red fruit, green leaves, and text that reads 'Elroy Co-op Dairy Elroy, Wis.'

Colorful vintage-style grocery bag for co-op coop Golden Gate Bridge and text reading 'GARDEN GATE, Gateway to the Valley of Green Gold, Selected Vegetables, Packed and Shipped by Salinas Marketing Cooperative, Salinas, California,

A vintage tin container of household oil with a spout, labeled "co op" and emphasizing cleaning, polishing, and lubricating functions.

Vintage advertisement showing two women in coats, one sitting in a car and the other standing outside, with a dog, promoting C.W.S Overcoats.

A black book titled "History of Co-operation in Accrington" with gold lettering and a small decorative emblem on the cover.

Orange vintage tin can with black and white text and emblem, labeled 'Egg Whites' from the Washington Egg & Co-operative Poultry Association, indicating 1,000,000 cases of eggs received annually in Seattle, Washington.

A storefront with a red and beige sign reading 'CO-OPPORTUNITY Customer Owned Food Store' located at 11556 in Santa Monica. There is a bicycle parked in front, and a sign on the left indicates parking in the rear. The store appears to be closed or no

Vintage advertisement featuring a woman in 1920s attire riding a motorcycle with a sign labeled "A.I." on the front, promoting Naptha Soap with a yellow background and the slogan "On the Dirt Track."

Watercolor painting titled 'The Spirit of Co-operation' shows a street corner with a group of people, including a man and woman walking, two people near the store, and a few in the distance. There is a large building, a street lamp, a red fire hydran

A red hardcover book with gold embossed illustrations of an industrial scene and a building on the cover, and black text reading 'The story of the C&W's Being the Julie's History of the Co-Operative & Wholesale Society Limited 1863-1933'.

A vintage poster promoting organized workers and cooperative industry, featuring a worker operating machinery in an industrial factory with smokestacks and city buildings in the background, and the slogan "United—we'll win!"

Illustration of three hands of different skin tones joining over a globe, with leaves surrounding. The globe has the word 'International' arched above it, and a red banner below reads 'Over 3 Million Co-ops'.

Brick storefront with green door, large windows displaying pottery and decorations, and a sign reading 'STORE' above the door. A chalkboard sign outside, and two large planters on either side. Street sign 'Load Lane' in the top left corner.

Canned sliced lemon peaches in syrup, 6 pounds 4 ounces, from Old Dutch.

Vintage packaging for Jack's Washington State Apples featuring playing cards and a small red and yellow box with text about the Cashmere Cooperative Association Inc.

Land O'Lakes butter packaging featuring a lakeside scene with trees, highlighting it as farmer-owned since 1921, with a label indicating it is salted butter, 1 pound (453.6 grams), and 100 calories per serving.

Three shelves of books on a white bookshelf, with various colors including red, green, blue, and brown, containing titles on history, cooperation, and social movements.

Book cover titled 'Worker Cooperatives and Deep Democracy: Transformative Politics and Planetary Care from Below' by Vishwas Satgar and Michelle Williams. The cover features colorful leaves in green, orange, and teal surrounding the text on a beige b

Vintage poster advertising Luton Coal, with a young boy painting the word 'COAL' on a wall, sitting on a step ladder, holding a paintbrush and a ruler, dressed in light-colored clothing with red accents, against a pale green background.

A can of Shurfine unsweetened grapefruit juice with a picture of a glass of juice and oranges on the label.

Illustration of the Earth with a banner that reads 'Over 1 Billion Members Worldwide' and a badge labeled 'Co-Ops' at the bottom.

Vintage advertisement for C.W.S. Texas tea featuring a cheerful young boy with a bag of cooperative tea on his back, standing on a golf course with other players in the background.

Fruit crate label for Washington State apples featuring illustrations of flying seagulls, and images of a red apple and a yellow apple with green leaves.

Black-and-white photo of several round tokens with cartoon illustration of people, some sitting, some standing, in a park setting with trees and a city skyline in the background. The tokens are in a small box and one is placed outside.

An infographic titled "Worker Co-op Impact by the Numbers" displaying various statistics about worker cooperatives, including percentages of people of color, female workers, worker ownership success, productivity, job satisfaction, pay ratio, and tur

Vintage advertisement featuring a man with a hat and coat, holding a cigarette. The text reads: 'O'Gradly says- Smoke C.W.S Tobacco and Cigarettes - Cool Wholesale Smooth.'

A vintage poster showing a person with a military uniform holding a large red flag with a green element. The person appears to be in a dramatic pose, looking to the side. Text in Italian is present, referencing national income, subscription details,

Set of white porcelain teapot, sugar bowl, creamer, cups, and saucers with colorful floral and ribbon designs.

A small ceramic pitcher with decorative floral and blue patterns on a plain white background.

Close-up of a dark-colored anniversary booklet for Eccles Providence Industrial Cooperative Society Limited, celebrating its jubilee on July 1907, with decorative embossed lettering and design.

Colorful poster with text about teamwork, collaboration, and positive change, depicting hands stacked together above a globe.

Vintage produce label for North Huon fancy Tasmanian apples, featuring a detailed illustration of a red apple with green leaves against a dark blue background. The text includes the produce origin, producer, and location in Hobart, Tasmania.

Colorful decorative cloth with a farm theme, featuring chickens, butterflies, bees, and flowers, with text saying 'Welcome to the Coop' and a sunny sky background.

A poster about The Co-op, Britain's largest farmer, showing images of farm animals, crops, a greenhouse, and farming equipment, with text describing its farming practices across several countries.

Sign with bold text reading "SHOP UNION and WORKER CO-OPS" in blue, red, and white colors.

coop co-op Vintage poster depicting a woman with a smiling face holding a large wheel labeled "Société". The background shows stacks of barrels in a cellar. The text on the poster reads "Affiné dans nos caves naturelles" and "La Société".

Decorative ceramic plate with intricate Asian-inspired patterns, featuring a central scene of a pagoda, trees, and flowers, bordered by floral motifs and a green rim.

Official city proclamation document from Los Angeles, California, celebrating Co-op Month, dated October 1983, with signatures and a gold seal, accompanied by two small Co-op insignia badges.

A vintage advertisement for C.W.S. Jams and Marmalade featuring a basket filled with various jars of jam, marmalade, and fresh berries, with a decorative bow on top.

Embroidered fabric plaque with the text 'The Co-operative Wholesale Societies Limited' and decorative border design.

Vintage fruit label for Elmwood Bartlett Pears, featuring two yellow pears on green leaves, with various text including 'United States of America,' 'Fancy Sacramento River Fruits,' 'Produce of U.S.A.,' and 'Blue Anchor, Inc., Sacramento, California.'

Decorative plate with a black and white portrait in the center of Samuel Turković, surrounded by colorful floral patterns in red, blue, yellow, and green, with text honoring 150 years of cooperative movement in Slavonia from 1845 to 1995.

Circular emblem with historical buildings, ships, factory, and laurel leaves, with dates 1882 and 1982, and the phrase 'To commemorate 100 years of operation, Fea Manufacturing'.

Abstract geometric design with 3D block shapes in red, white, and blue. Text reads 'KENDER DE F.D.B.' at the bottom right.

Decorative ceramic plate with green scalloped edge, featuring an old black-and-white illustration of a large building and text about the opening of new premises on March 22, 1902, by the Brisbane Daisyfield Industrial Bees.

Vintage advertisement poster showing a man sitting on a vintage tractor labeled "CO-OP" with a red background. Text on the poster reads "CO-OP GASOLINE and DIESEL TRACTORS" and "economical power for every job on your farm." The poster promotes Co-op

Book cover titled "Co-Operation in Nottingham" by F.W. Leman, featuring a illustration of an oak leaf with a cup and a branch.

Decorative plate featuring a black and white cityscape with a modern cathedral and surrounding buildings, trees, and cars.

Art poster with an orange and purple color scheme promoting a cooperative for pensioners, featuring a tree and a group of people in the background.

Vintage poster advertising French-style rice from Coop, featuring a smiling woman with short curly hair wearing an orange shirt, holding a spoon of rice.

Photograph of thirteen men posing for a formal group portrait, seated and standing behind a decorative table, in a historical setting with curtains and a painted backdrop. The image is titled "Thirteen of the Original Members of the Rochdale Equitabl

A decorative oval plate with a floral pattern around the border, displaying the word 'HUNGARY' in colorful letters at the center.

A traditional Chinese village scene with people gathering around a market stall by a river, under a tree, with mountains and a pagoda in the background. Children and adults are interacting, with some exchanging goods and others observing.

Historical illustration of the Huddersfield Saleroom, a three-story brick building with signs for cooperative wholesale society and sale room, surrounded by horse-drawn carriages, pedestrians, and street lamps, in a town setting.

Books on a white bookshelf, with titles about history and cooperation, including 'The CWS in War and Peace 1938-1976' and 'The Story of the CWS'.

Decorative ceramic plate with a floral and bird pattern on a white background.

Vintage advertisement poster showing a woman on a porch handing a cup of CWS Tea to a young boy with a golf club and backpack, with the text 'Always fill your caddy with CWS Tea'.

Three round wooden tokens stacked, with the top token commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Cooperative Refinery Association in 1993.

Vintage brochure showing jars of squashes and jellies, and a scene of rural countryside with cows and a winding path.

A red hardcover book titled "Leigh Friendly Cooperative Society Limited Jubilee History 1857-1907" with gold lettering and a coat of arms on the cover, resting on a wooden surface.

A propaganda poster depicting a man and woman holding a large red flag with yellow text, surrounded by workers and soldiers, promoting International Workers' Day on September 14, 1952, with references to strength through unity and peace.

Colorful vintage-style produce packaging for Camel Mountain Pears from Placer County, featuring an illustration of a camel adorned with colorful blankets and tassels, and a man in traditional clothing sitting on the ground, with a sunset and desert l

A worn paperback book titled 'C.O.P' by Upton Sinclair with a colorful illustrated cover of mountains, sky, and landscape.

A set of three white porcelain dishes with blue and green floral patterns, including a teacup with a handle, a small plate, and a larger plate, all stacked on a white surface.

Vintage French wine advertisement for Gaillac wine, featuring buildings, vineyards, and bottles of wine, with French and English text about the wine's history and classifications.

Person on ladder painting a green tree on a globe with the text 'Cooperatives Build a Better World'.

A painting of a busy street scene outside a coop store called 'Oldham Co-Operative Stores.' People and children walk along the sidewalk, some with baskets and pets, while a woman pushes a cart with a baby carriage. A horse-drawn cart and children pla

A white teacup and saucer with colorful floral and fruit pattern on a white background.

A drawing of a group of children holding hands around the Earth, with the words 'Happy Co-Create the Day' at the top. Two hands are shaking in front of the Earth, symbolizing unity and cooperation.

A miniature model of the Rochdale town square with historic buildings, clock tower, trees, flowers, and vintage cars, labeled as "Rochdale, the Mecca of the World's Co-Operators."

A group of children and adults in a decorated room, watching a man on a ladder handing out something, with smiles and excitement.

Illustration of two white arms engaged in arm wrestling, with flags of various European countries displayed between them, and the words 'Cooperation Intereuropeenne' at the bottom.

Ceramic mug with a black and white illustration of a historic brick building, placed on a red surface.

A vintage poster for Brasserie Coopérative L'Avenir shows a factory with red and yellow stripes and a large smokestack emitting black smoke. Above, a cartoonish, bearded man with a colorful hat and rosy cheeks, holding a beer glass, is depicted in a

A small cardboard box with red and black design elements, featuring the word "SUBSH

Bronze medal in a red velvet box with the word 'Cooperation' and three women, one holding a torch, on the front.

Red hardcover book titled 'The People's View Book' with a drawing of a woman holding a scale and a sword, surrounded by the words 'National Inter' and other text, placed on asphalt ground.

Vintage illustrated cover with children flying in a line holding a large 'J' and 'V' that spells 'Juniors'. The title reads 'Juniors for JUVENILES'. A banner says 'Presented by The Cooperative Wholesale Socy Ltd.'

Vintage storefront with large display windows and a green sign that reads 'Viewslen & West Drayton Co-operative Society Ltd.' Four people dressed in period clothing standing outside, some in aprons, with a sign advertising the store’s meat department

A promotional poster for Colorado Co-op highlighting its history since 1844 and emphasizing community crowdfunding for business improvement, with a background image of a crowd of people at an event.

Book cover titled 'Co-Operation in Nottingham' by F. W. Leman, featuring a red illustration of an acorn and oak leaves on a light blue background.

A person holding a colorful poster about the principles of cooperatives, featuring a large red flower at the center, with numbers 1 to 7 around it, each associated with different cooperative concepts such as democracy, control, membership, concern fo

A street scene of the first coop building in Rochdale Lancashire England

A vintage cylindrical tin box with a portrait of a man in a police uniform on the front. The box has a decorative blue pattern with fleur-de-lis and a crown, and a label on the top with writing. The box appears to be old and collectible.

Vintage black-and-white poster showing a person sitting on the beach, holding a fishing rod with the ocean and sky in the background. The poster is for Unione Cooperativa, promoting a variety of travel, beach, and country articles.

Two shelves of books, primarily on co-operatives, history, and politics, with titles in various colors including green, red, blue, and brown.

A vintage square metal tin container with a hinged lid, labeled for C.W.S mustard and confectionery, featuring colorful, worn vintage-style graphics and branding.

A colorful illustration of a coffee ship with the words "Café Co-op" on it, featuring five coffee bags labeled Atilia, Casa, Bonda, and two more, with one person at the helm steering the ship, and smoke coming from the chimney, on a yellow background

A vintage tin container with London-themed artwork, including flags and a cityscape along a river.

Vintage poster advertising women and children with baby carriages and bicycles, promoting cooperative societies.

Vintage advertisement for steel sheep shears made from best cast steel in Sheffield, with text highlighting a trade unionist's shear trade.

A vintage rectangular metal tin with a worn, decorative design, featuring an illustration of a building on the top and a label on the front that reads 'The Leeds Industrial Cooperative Society Limited, Central Premises, Albion Street.'

Group portrait of thirteen men from the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers' Society in formal attire, posed in front of a stage with green and red curtains, with a wooden table and a backdrop resembling a historical setting.

Vintage metal sign for Blackhawk Co-op, Polo, Illinois, with a stylized Native American chief illustration and bright yellow and orange background.

Vintage sign for Sunbeam bread featuring a girl with curlers in her hair eating a toast, with the text 'Sunbeam Bread - It's Batter Whipped!' on a yellow and red background.

coop Book cover titled "Cooperative Commonwealth: Co-ops in Rural Minnesota, 1859-1939" by Steven J. Keillor, featuring a painted illustration of buildings and an old car.

Vintage green metal sign promoting cattle breeding with a black bull at the top and the words 'Member', 'Consolidated', 'Breeders', and 'Cooperative' arranged around large letters 'C B C'.

Vintage poster featuring a man with a pipe, wearing a hat and a shirt labeled 'co-operator,' holding a staff with oranges and leaves. The oranges have words like 'good value,' 'best service,' 'fair dividend,' 'mutual benefit,' 'reliable quality,' and

Illustration of Earth with various icons around it representing different sectors like agriculture, healthcare, energy, manufacturing, retail, industry, and residential, with a central banner promoting cooperatives for building a better world.

Ceramic mug with a royal commemorative design, featuring portraits of Queen Elizabeth II and King George V, surrounded by flags, floral decorations, and the text for the Silver Jubilee 1910-1935.

Illustration of a woman co-op coop The text reads 'We are changing trade for small farmers and our earth,' promoting equality exchange for fair trade products.

Two small ceramic pitchers with marbled beige and brown patterns, each labeled with black text: one says "BRADGATE CO-OP. EXCHANGE FELCO - FEEDS" and the other says "LOMIRA COOPERATIVE CO.".

Image of a historic brick building with a sign reading 'Industrial Society Limited,' located on a cobblestone street with people walking in front. The sky is partly cloudy.

A maroon hardcover book titled 'Leigh Friendly Cooperative Society Limited Jubilee History 1857-1957' with a gold emblem on the cover, resting on a dark, textured surface.

Vintage advertisement for C.W.S. Candles and Tapers by Irlam Soap & Candle Works, featuring two cats sitting near a lit candle and matchbox.

A poster promoting cooperative commodity zones by farmers in Bihar, India. It features three smiling farmers holding produce against a rural backdrop with labeled buildings for silos, processing units, and cooperatives.

White ceramic mug with floral pattern of yellow, purple, and green flowers, resting on a matching saucer with a gold rim.

A vintage-style poster with a green background shows a cartoon character of a woman with a mime-like face, sitting on a red box labeled "COOP". She's holding a fork and surrounded by canned and boxed food items including a bottle, a tin labeled "PETI

White ceramic mug with black text and design, featuring a handshake, a pie, and circular text referencing Wallsend Industrial Cooperative Society and Junilee, 1862-1912.

coop co-op Vintage box sign advertising for Washington Apples with a picture of a Native American riding a horse with mountains in the background; also displays images of a yellow apple and a red apple.

Illustration of a vineyard with rolling hills, a village with red roofs, and a body of water with ships in the distance. Several people are harvesting grapes and taking photos, with a banner at the top that reads 'Viticulture World' and a red seal th

Sign with the words 'Shop Union and Worker Co-ops' in bold red and white letters on a blue and white background.

A row of hardcover books on a shelf, with titles including 'Brothers Under the Skin,' 'The Story of the C.W.S.,' 'The New History of the C.W.S.,' 'Life and Letters of George Jacob Holyoake,' and works by George Jacob Holyoake.

co-op coop fruit Box label of assorted pears with holly leaves and red berries, and the text "Forever First" in blue, and additional text about the California Fruit Exchange.

A painting of multiple faces of a woman with a serene expression, stylized with geometric lines and shapes, and the word "COLO" written in bold lowercase letters at the bottom.

Historical storefront of the Rhyl & District Co-operative Society Ltd., with people standing outside, including a man in a white coat and a man in a dark jacket, a cart with a sign, and signage advertising tea and a slogan "The Revolt of the Consumer

Close-up of a seal featuring a tree, a handshake, and a banner with the words 'Absurd and was' and 'Unita'.

Vintage advertisement for Cooperative Tea, featuring a woman in a polka dot dress pouring tea from a large teapot, with text indicating it's the nation's teapot and only sold by cooperative societies.

A painting of a historical street scene with brick buildings, horse-drawn carriages, and pedestrians, titled 'Rochdale Pioneers'.

Ceramic salt shaker with the Blackpool coat of arms and floral decorations on a white background.

Close-up of a vintage brass token with the words 'H S' cut out in the center, and inscriptions including 'REDEEMABLE IN MIDDLE' and 'THE' around the edge.

A teal hardcover book titled 'The Co-operative Directory' with the publisher 'Co-operative Union Ltd.' on a wooden surface.

Colorful vintage illustration of a farm scene with three happy farmers in the foreground—one man with a hat and two women—standing in a wheat field while examining a map. In the background, large farm machinery and trucks work in the fields under a p

Vintage brass token with octagonal shape, engraved with text: 'MADE IN STONE CO-OP. S.O.C.L.D. LARGE LOAF'.

Exterior of a small grocery store with a green sign reading 'Co-operative' store front has large glass windows showing stacked goods inside.

The Co-op Archive

Here at the Co-op archive, we aim to preserve and share some of the items that inspired our cooperative spirit, and share it with the world and the next generation. Together, we can create a brighter, more cooperative future.

Collection of circular and rectangular stickers promoting co-op grocery store values, community, support for local businesses, and environmental awareness, featuring logos, slogans, and colorful graphics.