ARMAS DEL REY HAVANA CIGARS CARDBOARD SIGN
Here is a beautifully illustrated cardboard sign from the Armas Del Rey brand of cigars. Circa 1910 era.
Bakery Collectibles
Early 1900’s Biscuit Tin Containers Bakery Collectibles
Antique advertising bakery collectibles from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s consist primarily of tin or wood boxes for breads, biscuits, crackers, cookies and other products. Flour Mills were vital to the bakeries and also advertised on signs, trading cards and the side of buildings.
For years, hometown bakers and general stores offered soda crackers in large barrels or wood crates for consumers to dig out their favorite crackers and put in their own paper bag. Soda crackers were a main part of the everyday diet made from flour, yeast and shortening. However, it was considered better when someone got “the top of the barrel” crackers because by the time consumers reached the bottom, crackers were often dirty, soggy and stale due to humid air and from not being sealed.
Dan D. Bakery Metal Biscuit Box
Eventually bakers developed biscuit tins and cardboard boxes to improve product freshness and keep the food sanitary. The companies used sealed paper linings inside the packages to keep crackers and baked goods fresher longer. Advertisers promoted their company logo and images on the tin containers and boxes to draw attention. People would keep the boxes after the crackers were used up for other storage uses. Many of the vintage biscuit boxes are common bakery collectibles still found today in many shapes and sizes.
The products carried in the biscuit boxes ranged from the original soda cracker that looks like today’s saltine and others that resembled a dinner biscuit made from flour and butter. These dinner biscuits were called “soda biscuits” or “baking soda biscuits” and were considered different from the original tradition of a crisp cracker.
Mass Production of Baked Goods
National Biscuit Co. Magazine Ad 1923 Promoted Freshness
National Biscuit Co. Uneeda Cracker Magazine Ad 1923
National Biscuit Co. (now Nabisco) was one of the first companies to mass-produce and package their baked products as more sanitary and fresher than the cracker barrel. In the 1920’s, the company introduced a packaged biscuit called Uneeda and put them in tin boxes and small cardboard boxes with the “in-er-seal” waxed paper lining. National Biscuit used the slogan “Lest you forget, we say it yet, Uneeda Biscuit.”
The boxes featured a biscuit boy who wore a yellow raincoat and represented dry crackers even in the rain. The Uneeda boy became a popular face of the product and was one of the most recognizable ad images in the early 1900’s. Its interesting name Uneeda was a popular draw with consumers.
Other companies imitated the Uneeda brand with names such as “Ulika”, ”Uwanta” and “Iwanta” Biscuit brands. However, National Biscuit Co. sued the others and they put a stop to more than 200 cases of copyright infringement with these competitive bakeries. Many of the Uneeda advertising pieces are considered valuable antique bakery collectibles.
PEERLESS BREWING CO. CARDBOARD BEER BOX. WASHINGTON, MO. Ca. 1935
Here is a tough to find post prohibition brewery beer box from the Peerless Brewery in Washington, MO, just outside St. Louis. Cardboard boxes of this era are generally difficult to find as they were simply not as durable as their wooden counterparts.
COLLEGE YELL TOBACCO VERTICAL POCKET TIN TIN
Featured here is a very hard to find tobacco tin from the College Yell brand of smoking pipe tobacco. This tin was made about 1910-1920 era.
THE SUNSHINE HAT, GAUSS HUNICKE HAT CO., ST LOUIS. 1884
Here is a 1884 dated lithograph from the Gauss-Hunicke Hat Company which was based in Saint Louis, MO. The litho advertises The Sunshine, A Misses Hat for 1884. This hat company was one of the bigger hat manufacturers in the U.S. in the late 1800’s. Much of their trade went to the ships heading out…
LANG’S BISCUIT & CANDY, MONTREAL, CANADA LITHOGRAPH. Circa 1900
Featured is a beautiful lithograph from the Lang Biscuit and Candy Company which was based in Montreal, Canada in the early 1900’s. Hello Mr. Grocer is captioned with a young girl on the phone making a call the grocer making her order. An outstanding litho with the image and the color both.
THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURAL CHEMICAL CO., BUFFALO, N.Y. LITHOGRAPH. Circa 1908
Featured is a beautiful lithograph from the American Agriculture Chemical Company which was based in Buffalo, New York in the early 1900’s. This lithograph comes with a calendar for the year and features a young girl with a patriotic flag in her hand. This company was known for their fertilizer products used by farmers for…
TEMPLE PLUG CHEWING TOBACCO LITHOGRAPH. Circa 1900
Here is a great lithograph from the Temple Plug Chewing Tobacco for their cut plug brand of tobacco. An interesting type of black americana which was common for tobacco in this era. This fancy chew is advertised on this one, the man looks like he is sheepishly enjoying the product.
SUNSET TRAIL TOBACCO TIN- 5 CTS!
Here is a beautiful tin chewing tobacco tin from the Sunset Trail brand of smoking tobacco. The image features a man and woman riding their horses into the sunset. The clearly detailed cost of just 5 cents either expensive at the time this was made, indicating a quality brand, whereas most tobacco products of that…
BEECH NUT CHEWING TOBACCO COUNTER STORE BIN. Circa 1920’s
Here is a beautiful condition tin general store counter display point of sale bin from the Beech-Nut Tobacco Company. This particular bin comes in several different colors, with the yellow version being the most common, and prettiest with the color scheme.
Chef Spices Matchholder, Berdan & Co., Toledo, OH. Circa 1910
Here is a very early tin match holder from the Berdan and Company Spice Manufacturer which was based in Toledo, Ohio in the early 1900’s. This particular matchholder advertises their Chef Spice brand, which a large as life Chef featured prominently on the piece!