If you are a collector, you are probably not surprised to see items that were made for convenience being used as a decorative items today. Advertising tins fall into this category. In the Victorian era, food was displayed and sold out of barrels where many “dirty” hands could dig in and get their portion. When it was discovered that germs played a big part in spreading disease, and that keeping clean could “keep the germs away”, food started appearing in tin cans. At first they were covered with printed paper labels but somewhere between 1869 and 1895 machinery was invented that could print images directly onto the tin. Lithography was born! This gave manufacturers a chance to create a "look" or "brand" for their products. We reap the benefit of that process today. Vintage tins for coffee, candy, marshmallows, vegetables, shortening, etc., are still out there to be found. How do you know if you are getting a vintage tin or a newer tin?
If you are purist, there are a few things you can look for. If you want only vintage tins from 1963 and back, do not purchase anything with a two letter state abbreviation or a zip code in the address. They were introduced in mid-1963 and it is a dead giveaway. Coloring schemes in the 1890’s consisted of black and one other color. The 1930’s brought us four color lithography. There are good reference materials out there you can refer to. One of the ones highly recommended by collectors is David Zimmerman's “Encyclopedia of Advertising Tins, Vols. I and II “. I think the great graphics, colors and brand names are fun to collect and line shelves and open cupboards with. You can collect whatever catches your eye or narrow it down to just certain colors or products (i.e., coffee). Either way, it is a fun hobby! Come check out the selection at South End Antique Mall!
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