Kovels Antiques & Collecting: Biscuit Tins
By Terry and Kim Kovel
Biscuit Tins
Biscuit tins, first made about 1830, were some of the earliest commercial food packages. The first tin toys were made about the same time. It wasn't too long before clever designers found ways to combine the two. Tin packaging with colorful images always caught customers' attention, and, while fashionable art styles and scenes of foreign countries appealed to adults, children were drawn to tins shaped and decorated like their favorite playthings. In the late 19th to early 20th centuries, many companies packaged their products in tins shaped like buildings, vehicles, animals, and human figures. Some packages had moving parts, just like the mechanical tin toys of the time.
A figural biscuit tin like this one is a kid's dream: Finish the cookies it holds, and you have a new tin toy! PHOTO CREDIT: Auction Team Breker
This biscuit (cookie) tin, made by Dutch company J. Bekkers & Zoon about 1920, is shaped like a steamboat marked "Holland," complete with stacks, flags on masts, and lithographed details on the decks. The upper deck opens. It was intended to double as a toy; there are runners on the base, so a child could push it along the floor and pretend it was on the water. It even has a lithographed wave for added realism. Tin toys and tin packaging are both highly collectible today. This tin, which fits both categories, sold for about $935 at an auction by the German company Auction Team Breker.
Q: I have inherited two autographed pictures of former President Harry S. Truman. One is in glass and the other is not. President Truman offered to sign these pictures for my cousin, who was a friend of his. They were signed after President Truman left office. Both pictures are in good shape. The one in glass measures 26 x 21 inches inside a 43 x 33-inch frame. The one without glass measures 21 1/2 x 25 1/2 inches in a 25 x 31 1/2-inch frame and is signed on the back. What is the best way to sell these pictures other than eBay?
A: There are several ways to sell autographed materials. Antiquarian book dealers sell them. So do some coin or stamp dealers. They also sell at general antique stores and auctions. Look for a dealer in your area. If you cannot find an appropriate one, you may want to contact an out-of-town dealer or auction house that specializes in historical materials; paper collectibles like photographs, prints, and books; or political collectibles. Autographed pictures of President Truman have sold for about $150 to $300 at recent auctions.
TIP: To clean a tin toy, first dust it. If it's dirty, use soap and a little water to wash it. Be sure it's completely dry before storing, and store it in a dry place, not in the basement.
CURRENT PRICES
Imari, bowl, blue and red interior, landscape, three center reserves, flowers, blue and white exterior, horses, gilt trim, 4 x 11 inches, $85.
Game, Brownie Auto Race, round board, car graphic, center spinner, tin lithograph, metal pieces, dice, Jeannette Toy Co., 10 1/2 inches, $310.
Watch, hunting case, repousse, leafy scrolls, crown, beaded trim, 14K gold, c. 1900, 1 3/8 inches, $1,375.
For more collecting news, tips and resources, visit www.Kovels.com
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