Clothing
+ Fashion
Jewelry +
Watches
Home +
Furniture
 Pottery 
+ Glass
Art +
 Photos 
Paper +
  Books  
Music +
Movies
Toys +
Games
Sports +
Outdoors
Ads +
  Signs  
Eras +
Themes

The widespread practice of packing food in tin cans and containers was a direct result of the public's acceptance of the Germ Theory of Disease. In the 19th century, many Americans were still willfully oblivious to the breakthrough research of Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch. People were more interested in the pitches of snake-oil salesman and their medicine shows, where cure-all elixirs and exotic balms in medicine bottles were sold. It never occurred to many of these good folk that the best way to be healthy might simply to be clean.

In the early 1800s, cleanliness was one way for the upper classes to distinguish themselve...

These days, people of means tend to dismiss canned or “processed” food as something people without access to fresh food eat. But in the late 1800s, food in tins was highly desirable. It was considered much more sanitary, and therefore healthier, than food offered in bins or barrels. That’s when branding became particularly important; customers learned they could expect a certain level of quality from, say, Kellogg’s.

At first, tinplate containers were covered with paper labels, which had a product’s pertinent information and advertising stenciled or printed on them. Machines that could trim and stamp sheets of tin were introduced around 1875, and between 1869 and 1895, manufacturers developed a process that allowed them to use lithography to transfer images directly onto the tin boxes.

Today, lithographed advertising tins are a hugely popular collecting category. Examples of products that were sold in tins range from coffee and tobacco to beverages and snack foods. Companies even sold typewriter ribbons and condoms in specially designed tins.

About our sources | Got something to add?

▼ Expand to read the full article ▼

Show & Tell - Share Your Stuff!

» See all advertising tins Show & Tells

Interviews & Articles

An Interview With Porcelain Advertising Sign Collector Michael Bruner

I liked to collect things even as a child. Things that didn’t cost anything, like different colors of stones. There was somethin… [more]

An Interview With Antique Advertising and Porcelain Sign Collector Alex Renshaw

How did I get started collecting advertising antiques? My dad was a lecturer and tutor in graphics and art from the 1960s onwards,… [more]



Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)

Advertising Antiques

Advertising Antiques

This classy looking British site features hundreds of high resolution photos of antique porcelain pre-war (enamel) … [read review or visit site]

Historical Marker Database

Historical Marker Database

If you're the type who pulls over when you see a 'historic marker ahead' sign, you'll love this site. Orchestrated … [read review or visit site]

Ad Access

Ad Access

Duke University's library has pulled together an impressive collection of over 7,000 ads printed in U.S. and Canadi… [read review or visit site]

Plan 59

Plan 59

From the Nostlagia Factory in Virginia comes this celebration of 'mid-century automotive advertising illustrations'… [read review or visit site]

Pittsburgh Signs Project

Pittsburgh Signs Project

This group artistic effort to catalog the signs of Pittsburgh captures many vintage signs (porcelain, neon, wood, t… [read review or visit site]

American Package Museum

American Package Museum

Ian House's gallery of early 20th Century American package designs. Browse the exhibits in slide show mode or view … [read review or visit site]

Falvo Collectables Gallery

Falvo Collectables Gallery

Ralph and Carol Falvo's excellent collection of automobiles, petroliana, jukeboxes, soda, and general store items. … [read review or visit site]

Found in Moms Basement

Found in Moms Basement

Paula Zargaj-Reynolds’ blog, an extensive collection of 20th century vintage advertising, is a visual feast. Scro… [read review or visit site]

Truth in Advertising

Truth in Advertising

This gallery of cigarette magazine advertising from the 1940s and 50s contains no surgeon general's warning, just p… [read review or visit site]



Clubs & Associations: Advertising

Other Great Reference Sites: Advertising

Top eBay Auctions

Showing 60. See all 309 by  highest bidmost watchedcompleted
Gallon Wachapreague Oysters Tin Oyster Can Mears & Powell Wachapreague Va 54Superb Jacob's Biscuit Tin Gypsy Caravan Toy In Original Box C1920s Fantastic Early 1900's King Edward Smoking Tobacco Pocket Tin Can Sign CanadaAntique (1878) Tobacco "hair" Tin Black Americana African American Advertising Vintage Royal Knight Prophylactics, Box Of 72 Condoms. Vending Machine SealedVintage Art Decco Typewriter Ribbon TinHuntley & Palmers Arabian Nights Scheherazade Biscuit Tin 1894Gal Deep River Brand Salt Water Oysters Tin Oyster Can Balt Md 50 Crisfield SfdForest & Stream Tobacco Tin - Two In A Canoe - Eye Snatching !!! Pease No Longer Produced Bohemian Scandal Full & Sealed 8 Ounce Tin - Pipestud1910's Khaki Smoking Tobacco Tin Can Sign Canada Beaver Boer War General HorseNorth Pole Cut Plug Tobacco Tin Mail Pouch Advertising ThermometerRare Black Americana Antique Tin - Tuskegee Belle Hair Tin Montgomery AlabamaSuperb Huntley & Palmers Biscuit Indian Elephant Teapot C1890s Tea NoveltyAbsolut Ultra Rare Tube Tin From Greece!!! Awesome Old Coors Malted Milk Can/tin 25 Lbs, By Adolph Coors Co. Golden, NiceOriginal Early 1900's Huntley & Palmer Library Multi-color Book Biscuit TinVintage Tindeco Tin Pail Happiness In Every Box, Alphabet, Nursery RhymesVintage Chesterfield King Cigarettes Advertising Tin Sign Ad Thermometer TobaccoVintage Juan F. Portuondo Tobacco / Cigar Tin Indian Graphics"gainsborough Ladies" Ridgways British Tea Tin C1910 Two Handled Vase UrnAntique *francis Scott Key* Patriotic American Flag Tin Litho Plates, C.d. KennyOld Peachey Tobacco Tin_colorful!1900s Bowl Of Roses/colorful 1 Pound Tobacco TinOld Antique All American College Football Lakeside Biscuit Sport Advertising TinVintage Large One Gallon Coombs Maple Syrup Tin Can, Jacksonville, VermontWinner Tobacco Cut Plug Lunch Pail Tin With Handle Smoke And Chew Ca 1910 Rare !Vintage One Pint Burlington Vermont Maple Orchards Maple Syrup Tin ContainerVintage Tindeco Tin Pail United Happiness Candy Stores Circus Elephants, H. CadyRare Early 1900's W.&r. Jacob & Co. Ltd. Royalty Coach Biscuit TinVintage/antique Drug Store Nylotis Baby Powder Tin- Nyal Company DetroitRare Early 1900's Huntley&palmer Oriental Motif Biscuit TinRare Swain, Earle Push Top Sample Coffee Tin. Extra Fine Condition.3 Sizes Parke Davis &co 1879 Domed Glass Lid Litho Tins Materia Medica Specimen 1920's~far-go Oil~lead Top Advertising Tin~1 Oz. Sample Handy Oiler Can~excelentApco Brand Oyster Salt Water Can One Gallon Adams Packing Grimstead Virginia Va Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture Collectible TinFull Unopened Union Jack Tobacco TinRare 1930’s Life Savers 3-section Tin Litho Candy Store Counter Top DisplayVintage "property Of United Dairies" Porch Milk Box Crate Cooler Embossed TinVintage One Pound School Boy Peanut Butter Tin Pail With Wire HandleOld Breakfast Cheer 1lb Coffee Tin - Campbell & Woods Co. Pittsburgh PaAntique Trojans The Gold Condom Tin 2 In Master Box Mint20s Baseball Pinch Hit Tobacco Metal Tin Sign Ball Vtg Old Babe Ruth Ad Hof RareGal Ballard Fresh Shucked Egg Island Brand Oysters Tin Oyster Can Norfolk Va 207Vintage Early 1900's Baltimore Md.wooden Oyster CrateRare Early 1900's Ogden's Royal Navy Cigarettes Medium TinQueed Christian Peper, St. Louis, Mo. Tobacco Tin / Not Patterson_unusual !!!!Antique Sarony Roulette Game Cigarette Tin With Box, Chips, Spinner And RulesCamel Exotic Blend Winter Mochamint Factory Sealed Tin. Very Rare.Vintage U.s. Marine Cut Plug Tobacco Tin, Lunch Box Size W/handle~good Color~wowAquarium Fish Food Advertising Tin Grassyfork Fisheries Martinsville In. VintageOriginal Vintage Tin Sign Tennessee Farm Bureau Hi-test Tall 1 Lb. Pry Lid Coffee Tin. Nice Clean Can.Vintage Hills Bros. Blue Can Brand Coffee TinSeal Of North Carolina Small Top Tobacco Tin Can Container Very Rare Hoopees Early 1900's Golden Bear Cookie Co TinSalt Air Brand Oysters Gal Can Tin Ranagan Boston Mass Packed Port Norris Nj 210Dunhill (murray's Era) - Elizabethan - New Sealed Collectible Pipe Tobacco Tin
»» Get our weekly Advertising Tins email



Right now on eBay