Mouse Mint
Mouse Mint
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US $15.50
During the 1950-1970s tin lunch boxes enjoyed immense popularity. Broadly speaking there were two different kinds. First, there was the classic plain and shiny metal design used by the American workforce. In many industries this became almost standard issue and even a status symbol for many people working in outdoor industries such as mining and logging. Secondly, there was the decorated lunch box which was aimed primarily at school children. These carried colorful designs of film and TV characters. Although the use of both kinds has declined massively since their hay day they remain of significant interest to many people not only for nostalgic reasons but also for the large monetary amounts these items fetch at auction.
Possibly the best example was from 2003 when a mint Isolina box sold for $11,500 ($13,225 including the buyer's premium) at Chickens Go Moo Inc auction! Before you get too excited it is pertinent for me to point out that this price is of course an exception rather than the norm! That said, there remains a strong market niche in which collectors pay considerable amounts for desirable pieces.
So what makes a particular design desirable to a collector? As a rule of thumb consider the following:
1. Period. Items from the 1930s and 1940s are especially valuable because they are so rare (the Great Depression and WWII had a large negative effect on the production volumes of products during this period). Disney boxes from the 1930s are extremely valuable - especially Mickey Mouse designs which can fetch upwards of $4,000 in mint condition!
2. Condition. This one is obvious and clearly applies to all collectibles. Two factors are important. Firstly, the condition of the lithographed image and secondly the metal of the box itself.
3. Lithographed image. Lithography is the technology that enabled colorful images to be placed upon kids' tin lunch boxes. The actual value will depend upon the popularity of the given design. When it comes to cartoon characters for example, the likes of Mickey Mouse and Roy Rodgers are particularly valuable.
Please check out Tin Lunch Boxes HQ for more resources on nostalgic and retro-design lunch boxes. You might also be interested in this related article on the American workforce.
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Mouse $849.99 Mouse |
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Mouse Makeover Mini Squares Green $8.98 Mouse Makeover is designed by Ellen Jareckie, House-Mouse Designs for Quilting Treasures. Perfect fabric for quilting, craft projects, apparel and home decor accents. Colors include mint, sage, blue and purple. |
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Mint $49.99 Walter Crane Mint - Giclee Print |
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Mickey Mouse Plaid Dots Patch Blue $7.98 Licensed by Disney for Springs Creative Group, this cotton print fabric features Mickie Mouse blocks. Colors include brick red, navy, blue, white and mint. |
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The Mouse $59.99 Pablo Picasso The Mouse - Serigraph |
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To a Mouse $19.99 To a Mouse - Premium Poster |
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Mint Condition $114 Mint Condition |
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Flutter By Mint $10 Flutter By Mint |
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Mint Cross $10 Mint Cross |