Question. What do three Milwaukee business men, a group of PTA moms and a singing cowboy have in common? They are all a part of the history of that little container we call the lunchbox.
The moms of the late 1800s originated the idea of the school lunch packed in a metal box, sending their children off each morning with a sandwich wrapped in paper and packed in a recycled tobacco or biscuits tin. After many patent attempts, the first commercial lunch box finally appeared on the market in 1935 from the Milwaukee manufacturing firm of Gueder, Frey and Paeschke. This oval container held a small tray and closed with a heavy wire loop that doubled as a handle. On it’s lid was the lithographic likeness of Mickey Mouse.
The partnering of Disney and Geuder, Frey and Paeschke was short lived and by the early 1940s Walt and his crew had teamed with Owens Illinois to produce a two-handled picnic basket shaped, metal lunchbox featuring characters from their animated features Snow White and Pinocchio. These are easily identified by their bright red lids.
In 1950 Aladdin Industries issued the first lunch box to hold a thermos. Riding on the popularity of the American cowboy, they chose Hopalong Cassidy to grace the lid. It was an instant hit, selling over 600,000 units in the first year, at $2.39 each. It was quickly followed by “kits” featuring Tom Carbett Space Cadet and Roy Rogers. Today, one in mint condition, with thermos, will run you in the $500 range.
The phenomena of television, specifically the popularity of Saturday morning children’s programming, had a profound effect on the lunchbox business. As each new show was introduced there came a corresponding lunchbox. Lunchboxes and kits featuring Dale Evans, Superman, Sky King, Howdy Doody and a wealth of cartoon characters from the Disney and Hanna-Barbera rolled off the production lines at record speed. Manufacturers to watch for include ADCO, American Thermos, Kruger Manufacturing and Okay Industries, in addition to the market leaders Aladdin and Thermos.
Major change came to the lunchbox in 1960 with the release of the first vinyl lunch box available in three shades of pink, featuring Barbie. The thermos also saw major changes during this decade as steel vacuum bottle with a glass lining, cork or rubber stopper and Bakelite top, became plastic with foam insulation. The exception is thermoses from Aladdin who used glass liners through 1971.
The year I972 saw the beginning of the end for metal lunchboxes, as manufacturers realized a greater profit from more cheaply made plastic boxes. In addition there arose a grassroots movement by mothers and legislators who deemed the metal box an endangerment to children, labeling it an “assault weapon” and lobbying for a ban to production. Manufacturing of the once popular lithographed metal box declined and in 1987 the last box off the line was, ironically, Rambo.
Boxes from the Golden Age (1950-1987) are the most highly sought by collectors. However injection mold plastic lunch boxes are beginning to find a following. They are the easiest to find in mint condition and a good place to start your collection if you are a novice to this field.
Values vary greatly in this field of collecting and are based on a 1-10 scale for rarity and a 1-10 scale for condition. For example a Green Hornet first year issue box is rated R-7 for rarity and is values at $10 for one in level 1 condition, but find one that is a perfect 10 and the value in creases to over $400. Until next time………..Linda
Irvington resident Linda Kennett is a professional liquidation consultant specializing in senior down-sizing and the liquidation of estates and may be reached for question or comment at 317-429-7887 or lkennett@indy.rr.com