Collectible Baking Powder Tins


The typical American kitchen at the turn of the 19th century would have been stuffed full of everyday items that are now keenly sought after as early advertising collectibles. Manufacturers shrewdly ‘branded’ their products with attractive designs and distinctive logos – all in a bid to make the customer buy once - and then again and again. A good example of this can be seen in the case of that everyday kitchen essential – the baking powder tin. People baked at home far more than they do nowadays and competition among manufacturers for the domestic market was fierce. A turn of the century tin from the ‘Vienna Baking Powder’ company would be worth around $175 on today’s collectors market. The particularly attractive design shows a delightful sketch of a young lady proudly presenting a tray full of freshly baked muffins. Another well known brand from the time was the ‘Jersey Maid’ range of baking powder. Their tin design shows a healthy young maid and a cow – their industry has provided the milk for the baking powder. A good condition example of this tin – made by G.S. Foster Products of St. Paul, Minneapolis – should make about $150 on today’s collectibles market.

A really distinctive baking powder tin is the ‘China Boy’ design manufactured by the Widlar company of Cleveland, Ohio. Expect to pay nearer to $300 for this classic early advertising collectible – the unforgettable design shows a little Chinese boy with a naughty dog tugging on his long pigtailed hair. Not all baking powder tins are so expensive to collect. A good starter’s piece would be a tin made by the Crown Baking Powder Co. of St Louis, Illinois – expect to pay about $100 for a good condition tin bearing the distinctive ‘crown’ design. For slightly more you could acquire an ‘Elk’ baking powder tin, made by the Albany Baking Powder Co. of New York. A really distinctive piece of baking powder advertising memorabilia is a full size cardboard advertising sign. An early 20th century 18 x 10 inch placard promoting ‘pure and sure’ Old Kentuck Baking Powder should sell for about $125 in very good condition.