Sandalwood Biscuit Tin By Huntley & Palmers

A Huntley & Palmers Biscuit Tin made to resemble an Anglo-Indian Vizagapatam sandalwood casket.

The tin is embossed with elephants and leaves with offset lithographic printing to imitate the intricate inlaid ivory and micro mosaic work that the Indian coastal town of Vizagapatam was associated with. MJ Franklin in his book British Biscuit Tins 1868-1939 suggests that the tin was copied from a box given to Lord and Lady Palmer.

Huntley & Palmers first issued the tin between March and May 1924 when it could be claimed after the customer had purchased 1lb each of any six of the biscuit varieties specified by the company. The tin was later issued for export in 1927 and then a year later for sale in the UK. The company realised that the middle classes were becoming better educated and wealthier and so produced a number of tins that imitated aspirational antiques and fine art. They might not be able to afford the real thing but they could give the illusion of having and understanding such objects.

The few examples of this tin tend to have the printing worn off and this one can be considered in good condition. The number 'No. 1952' is marked to the bottom front edge. Circa 1928.

Decorative Tins
The rise of the biscuit and confectionary decorative tin is linked to both legislation and innovation. Huntley & Palmer are the most recognised name when it comes to such tins and they were the first to sell their products in metal tins in the 1830s. This was purely wholesale for grocers to put on their counters, and it wasn't until 1861 with the Licensed Grocer's Act that customers could buy a packet of goods. Sixteen years later offset lithography allowed manufacturers to print onto interestingly shaped metal tins. If a customer was encouraged to keep a decorative tin, they would be reminded to buy more of the contents within them. By the end of the century, competition amongst manufacturers to make their product stand out above others led to increasingly more complex and exciting tins. The 1920s and 1930s saw a pinnacle in their design. Regular shaped tins with fashionable images and art of the day led to all sorts of wonderful shapes imitating everyday items to appeal to both adults and children. Tins can be found decorated with Wedgewood pottery designs or shaped as a double decker bus for children to play with. Eventually life imitated art when potters Burgess & Leigh copied the shape and artwork of a Huntley & Palmers tin to make a teapot in 1896. A huge range of tins were produced by a number of different manufacturers and there are ardent collectors looking for them.