Vintage biscuit tin

Biscuit tins have a long history that dates back to the early 19th century, when they were first used by companies such as Huntley & Palmer to preserve and transport biscuits, or cookies, which were a popular food item at the time. Biscuit tins were typically made of tinplate, which is a type of steel that has been coated with tin to make it more resistant to corrosion.

The invention of the tin canning process in the early 1810s allowed for the mass production of tinplate and made it possible to create affordable, airtight tins for preserving food. This made it practical for Biscuit makers to package their products in tins for distribution and sale.

Biscuit tins were a popular form of packaging and advertising in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as they were relatively inexpensive to produce and could be made in a wide variety of shapes more... and sizes. The development of off-set lithography in 1877 enabled biscuit companies to market their products with colourful printed designs and logos.

The use of tinplate for packaging fell out of favour later in the 20th century as other packaging materials became more prevalent, but many old biscuit tins have been preserved and continue to be collected as a form of vintage advertising memorabilia. less...