Rich Tea
Biscuit Tin Manufacturer's Sample
1932-1938 (made)
1932-1938 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The British biscuit tin came about when the Licensed Grocer's Act of 1861 allowed groceries to be individually packaged and sold. Coinciding with the removal of the duty on paper for printed labels. It was only a short step to the idea of printing directly on to tinplate. The new process of offset lithography, patented in 1877 allowed multicoloured designs to be printed on to exotically shaped tins.
The most exotic designs were produced in the early years of the 20th century, just prior to the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, costs had risen substantially and the design of biscuit tins tended to be more conservative, with the exception of the tins targeted at the Christmas market and intended to appeal primarily to children. The designs, generally speaking are a barometer of popular interests.
The advent of the Second World War stopped all production of decorative tin ware and after it ended in 1945, the custom never really revived.
The most exotic designs were produced in the early years of the 20th century, just prior to the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, costs had risen substantially and the design of biscuit tins tended to be more conservative, with the exception of the tins targeted at the Christmas market and intended to appeal primarily to children. The designs, generally speaking are a barometer of popular interests.
The advent of the Second World War stopped all production of decorative tin ware and after it ended in 1945, the custom never really revived.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Titles |
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| Materials and techniques | Offset litho printed tinplate |
| Brief description | Biscuit tin, (free manufacturer's sample), `Rich Tea', offset litho printed tinplate, Carlisle, made by Hudson Scott & Sons for William Crawford & Sons, 1932-38. |
| Physical description | Biscuit tin for manufacture's samples, offset litho printed tinplate, circular with a teapot illustrated on the lid. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Marks and inscriptions | CRWAFORD'S / RICH TEA / BISCUITS (Printed on the id.) |
| Credit line | Given by M. J. Franklin |
| Object history | M.J. Franklin Collection of British Biscuit Tins. |
| Production | Issued in an edition of 50,000 in 1932 and in an edition of 25,000 in 1933 and agian in a further edition of 30,000 in 1938, all by Hudson Scott & Sons. |
| Summary | The British biscuit tin came about when the Licensed Grocer's Act of 1861 allowed groceries to be individually packaged and sold. Coinciding with the removal of the duty on paper for printed labels. It was only a short step to the idea of printing directly on to tinplate. The new process of offset lithography, patented in 1877 allowed multicoloured designs to be printed on to exotically shaped tins. The most exotic designs were produced in the early years of the 20th century, just prior to the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, costs had risen substantially and the design of biscuit tins tended to be more conservative, with the exception of the tins targeted at the Christmas market and intended to appeal primarily to children. The designs, generally speaking are a barometer of popular interests. The advent of the Second World War stopped all production of decorative tin ware and after it ended in 1945, the custom never really revived. |
| Associated objects | |
| Bibliographic reference | Michael Franklin, British Biscuit Tins, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1984, ISBN. 0905209621 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.780-1983 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
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