If I were looking for something else to collect (note to my family and friends, I swear I’m not) I would give serious thought to collecting vintage food packaging. In reality, it would be vintage packaging in general, but for the purposes of this post, let’s limit the scope to food packaging.
Vintage packaging is appealing for three reasons: the typography and the design, the words on the package, and nostalgia. Some smart creative team invested a lot of time and effort into designing packaging that was attractive, on trend, showcased the product benefits and gave use instructions to minimize the amount of lawsuits for things like coffee being hot and knives being sharp. A well done package is informative, eye catching and functional.
You can see some of that in product advertising, but holding the actual package is so much better. Thank heavens for the back of cabinets, because if there wasn’t a place for things to get hidden behind newer things, we wouldn’t have this vintage food packaging to admire.
1969 Carvel Ice Cream Pint
Carvel has a special place in the heart of everyone who grew up in the New York area. Their soft serve was the thing you dreamed about on hot summer days. Since they were a franchised chain, you knew exactly what was on the menu at every shop. Carvel’s TV advertising was low budget and unforgettable. Who didn’t want a Carvel Fudgie the Whale cake for their birthday? This vintage pint container is in the perfect colors for an ice cream parlor from the 1960s.
Durkee’s Turmeric Can
Vintage spice tins are prized vintage food packaging treasures, and rightly so because they are adorable. A shelf of these in a vintage style kitchen is spot on perfect. Crafters love them for creating tiny holiday ornaments. Thankfully, there are lots of them on the market, with and without contents.
1940s Priscilla Tru-Lemon Juice Bottle
If this whets your appetite for vintage food packaging, you might enjoy following Purveyors of Packaging on Instagram. Pinterest is also full of great nostalgic ads and packaging, like this list compiled by Dieline. And of course, the most venerable attic of the all, the Smithsonian Museum of American History , also has a collection to browse.
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1 comment
I’ve got an old packet of Brook Bond PG Tips (1970?). Would anyone want this? Very good condition but obviously old. Unopened.
There is a competition on the packet with a closing date of August 1972!
Clearing out a house and would like it to go to someone who would appreciate it.
Thank you