Vintage Lunchbox

A vintage lunchbox, no matter how in great condition it may be, cannot be used to store and carry your or your children’s lunch. Because of its increasing value and delicate condition, your antique lunchboxes are better off in a safe place.

It might be pretty ironic but antique lunchbox collectors also need to purchase new and modern ones for them and their children to use. One should expect that an enthusiast would know how to pick out modern lunchboxes, right? Unfortunately, this is not always the case. When searching for vintage lunchboxes, collectors tend to focus more on the design and physical appearance of the unit. It should feature minimal dents, chipped paints and any sort of damages. With modern lunchboxes, looking at physical appearance just isn’t enough.

Here are some tips on how to pick out the perfect lunchbox for your child:

1.) Pick out a lunchbox that has multiple compartments. This will help you and your child, maintain an organized box as well as prevent different food items from mixing and matching with one another.

2.) Opt for an insulated lunchbox with thermos which helps cold food stay cold and hot food stay warm. If the food inside your kid’s lunchbox stays appetizing, there is a great chance that he will eat and finish his meals or snacks everyday.

3.) Let your child select his own lunchbox. If he likes the design and style, he would definitely use and flaunt it at school. If you don’t agree with his choice, compromise and meet halfway. You can pick out the specific brand while he can pick out the color and design.

Different people collect different things for different reasons. Some collect for money, while others do it to decorate their homes and to express their individuality. Still others collect things to connect or relive their past.

If you are one of the last, vintage lunch boxes may be for you. With a few notable exceptions, there isn't much money to be made with vintage lunch boxes, as they commonly sell between $30 - $300. They may be used to decorate a wall of your home, but you will need to install shelving for them, and if you plan on a large collection, you may even need to add a room to your house.

When people started working in factories instead of the fields, they began carrying their lunches to work as they no longer had time to go home for lunch. Though initially made of woven materials and wood, they soon evolved into tin boxes and aluminum. In the 1960s, plastic and vinyl lunch boxes also emerged.

It wasn't only the workingman who carried lunch boxes. Children also carried their sandwiches and fruits in theirs. Indeed, as early as 1935, an image of Mickey Mouse found its way into an oval lunch box made of tin. In 1950, Hopalong Cassidy followed suit. Cartoon superheroes, movie and TV characters, significant events, and even real life idols soon started appearing on lunch boxes.

They heyday of lunch box production was in the 1950s to the 1980s, when the baby boomers were going to school. Plenty of the young lads and lasses of the time carried their lunches to school, probably competing on who had to most hip and chic box.

Today the boxes that carried you parents' or grandparents' lunches have become collectibles. You can probably ask them what was the most popular during their time and see if you can find one. It can be a connection between you and them. And it will definitely bring back their old memories. A vintage lunch box with a picture of the Beatles would make a fine gift to them. Maybe granddad will remember how he used to sing "will you still love me when I'm sixty-four" to grandma.