vintage packaging

 Vintage packaging 

vintage packaging

often has a direct, simple charm. The nostalgia of well-known brand names, combined with attractive designs and colours, make this a rich and unusual

From the idealised 1950s housewife featured on a box of washing powder to a stylish 1960s Biba powder compact, packaging offers a fascinating insight into social history.

vintage packaging

 Following the development of colour printing in the 1840s, companies increasingly used design to devise eye-catching and colourful packaging.

vintage packaging

Comparatively few 19th-century examples survive, but there are plenty of 20th-century pieces available. 










Prices can be as low as £3-5 and rarely rise above £100-150. Dummy packaging, used for displays and promotions, is similarly priced and, like retail packaging, valued according to brand, date, and styling.

Vintage packaging gives us a taste of changing styles and prices.

vintage packaging

 A sachet of Bird's custard podecorated in the colours still used by the company, cost 1d during World War II (roughly comparable to current values). Hair cream or gloss, a popular product in the first half of the 20th century, disappeared from the shelves with the advent of the 'freer' 1960s.

vintage packaging

Style wise

vintage packaging

If you choose to focus on the 19th century, look for fine lithography on labels and boxes, in many different colours and featuring intricate designs. Items from this period can fetch from £10-20 upwards, depending on brand, style, complexity of artwork and colour printing, and rarity.

vintage packaging

The huge variety of 20th-century packaging makes it easy to focus on a specific type, such as sweets, or foods sold during World War II. 






The style of the artwork is the first factor to consider: it reflects the graphic styles of different periods, from theangularity of 1930s Art Deco to the bright colours of the 1950s and 60s.

vintage packaging

 




 A soap box from the 1930s can fetch as little as .£10-15, while a 1950s glass bottle for Castrol oil tends to be valued at around .£10-20.

vintage packaging

Brands and themes

Brand names, particularly ones known internationally, such as Coca-Cola, are popular, and products by one maker can show how styles have changed over time - the Kellogg's Cornflakes rooster is a good example.






 

You might prefer to concentrate on a specific product. For example, although it may seem an unlikely collecting theme, individual sugar packets can feature company logos, hotels, or famous restaurants. A sugar sachet from a well-known airline such as British Airways can fetch 10p-<£2, depending on the period.

vintage packaging

Lettering can help to date packaging. A swirling serif style may suggest the 19th century, while curling, vine like, Art Nouveau designs may indicate the early 20th century. Bear in mind.

though, that some packaging, such as that for Lyle's Golden Syrup, has hardly changed over the years, and that with some products, especially foods, old-fashioned packaging may be part of the commercial strategy.

Added value

vintage Packaging can carry a higher price tag if it also appeals to collectors in other areas. A celebrity endorsement may attract people interested in celebrity memorabilia, while collectors of Corgi or Dinky toys will want boxes that match pieces in their collection, to increase their value.