| The picture below shows larger front and back views of all (3) Different Early Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal Toy Prize People Figure Charms in this lot. The figures are not dated but they are believed to be from the 1910s to the 1930s. They are made of pot metal or lead. The right one is inked in red, and the other two have no finish, as made. The makers for each of these is unknown. At the left is a bust of a young Victorian lady or girl. In the center there is a tall man or a woman in a hat, and a dress, or overalls. The right one is a cartoon character looking Police Officer or a cop, in a hat, and uniform, with a star badge on his chest. All three of these have a charm loop at the top. They are all made of pot metal or lead. Many of the early pot metal or lead prizes were manufactured by Dowst (Samuel Dowst), or the Tootsietoy Company of Chicago, Illinois, but there were other companies in the United States, and including ones from Japan and Germany prior to World War II as well. Some of these type prizes were made specifically for Cracker Jack, while others were made as small novelties, bought in volume, and used as prizes by The Cracker Jack Company. Pot metal or lead prizes were some of the earliest prizes that were used in Cracker Jack boxes from the 1910s to the late 1940s. Many of these type prizes or novelties were also sold out of old Johnson Smith & Company catalog as well as some other early novelty catalogs, also used in fortune telling sets, and some were also sold and used as board game parts. Many of these can be found factory painted, inked, or with no finish at all. All three of these miniature figure charms for one price! To judge the sizes, the center figure charm measures about 1-1/8'' tall. They appear to be in near mint to mint condition as pictured. |
