| The picture below shows larger views of both sides of this Early Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal or Lead Toy Prize United States Mail Horse Cart. This horse cart or carriage prize not dated but it is believed to be from the 1920s. The wagon and horse prize is inked in blue. The cart is marked on both sides “USM” for United States Mail, and it is being pulled by a horse. Many of the pot metal or lead prizes were manufactured by the Tootsietoy Company of Chicago, Illinois. There were other companies, including from Japan prior to World War II. Some of these type prizes were made specifically for Cracker Jack, while others were made as 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 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. This miniature horse cart measures about 1-1/4'' x 3/4'' x 1/4''. It appears to be in excellent or better condition as pictured. |
