| The picture below shows a larger view of all (4) Early Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal Toy Prize Tobacco Pipe Charms in this lot. The prizes are not dated but they are believed to be from the 1910s to the 1920s. Three of the four pipes have their often missing scarce capsule insert piece. Of the capsules, one is translucent blue, one translucent red, and one is clear. Of the pipes, one is inked in red, and three have no finish, as made. They are made of pot metal or lead. Each has a charm loop on the under side of the mouth section. 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 four of these miniature tobacco pipes for one price! These measure about 1-1/2'' long. The pipes appear to be in excellent to mint condition, except the second one has the very tip of the mouth piece missing, as pictured. Also, one does not have the scarce capsule insert as mentioned above. |
