| The picture below shows larger front and back views of this Rare Old Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Pot Metal or Lead Miniature Toy Prize Charlie Chaplin Character Lapel Stud Button. The lapel stud button has an image of the famous comedian and actor Charlie Chaplin posing in a suit, a derby hat, and a cane. On the base it is marked “C. CHAPLIN”. This prize has an unfinished or not molded button stud on the back. This prize red inked finish. Only a few of these have ever been seen, and this is the only one that I have ever seen with the molded cane intact. 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. The lapel stud button measures about 3/4'' x 1-9/16'' x 1/2''. It appears to be in excellent or better condition with his cane as pictured. As mentioned above, the stud button on the back is unfinished or not molded. |
