{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O323214"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O323214/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MG4418/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2019MG4418/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2019MG4418","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2019LX9532","copyright":"©Victoria & Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O323214","accessionNumber":"M.833-1983","objectType":"Biscuit tin manufacturer's sample","titles":[{"title":"M.J. Franklin Collection of British Biscuit Tins (Advertising Ephemera)","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"The British biscuit tin gained popularity after the Refreshment Houses Act and the Treaty of Commerce in 1860 brought about the use of printed paper labels on food and drink packaging. The two Acts increased the sale of bottles of wine, which needed labels to identify it. This normalised the idea of creating labels for food and drink and led to developments in printing processes. It was only a short step to the idea of printing directly on to tinplate. The new process of offset lithography, patented in 1877, allowed multicoloured designs to be printed on to eccentrically shaped tins.\r\n\nThe most unusual designs were produced in the early years of the 20th century, just prior to the First World War. In the 1920s and 1930s, costs had risen substantially and the design of biscuit tins tended to be more conservative, with the exception of the tins targeted at the Christmas market and intended to appeal primarily to children. The designs, generally speaking, are a barometer of popular interests.\r\n\nThe advent of the Second World War stopped all production of decorative tin ware and after it ended in 1945, the custom never really revived.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Biscuit tin for manufacture's samples, offset litho printed tinplate, square with rounded corners with an image of a child on the left hand side, easting a biscuit.","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Gunstones's Bakery","id":"AUTH352623"},"association":{"text":"made for","id":"x30791"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"tinplate","id":"x32089"}],"techniques":[{"text":"offset lithography","id":"AAT192900"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Offset litho printed tinplate","categories":[{"text":"Containers","id":"THES48972"},{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Children & Childhood","id":"THES48980"},{"text":"Eating","id":"THES48963"},{"text":"Food vessels & Tableware","id":"THES48952"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2019MG4418","2019LX9532"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"015","id":"THES337095"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Biscuit tin","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca.1935","earliest":"1930-01-01","latest":"1939-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by M. J. Franklin","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"3.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"10.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"10.4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"GUNSTONE'S / BISCUITS","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"In the top right hand corner of the lid."},{"content":"WM. GUNSTONE & SONS LTD. / SHEFFIELD","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Within a banner in the lower left hand corner of the lid."}],"objectHistory":"M.J. Franklin Collection of British Biscuit Tins.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Biscuit tin, (free manufacturer's sample), offset litho printed tinplate, England, made for Gunstone's Bakery, ca.1935.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Michael Franklin, <font -u>British Biscuit Tins</font>, London, Victoria and Albert Museum, 1984, ISBN. 0905209621"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Mass produced","id":"THES48863"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["M.833-1983"],"accessionNumberNum":"833","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1983,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-29","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}