Tintastic: L'oate Quick Oatmeal Facial

Hello and happy Tuesday loves. I’ve got another Tintastic tin for you today and surprisingly enough, it did not come from my Grandfather’s attic. Instead, it came from the wonderful Rhode Island Antiques Mall. If you’ve never been to this special place and you live in the area, than you must at least check it out once! Whether you’re on a mission to find the perfect bookcase, lamp or collectible, this amazing showcase of antiques and vintage goods will do anything but bore an inquisitive mind. I can only guess that upon your visit, you’ll either find exactly what you’re looking for, or everything you’re not looking for…but will want anyway, just because it is so awesome!

Lucky for me, I found exactly what I was looking for; a new and unique tin to add to my collection…the lovely L'oate Quick Oatmeal Facial tin. I think this may be one, of only two, cosmetic/beauty product tins that I own. Most of the tins in my collection are of the tobacco, office supply or medicine variety. So, to say the least, I’m pretty excited about this little beauty.

I assume this tin was produced around the 1930’s since it is rather art deco in style and design. It’s oval in shape, features a matte black finish, elegant typography and of course, that stylish silhouette of a woman’s face. I have to say, the vendor from whom I bought this tin, had a lot of amazing tins to choose from. However, several were talc tins, unfortunately still with the talc inside of them and that is why I did not buy them. Despite their beauty, I have a rule; I don’t buy a tin that has anything inside of it. The L’oate tin met all of my criteria: it was $10 or less, free of rust and contents, and showcased amazing typography and graphics. It was love at first sight ;} So, stay tuned for more tintastic love to come soon! Until then, enjoy your week!

Tintastic: De-Fi Typewriter Ribbon

So here you have it folks, yet another fantastic tin from my Grandfather’s attic and my collection. Isn’t it beautiful?! Check out the classic color combo of navy ink on silver and the totally art deco typography. When was the last time you saw a font like this used for any sort of tag, or body copy in mass-produced packaging, or advertising today? It’s so decorative, you almost get lost in it! What’s even more impressive, is that the tin looks like it's in perpetual motion, thanks to the navy strikes that run diagonal across its surface…”Nude Descending a Staircase” anyone?

In the most general of statements, this tin borrows aesthetics from Cubism, Futurism, Classicism and first and foremost, consumerism; note the Trojan dude on the back of the tin promoting “Utility Cannot for Long Ignore Beauty.” How awesome is that? I cannot help but take this slogan to heart. Out of context, it pretty much sums up my thoughts on what constitutes good design. In my opinion, good design must be functional and although, functional design does not need to be beautiful, good design that is both functional and beautiful certainly cannot be ignored…just as I suppose, De-Fi typewriter ribbon could not be ignored…and I say "could," since I'm not sure it's still manufactured.

Another characteristic that I particularly love about this tin are the two stamped elements; “Noiseless” in the top right corner and “Black Record 26” on the bottom. They add texture and imperfection to the perfectly crisp flexo-printed graphics. They also exemplify the dual printing methods that were used at the time this tin was manufactured and that sadly enough, are not practiced much, if at all, today. Besides, “Black Record 26” would make a great name for a record label…don’t you think? Anyway, stay tuned for more Tintastic posts and loveliness to come soon. Until then, happy Friday folks, hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Tintastic: Stafford's Improved Typewriter Ribbon

What better way to start off the New Year than, "improved." While home on Holiday vacation, I took full advantage of everything available to me...I ate lots, probably too much...slept even more than I ate, and caught up on some quality time with friends and family. I even had the opportunity to explore my grandfather's attic, thanks to my bro, who for many years now, has been renovating and living in my grandparent's old house. It's a beautiful turn-of-the-century abode, built around 1900, and packed full of everything reminiscent of the era, including a claw foot tub, which sadly, has been since removed. None the less, the attic unlike the bathroom, is filled with a number of collectible gems, including a few stunning tins, that I very quickly took possession of before they hit the recycle bin.

Above are a few photos taken of one of the tins, out of the four, that I scored from my grandfather's attic. Take a moment to admire its beauty...not only is it reminiscent of an era long gone...after all, what is a typewriter? Never mind, typewriter ribbon? When will you ever see this again? Oh wait, that's right, you won't. Take notice of its fantastic art deco elements, reminiscent of the 1930's, including the black letter "Stafford's" and the pillar-like serif of "Improved." Not to mention, the opaque navy ink, that eloquently highlights the decorative bronze shield motif and graphics. Even better, is the pattern that runs along the side of the tin; the graphics are monumental in their beauty. Really, you don't get much better than this, in terms of turn-of-the-century, commercial graphics. Amazingly enough, I've got three equally as beautiful tins to write about...so stay tuned and stay inspired...more tintastic lovelies to come soon. Happy New Year!

Tintastic: SOLO Saffron

Check it out! Another lovely little tin from the collection; SOLO Saffron! And little it most certainly is…standing only 2.25 inches tall and just over .75 inches in diameter; this tin is one of the first few that I ever collected. Where I bought it and how much I paid for it, I can’t recall, but I’ve always loved the typography featured on this itty-bitty beauty. It’s also in fantastic condition and sports a wonderful red, white and blue color combo. I have to say, this tin is one of my most favorites. I especially love its red cap featuring just the brand name in all-white capitals! Beautiful.

It’s interesting to note that saffron is the world's most expensive spice by weight and is native to Southwest Asia. Apparently a pound of dry saffron requires 50,000–75,000 flowers (the equivalent of a football field’s area), some forty hours of labor and prices at wholesale and retail from $500 to $5,000 per pound! Seriously, now I understand why the tin is so tiny! More tiny tins on the way, so stay tuned and stay inspired!

Tintastic: Frank's Mustard

 

 

 

Another fabulous tin from the time capsule...Frank's Mustard. I believe this tin was given to me as a birthday gift from my friend Season. It might actually have been for my 30th, at least, that's how I remember it. Over the years, I've acquired a few tins from Season, and I have to say, she's got good taste in tins ;}

I especially love the simplicity of this tin. It's not often, in today's visually saturated market, especially that of the super market, that we see "white space," or rather in this case, yellow space: an empty spot in a design where the eye can rest and digest what it is seeing. This tin is a lovely example of using "white space" effectively. When we look at it, there is nothing distracting us from the word, "Mustard" we clearly know what we're looking at and what we're buying.

Graphically, I just love the 1950's-60's vibe of this tin. The little red waves that travel accross and around it's surface, the iconic mustard tree encased in an oval, and of course, the wonderful mix of decorative vs. utilitarian type. What a fantastic find...thanks Season! There will be more tintastic finds to come, so be sure to check back soon!

Tintastic: Clotted Cream

Second to the OXO tin, this Devonshire Clotted Cream tin is one of my favorites, in part, because of the story behind it. I got it while visiting London, England for my cousin’s wedding. Over the course of my four-day jaunt, I perused many London museums and galleries, and in doing so, I managed to come across Portobello Road Market: one of London's notable street markets, known for its second-hand clothes and antiques.

Photos from L to R; "Portobello Road, London, England," by Another_Noon'e Photostream, "Cream Tea.Jpg" by Wickipedia.com, and Personal Photo, London England © 2009 by Emily Quillen. All rights reserved.

Packed with little store fronts and ramshackle booths stuffed with vintage goods and yummy foods, Portobello Market is a collectors dreamscape! Among all the vendors, there were a few selling vintage tins. I saw sooo many beautiful tins that I wanted to take home with me, but this one had the right price tag, only £5…score!

The best part about this tin is that it is totally unique to England. Associated primarily with South West England, clotted cream is generally served as part of a “cream tea” on scones with strawberry, or raspberry jam. Traditionally used instead of butter, the cream is a true British delight and is oh, so yummy!

In addition to being a wonderful keepsake from England, this tin showcases a fantastic color combo of mint green, orange, white and black. I particularly love the graphics: the playful green stripes, the wonderfully adorned frame around the “Genuine Clotted Cream,” the jumping cow with a flower at the tip of its tail, and of course, the elegantly rendered ship on the top lid. What a mish-mash of styles and content, but oddly enough, it works… in a quirky British kind-of-way!

In case you’re wondering, the pic of me in front of the mini was taken just after I purchased my lovely little tin…I’m celebrating with some mulled wine!

Tintastic OXO

Over the course of nine years I’ve been collecting lovely little tins such as the one above. I’m not exactly sure in what way this passion came about and in fact, I’m trying to recall the very first tin that started it all. Frustratingly enough though, I don’t remember…funny how the human brain works. I’m sure one of these days, while I’m brushing my teeth, it will come to me as a sudden epiphany, but for now, I’ll share how I acquired this particular tin. It was a gift, given to me for my birthday, by my friend John. Every year, John travels to Brimfield, MA to scour antiques, in particular, glass bottles. However on one trip, he came across this OXO tin and thought of me…and thankfully so!

I have to admit, this is by far, one of my most favorite tins that I own. It encompasses a lot of the things I love; it’s red, it's metal, I can put things in it, and it bares the OXO logo, for which I have always had a particular fondness. I especially love the playful shape of the o's in this version of the logo. Also lovely about this tin, is the scratchy patina on the side and back panels and the late-modern use of sans serif type.

In total, I have over forty vintage tins that I’ve collected over nine years. They have either been given to me as gifts, or I’ve acquired them through perseverance and a few strict guidelines. I have two criteria when it comes to collecting these lovely little beauties and they are; cost and size. I never spend more than ten dollars, unless the tin is larger than a ten dollar bill and in fantastic condition. More often then not, the tin must be empty, rust and dent free, and most importantly, exhibit fantastic typography and graphics. As a graphic designer, vintage tins serve as a constant source of inspiration for me. I hope to share more from the collection soon, so stay tuned to stay inspired! There will be many more to come.