| The picture below shows larger views of both sides of the (2) Old Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal or Lead Toy Tow Trucks in this lot. These early tow truck prizes are not dated but they are believed to be from the 1930s. These prizes have the old Cracker Jack Company ID number: Z-0636. They are from The Tootsietoy Company of Chicago, Illinois. The tow trucks are painted in light blue and green, and they are marked “TOOTSIETOY” on the bottom. These are the larger size version of this prize. 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. These miniature tow truck prizes measure about 2-1/4'' x 3/4'' x 9/16''. The green one appears to be in very good condition with some paint wear, and the blue one is missing the hook and also has some paint wear as pictured. |
