| The picture below shows a larger view of each of the (6) Matching Old Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal or Lead Toy Prize Revolver Guns. They are similar, but there are differences between them all. These prizes are not dated but they are believed to be from the 1910s to the 1930s. They are made of pot metal or lead, with one having green paint, The others have no finish at all (as made). The top left one is only one sided with the other side blank. Two of them have a charm loop to go on a charm bracelet, as a necklace pendant or earrings. The Cracker Jack prize numbers for the two with charm loops are ZP-0054, by the Cosmo Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois. 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 six of these for one price! The charm ones each measure about 1-1/8'' long. They appear to be in excellent to mint condition, as pictured. |
