| The picture below shows larger top and bottom views of the (2) Matching Old Cracker Jack Pop Corn Confection Miniature Pot Metal or Lead Toy Prize Military Airplanes in this lot. These each have stars on the top of each of the wings. These planes are not dated but they are believed to be from the 1930s prior to World War II. The Cracker Jack ID numbers for these is A-0057. They may have been made by The Tootsietoy Company, of Chicago, Illinois. One has no paint or ink finish on it, and the other one is inked in blue. 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 airplanes each measures about 1-1/2'' x 1-1/2'' x 1/2''. The blue one appears to be in near mint condition. The other one is missing wheel of the landing gear on the bottom as pictured. |
