Bahoukas Antiques has an amazing collection of lunch boxes. But today we want to share two really unique ones.
Camera-shaped Lunch Tote
camera-shaped Mickey Mouse lunch tote – front view
This is a delightful lunch tote, complete with a yellow strap. It’s 1987 vintage. This is just too darn cute! Stop in and see if for yourself!
camera-shaped lunch tote – back view
Another fun lunch box (tote) – Rock N Roll
Rock-n-Roll Jukebox
This fun Rock-n-Roll Lunch Tote (lunch box) is in great shape minus the strap.
Hundreds of Collectible Lunch Boxes
Just a sampling of the wide variety of lunch boxes available at Bahoukas!
Lunch boxes are one of the favorite collectibles of kids of all ages. Whether you choose one from your favorite tv show, Disney character, or celebrity, we have a huge – HUGE – selection. We just add at least another 80 to our shelves.
Stop in today and pick one out. Whether you continue to use it as a lunch box, store your favorite treasures, or add to your collection, we’re here and we’re watchin’ for ya!
Dads carried metal tins with lunch to their jobs in the coal mines and factories. Of course, it wasn’t long before their children wanted to copy their dads.
… the first commercial lunch boxes, which resembled metal picnic baskets decorated with scenes of playing children, came out in 1902.
The first lunch box decorated with a famous licensed character was introduced in 1935. Produced by Geuder, Paeschke & Frey, it featured Mickey Mouse, and was a four-color lithographed oval tin, with a pull-out tray inside. It had no vacuum bottle, but did have a handle.
In 1950, Aladdin Industries created the first children’s lunch box based on a television show, Hopalong Cassidy. The Hopalong Cassidy lunch kit, or “Hoppy”, quickly became Aladdin’s cash cow. Debuting in time for back-to-school 1950, it would go on to sell 600,000 units in its first year alone, each at US$2.39. In 1953, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans were featured on models introduced by American Thermos.
Huge collection of decorated lunchboxes in plastic and metal
Many of the latest additions are complete with thermoses as well. Do stop in and check it out. They are a great last-minute gift for a child in your life – or your favorite collector. Remember, not just great for lunch, but fun for picnics, playing, keeping treasures, and more.
School Desks
Beautiful wooden and cast iron school desk.
The above desk is in beautiful condition. We also have another as pictured below:
Another beautiful wood school desk.
Another choice is this wood desk:
The front of the desk had the bench for the desk that sat in front of it
1881: The Fashion School Desk
The First Model
The first school desk was made in 1880 by John D. Loughlin in Sidney, Ohio. The desk, known as “The Fashion Desk,” proved to be extremely popular across the country. The practicality of the desks allowed for many to be put together in a one room schoolhouse, and the fashion aspect of it was aesthetically pleasing to those in the education industry. Loughlin’s marketing campaign also helped to sell these desks, which would eventually sweep the nation. The “Fashion Desks” were desks attached to one another and were big enough to seat two or three children. Usually, there was an inkwell so that the student could replenish his pen’s supply.
The Sidney School Furniture Company, located in Sidney, Ohio, began manufacturing the popular “Fashion” school desk in 1881. Advertising for the desk claimed, “No desk in the market is made with more care, nor of better materials than the ‘Fashion,’ and none has met with a more popular reception, or gives better satisfaction.” The desk featured a Patent T-head, which eliminated screws and bolts by joining the wood of the top, back, and seat to the legs, which were made of cast iron.
… with writing pad. These are solid and have a shelf on the bottom to place books and bags.
So whether it’s a lunchbox or a school desk, we can add a last-minute ‘surprise’ to your holiday gift-giving. Hurry in. We’re watchin’ for ya so that we can help you with your last-minute searches. Don’t forget, we DO CLOSE for Christmas Day and New Years Day. (Give us a call to be sure we didn’t leave early on the eve of both!) Happy Holidays!
…working men protected their lunches from the perils of the job site (just imagine what a coal mine or a quarry could do to a guy’s sandwich) with heavy-duty metal pails.
Historic lunchbox, 1880s. A tobacco box was recycled as lunch box. Harold Dorwin / SI
Soon after…
Around the 1880s, school children who wanted to emulate their daddies fashioned similar caddies out of empty cookie or tobacco tins. According to the timeline, the first commercial lunch boxes, which resembled metal picnic baskets decorated with scenes of playing children, came out in 1902.
Do you have a favorite boo character/tv show/celebrity collectible lunchbox? Or maybe you’ve been looking for one? Stop in and visit us soon to see our extensive collection.
More lunchboxes from the collection at Bahoukas.
Yes, we are watchin’ for ya! And don’t forget, school is right around the corner. Possibly your youngster would love to have a lunchbox from Bahoukas!
One of the things we hear people saying is how ‘commercial’ Christmas is. We can help change that if you visit us at Bahoukas Antique Mall. We have a wonderful variety of toys and gifts that add value and excitement to your gift-giving.
Above is a well made, wooden firetruck sure to please that young toddler on your list. Nothing fancy, nothing to break, just a great toy! Stop by and see it for yourself.
Create a reader with these Golden Books and more
Remember all of your favorite books of years gone by. You can bet that we have some of them in our store. Come browse our children’s book section and find a couple that you’ll definitely want to share with the young reader on your list. Remember, there’s nothing kids love more than having you read to or with them!
Lunch Boxes for nearly every tv show or movie character.
Everyone had a favorite tv or movie character, often on their favorite lunch box. We have a huge collection of character lunch boxes that you’ll surely discover the perfect one for the lunch-carrying kid on your gift list. Or maybe, they just want to hide their treasures in one. Oh, and don’t forget, there are ‘big kids’ that love carrying one of these to work! So come in and pick out a couple for those on your gift-list that carry lunches or have treasures to hide!
Puzzles and more…
This is only one shelf of a huge collection of puzzles for all ages. We have large puzzles of 6-8 pieces for the toddler, 24 pcs for the pre-school, and plenty of other puzzles of all shapes, sizes, and number of pieces to entertain any puzzle lover – toddler to adult!
So while you’re enjoying tonight’s Holly Jolly First Friday with parade at 6, the lighting of the tree, carolers and stilt walkers, Santa’s arrival, shops open late, plenty of eateries – indoors and outdoors, take a few minutes to check out all that we have to offer for those on your gift list (and yes, even for yourself)! You can always come back tomorrow when the kids aren’t with you.
In the meantime, enjoy the festivities. We’ll be watchin’ for ya!
Heading back to school creates mixed emotions. As parents we see our children growing up way too fast, especially if you’ve just sent them off to college. Our young one’s first day of school is always emotional. Don’t get me wrong, some parents are jumping up and down with glee, while others are teary-eyed and sad. But to school we must go!
To make school days extra special, here are just a few items available in our store that can make it a fun event. Character, collectible lunch boxes, a special Sally, Dick and Jane Reader, a world globe, or even a wonderful palette of watercolors can make returning to school a real treat.
CLICK HERE for some fun facts about the Dick and Jane Readers you might not have known.
Or CLICK HERE for some great ideas for kids to use with the watercolor palette box.
The older world globe is a great way for an older student to learn how much the countries of the world have changed. They can compare the globe to a map of the world on the internet of today!
Of course, collectible lunch boxes are just plain fun. Having a character box that your student will love to open at school lunchtime will remind him/her of how special you think they are.
What would YOU like to give your unique student? Stop by soon and see the possibilities we have waiting for the perfect owner!
