Vintage Mammy's Paradise Fruit Cake Tin | Mammy's Bread, Hamilton, Canada | 3 lb Lithographed Advertising Tin | Lady with Cake Medallion | c. 1920s–30s | 7.5"

Somebody ate three pounds of fruit cake and kept the best part.

This vintage metal Mammy's Paradise Fruit Cake tin came from Mammy's Bread, a bakery in Hamilton, Canada. The whole tin is lithographed in brick red, turquoise blue and gold, in a pattern as busy as a Persian carpet. In the center of the lid, a lady in a red head scarf and a blue patterned shawl carries a cake on a tray. The name runs around the side in gold letters, with "Net Wt. Contents Three Pounds" printed near the base.

Lift the lid and the bakery's own mark is printed inside: "Mammy's Bread, Registered, Hamilton, Canada," with the slogan "Eventually... Why not now?"

Other bakeries sold Paradise Fruit Cake in tins too, including Ward Baking in the United States. This is the Canadian Mammy's version. It makes a handsome home for sewing notions, recipe cards or wrapped holiday cookies, and it looks just as good sitting on a shelf doing nothing at all.

Condition: Good vintage condition for its age. The color on the lid and sides is still bright, with light scratches, a few small paint flecks and wear along the rims. The gold base has scratches and dark spotting. Inside, the gold lining has spotting on the lid and marks on the bottom. Old tins like this are for display and dry storage, so please use a liner for anything you plan to eat. Please see all photos.

Details:

• Material: Lithographed tin (metal)
• Colors: brick red, turquoise blue, gold and brown
• Size: about 7.5" across and about 3" tall
• Original contents: 3 lb fruit cake (the tin is empty)
• Maker: Mammy's Bread, Hamilton, Canada
• Era: c. 1920s–30s
• Condition: Good vintage, with scratches and spotting

Styling props shown in photos are not included.