As Forrest Gump would say, โMama always said life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what youโre gonna get.โ
One of the most traditional Valentineโs Day gifts for over a century, has been a box of chocolates. (Letโs face it guys, its much cheaper then diamond jewelry.)
The latter part of the 19th Century- also considered the โCupid Golden Ageโ – Victorians avidly exchanged Valentineโs Day gifts and cards with each other, thus Valentineโs Day became commercialized. Richard Cadbury- a marketing genius of the English Cadbury Chocolate Company-designed fancy, heart-shaped candy boxes for displaying decadent chocolate assortments. Some of his treasured boxes were made of velvet or silk, and were made to last. His first chocolate box was decorated with a painting of his young daughter, Jessica, holding a kitten. Once the chocolates were eaten, the lovely box could be used to store keepsakes.
The 19th Century, Cadbury heart-shaped boxes are highly- prized among collectors today.
Russell Stover Company came out with the first โSecret Lace Hearts,โ candy boxes, which were one of their biggest-sellers. The box was covered in satin and black lace, also known as the โlingerie box.โ It was affordable and quite accessible in stores.
During the early 1900s, Valentineโs Day, heart-shaped candy boxes were available to purchase for roughly 40 cents each (times have sure changed). These boxes came in an array of pretty-colored designs and were filled with chocolate drops.
Quandary: If love is blindโฆ. Why is lingerie so popular?
Other vintage well-known Valentineโs Day chocolatiers included: Russell Stover (originally called โMrs. Stoverโs Bungalow Candiesโ in 1923), Whitman, Fanny May, Brach, Schrafftโs and Seeโs.
These vintage mid-1900โs fancy, heart-shaped chocolate candy boxes, can be quite collectible.
Search for- the 1940s-โ50s larger-sized heart boxes; their condition, and manufacturing materials used (silk). All important factors for determining their values.
โAll you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesnโt hurt.โโCharles M. Schulz (Cartoonist & Creator of the Peanuts comic strip)
Have a Happy Valentineโs Day!
For more Collectable and Memorabilia know-how from contributor Patty Penke check out her bookย Stop Throwing Cash in the Trash: Your Guidebook to Finding Hidden Treasures and Transforming Them into Huge Profitsย and her blog vintagetrasureandmore.com