Candy Containers: Figural Glass and Novelty Confection Holders
Candy containers are figural glass, papier-mache, and composition novelty vessels originally sold filled with small candies, primarily from the 1870s through the 1960s. Produced mainly in the United States and Germany, these miniature objects took the form of everything from automobiles, locomotives, and telephones to animals, Santa Claus figures, and military items. Collected since the 1950s, glass candy containers in particular have developed a well-documented market with established reference numbering systems.
History and Manufacturers
American glass candy container production centered in Jeannette, Pennsylvania, where factories including the Victory Glass Company, J.H. Millstein, T.H. Stough, West Bros., and J.C. Crosetti made thousands of designs from the 1900s through the 1960s. German papier-mache containers dominated the market from the 1870s through World War I, especially seasonal figures for Christmas and Easter. The L.E. Smith Glass Company and Westmoreland Glass also contributed notable designs.
Types and Subjects
The range of candy container subjects is remarkably broad:
- Transportation: Automobiles, locomotives, airplanes, boats, buses, and trolley cars. The most popular collecting subcategory.
- Holiday: Santa Claus in numerous poses, Easter rabbits, turkeys, witches, and jack-o-lanterns. Holiday containers consistently bring the highest prices.
- Animals: Chickens, dogs, rabbits, elephants, and horses in various poses and sizes.
- Household objects: Telephones, clocks, lanterns, guns, and furniture in miniature.
- Military: Battleships, cannons, tanks, and soldiers, particularly from the WWI and WWII eras.
- Figures: Charlie Chaplin, Kewpie, Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, and various character figures.
Identification
Glass candy containers are cataloged using the Eikelberner & Agadjanian (E&A) numbering system or the older Long/Pitkin numbers. Key identification points include:
- Mold seam lines and closure types (tin slide, screw cap, cardboard plug)
- Original paint or lacquer decoration (most containers were painted after molding)
- Embossed markings on the base, though many are unmarked
- Closure type and base configuration distinguish similar designs from different makers
- German papier-mache examples often have a rougher texture and hand-applied features
Auction Price Ranges
| Container Type | Era | Typical Range |
|---|---|---|
| Glass automobile (common models) | 1920s-1940s | $30 - $100 |
| Glass locomotive (small, common) | 1910s-1930s | $25 - $75 |
| Glass airplane (Spirit of St. Louis type) | 1927-1930s | $150 - $600 |
| Glass telephone (candlestick type) | 1920s-1930s | $75 - $200 |
| Glass Santa Claus on chimney | 1920s-1940s | $200 - $800 |
| Glass battleship or military | 1910s-1940s | $100 - $400 |
| German papier-mache Santa | 1890s-1920s | $150 - $500 |
| Glass rabbit (Easter) | 1920s-1940s | $40 - $150 |
| Rare or unique figural (clock, lantern) | 1910s-1940s | $300 - $2,000+ |
| Glass chicken on nest | 1920s-1940s | $30 - $80 |
Condition Factors
Original paint is the single most critical value factor for glass candy containers. A container with 90%+ original paint can be worth five to ten times more than the same mold with no paint. Original closures (tin slides, screw caps) add significant value; containers missing closures are discounted 30-50%. Chips, especially to bases or rims, reduce value considerably. Reproductions exist for many popular forms -- check for modern mold characteristics, overly bright paint, and incorrect closure types.
Collecting Tips
- The standard reference is Eikelberner and Agadjanian's "American Glass Candy Containers," which assigns numbering used universally by dealers and auction houses
- Original paint condition is the primary value driver; learn to distinguish original factory paint from later repainting
- Holiday-themed containers (Santa, rabbits, witches, turkeys) consistently bring the strongest prices
- Transportation subjects (cars, planes, trains, boats) form the most popular collecting subcategory
- Reproductions of popular forms like the Lynne doll, Charlie Chaplin, and certain Santas are common; familiarize yourself with mold differences
- The Candy Container Collectors of America (CCCA) publishes a newsletter and hosts annual conventions for networking and sales