Cocoa Tin Kraepelien & Holm, Eikel-Cacao, Zeist, Early 20th Century

An antique Dutch cocoa tin by Kraepelien & Holm of Zeist, dating from the early twentieth century. The small square tin has a relief lid stamped with the brand and product name: "Kraepelien & Holm, Eikel-Cacao, Zeist". Both the tin and the original lid are present and fit well together. The tin has a dark patina with clear signs of use, consistent with its age.

Kraepelien & Holm was a pharmaceutical and food company based in Zeist, active in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Eikel-Cacao was one of their products: a drink made from acorns, sold as a mild and wholesome alternative to cocoa or coffee, popular at the time as a dietary drink and for children. The relief on the lid, with the brand and product name stamped directly into the metal without further decoration, is characteristic of early industrial Dutch packaging culture. This small tin is a tangible remnant of a forgotten product category.