Cookie Tin, Spécialités de Lorraine, France, Mid-20th Century

A French lithographic tin printed with the legend Spécialités de Lorraine, dating from the mid-twentieth century. The cream-yellow ground is decorated with classic French lettering and the historic Cross of Lorraine, set against floral motifs. The interior is bare metal and the lid closes well; the exterior shows clear signs of use and an honest patina.

This type of lithographic tin was part of the French patisserie and biscuit tradition, in which the packaging was designed with as much care as the contents. The Lorraine region carried its own visual identity, worn proudly on labels and tins. Tins like this have long since ceased to be packaging and become objects in their own right, sought after by collectors of French kitchen and advertising ephemera.