Vintage tin by Van Melle with an image of horses and jockeys

Vintage tin by Van Melle with an image of horses and jockeys.

• Manufacturer: Van Melle Rotterdam
• Date of manufacture: 1950s / 1960s

Description
Rectangular vintage tin with a hinged lid. The decoration of this tin consists of a white background with a drawing of two jockeys on horseback on the lid. The scene is set up as a racing scene with a white and a black horse. The riders, or jockeys, are dressed in an orange / red outfit.

The sides of the tin show the same decorative image, but executed in black and white.

Silver-coloured interior and bottom. The bottom is marked with the Van Melle logo.

Condition
This tin is in a good vintage condition with traces of use and age-related traces of wear. Pictures are part of the description.

Size

• Height: 9 cm.
• Length: 25.5 cm.
• Width: 17 cm.

Van Melle started around 1840 as a bakery in Breskens. This one also sold sugar balls. In 1900 Izaak van Melle also started to produce these mechanically. Around 1920, Izaak's brother Dirk-Machiel started a factory for biscuits and waffles, including the Mariakaakje. The following rhyme was used for sale:

Mothers! Do you still have young children?
Provides Van Melle's biscuits in the cupboard.
But shut them away. Because only that can prevent it.
That you surprise your children when they eat sweets.

Recipes were sought internationally and from 1926 toffees were made, as well as the fruit caramel and peppermint caramel that were introduced from Poland. These candies are still popular worldwide under the names Fruittella and Mentos.

The company found markets far beyond its borders and in 1935 the first company plane in the Netherlands, the Dubbel Arend, was purchased. However, on September 11, 1944, Breskens was heavily bombed by the Allies, whereby the factory was also destroyed. In 1946 production was restarted in Rotterdam.

Some translations come from an automated system and may contain errors.