| During the 1950s and 1960s Disney lunch boxes | | | | Disney School Bus lunchbox which featured an |
| became some of the most desired items that an | | | | array of characters including Pluto, Dumbo, Jimmy |
| American school kid could ask for. However, it | | | | Cricket and last but not least Mickey Mouse |
| was much earlier - in 1935 - when the Geuder, | | | | himself. Unsurprisingly, these too have become |
| Paeschke and Frey company from Milkuakee, | | | | desirable items among collectors of vintage lunch |
| Wisconsin licensed the Mickey Mouse character, | | | | boxes and command prices in the $300-$500 |
| that Disney's association with tin lunch boxes was | | | | range depending on condition. Upon original release |
| born. This particular box came without an | | | | Universal sold around 9 million of them priced at |
| accompanying vacuum bottle but did have an | | | | $2.69 each. This makes them the biggest seller of |
| attractive slide-out tray and carrying handle. Seen | | | | all time. |
| as collectibles, these boxes now fetch several | | | | Following this massive success the history of |
| thousands of dollars at auction. | | | | Disney lunch boxes could only really take a |
| By the mid 1950s Disney was actively capitalizing | | | | downward path. There were 450 unique designs |
| on merchandise and had licensed hundreds of | | | | produced from 1950 to 1985 mainly from the "big |
| items. In 1956 the Aladdin Company - which had | | | | 3" manufacturers of Thermos, Aladdin and Ohio |
| previously seen huge success with its Hopalong | | | | Art. For collectors there are many other |
| Cassidy lunchbox - started designing and | | | | non-Disney pieces which hold greater interest |
| manufacturing boxes for Disney. During this period | | | | during this period and for Disney themselves |
| Aladdin enjoyed considerable success, especially | | | | other items of merchandise became more |
| when rival Adco ceased production after a series | | | | lucrative. |
| of lawsuits with Disney. | | | | That said Disney really did play a huge part in |
| Due to the high cost of licensing, Aladdin also | | | | "front running" the lunch box market in 1935 and if |
| diversified by introducing generic lithographed | | | | anything it is perhaps surprising - even accounting |
| images on different shaped boxes and this gave | | | | for the Second World War - that it took a further |
| rise to the now famous dome shaped design. The | | | | 15 years for the craze to really take off. |
| most notable of these is, without doubt, the Walt | | | | |