During the 19405, many children received delightful pieces such as these Knickerbocker Plastics. Some people were lucky enough to save these
pieces, and those who didn’t are often willing to pay $5O and more for a set of plastic bunnies that bring back warm memories from their child
hoods. Today the rabbit with cart manufactured by J. Chein and Company, USA, sells for $2OO or more depending on condition. The single brown
rabbit is German-made celluloid. Children removed the head to find the candy stored inside.
Childhood ’Revisited Through Foster Collectibles
LOU ANN GOOD
Food And Family
Features Editor
LITITZ (Lancaster Co.)
Chocolate candy and marshmal
low chicks bring squeals of de
light to children, but after the
chocolate disappears, little re
mains except sore tummies un-
Toy Sale yoek y\pil 27
YORK (York Co.) On article or newspaper coupon.
Sunday, April 27, more than Children under 14 years of
200 dealers and collectors will a g e are f ree when accompa
bring some of their finest dolls, nied with a parent . show
gj- g&Td .S™war; »”• ” Sunday, A P ri ' 10
ores, uarwes ana star ware 3 Early bird adnus
collectibles to the York 34th / n :
semi-annual Show and Sale at Sl °" f 9 ,s $1 ? ,f y° u
the York Fairgrounds, Rt. 74 want to *** the crowd -
S. off Rt. 30 at the Old Main Plenty of door prizes will be
Building. given away. For information,
To view and buy, admission call Ron Funk (R & S Enter
is $4 or $3.50 with this news prises) (717) 442-4279.
Lancaster FjM^ng
less the candy packaging was sell for hundreds of dollars.
saved.
Candy containers made of tin,
porcelain, celluloid, paper mache,
and even plastic are hot collecti
bles.
Many Easter-related collecti
bles that cost only a few pennies
when presented as gifts now
Cheap plastic chicks and bun-
nies delighted children who have
now reached adulthood and are
willing to pay top dollar to re
trieve childhood memorabilia.
The tradition of incorporating
bunnies, chicks, eggs, and candy
into Easter celebrations started
long ago. These items were used
in festivals that welcomed spring
time.
The ancient Persians are
thought to have presented eggs,
which were scarce at the time, as
gifts during the spring to symbol
ize new life. As eggs became more
plentiful, people began to color
them with bright colors to signify
the end of a long, cold winter.
In 325 A.D., the first Sunday
after the full moon appearing on
or after March 21 was set aside to
celebrate Easter. Over the years,
Easter celebrations adapted some
of the spring celebration festivi
ties.
The transition seemed natural.
Christians regarded the egg as a
sign of hope and resurrection.
Just as Jesus came forth from the
tomb and offers new life, new life
breaks forth from the egg.
It is said that Dutch settlers in
Pennsylvania and New York
were responsible for introducing
the custom of coloring eggs for
Easter. Easter was a time of great
merriment, and Peter Stuyvesant,
the popular Dutch governor of
New Amsterdam, was a great
promoter of Easter festivities.
Egg rolls for children were cus
tomary on our nation’s capitol
grounds even before 1809.
In the 19th century, German
candy factories began producing
chocolate rabbits, eggs, chickens,
and other sweet confectioners.
Many of these were packaged in
tin and celluloid containers.
According to Pamela Wiggins,
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, April 19, 2003-B2i
To the delight of children and adults, this tin rabbit still
cranks out the tune, “Here Comes Peter Cottontail.” It
was made by Mattel Inc. between 1940-1950, and is high
ly collectible. Depending on condition, one of these rab
bits can fetch hundreds of dollars at auction.
who writes about Easter collecti- mainly manufactured after the
bles, pieces marked “German” 19305. Demand for these are
were generally produced before growing, including the plastic
1918. Items with a “German Re- market.
public” stamp date were pro- y° u f re looking for an Eas
duced between 1918-1933. The ter ' re,a ‘ e < 1 1 collectible, search for
most valuable Easter collectibles a S 3^' 0 ™ g,as K s °" n !
... j . made by Radko or by individual
were probably made in Germany, ar fj s t s
but toy rabbits candy containers, And> if your chocolate
and porcelain figurines were also comes in cute containers save
produced by other countries and them. If trends continue, values
by Japan after the mid-19305. will surge by the time today’s
Pieces marked USA were children become adults.
!5