Offering a pair of Kingan's Indiana Brand lard tin cans, one can in the
4 lb. size and the other originally holding 8 lbs. of lard. Both cans
have the same plaid-type advertising design, with mustard yellow and
red sections that are respectively decorated with deep, midnight blue
and yellow lettering as follows: Kingan's Indiana Brand Net Weight
4 [8] pounds Guaranteed Pure Lard Kingan & Co., General
Offices, Indianapolis, Ind. The backs are solid yellow.
Both tins
are in generally good condition, with a peppering of wear to the lids,
a couple of small dents to the lid of the large can, and a few rubs and
scratches to the outer surface of both can sides.
I speculate
these date to the 1940s. Doing a bit of research on Kingan & Co.,
it appears the company may have opened its doors in the early-1840s
(although the underside of both cans are embossed "Estab 72", which, to
me, seems to suggest an establishment date of 1872, a date that may
relate more to the lard production). According to a March 1952 issue of
Time magazine, "[i]n 1950, Indianapolis' 107-year-old Kingan & Co.,
Inc. was the seventh largest meat-packing firm in the U.S.", yet
"Kingan went into the red the last two quarters of 1951." I have found
no more recent publications on the company's success or struggles, so
speculate it met its demise sometime in the early/mid 1950s.
A great pair of old advertising tins for the health-conscious collector!
