Family & Social Life

Bennet Family Record

Donations to the Museum have preserved irreplaceable evidence about generations of ordinary Americans. Objects from the Copp household of Stonington, Connecticut, include many items used by a single family from 1740 to 1850. Other donations have brought treasured family artifacts from jewelry to prom gowns. These gifts and many others are all part of the Museum's family and social life collections.

Children's books and Sunday school lessons, tea sets and family portraits also mark the connections between members of a family and between families and the larger society. Prints, advertisements, and artifacts offer nostalgic or idealized images of family life and society in times past. And the collections include a few modern conveniences that have had profound effects on American families and social life, such as televisions, video games, and personal computers.

Topic: Lunch Boxes

The Flintstones

This metal, glass and plastic thermos bottle has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a red and gray, screw-on plastic stopper. This bottle is the companion to lunch box #2001.3100.09.01.
Description (Brief)
This metal, glass and plastic thermos bottle has a screw-on, red plastic cup lid and a red and gray, screw-on plastic stopper. This bottle is the companion to lunch box #2001.3100.09.01. The bottle features art from The Flintstones, of the Flintstone and Rubble family eating a picnic and their children playing with their dinosaur, Dino.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1962
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2001.3100.09.02
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.09.02

Submarine Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1960. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, red plastic handle. The art on the lunch box features images of four submarines on the back and sides.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1960. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, red plastic handle. The art on the lunch box features images of four submarines on the back and sides. The submarines are the USS Nautilus, Seawolf, Skipjack, and George Washington. The George Washington is shown firing an underwater missile, and there is a cross-section of the USS Nautilus on the bottom.
Date made
1960
maker
Thermos
American Thermos Bottle Company
ID Number
2001.3101.06.01
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.06.01

Trigger Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1957. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, metal handle. The box has a blue background, with an image of Roy Roger’s horse Trigger bucking on an open plain with mountains in the background.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1957. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, metal handle. The box has a blue background, with an image of Roy Roger’s horse Trigger bucking on an open plain with mountains in the background.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1957
maker
Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.10
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.10

Lost in Space Lunch Box

This metal dome lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1967. This lunch box features images from the television show Lost in Space, which ran from 1965-1968 on CBS.
Description (Brief)
This metal dome lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1967. This lunch box features images from the television show Lost in Space, which ran from 1965-1968 on CBS. Lost in Space was originally named Space Family Robinson, and was a futuristic take on the Swiss Family Robinson. The box features a colorful scene of the Robinsons in their vehicle, the Chariot, motoring over a beautifully drawn alien landscape and fighting an alien with their laser guns on the sides.
Date made
1967
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.19.01
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.19.01

Fat Albert Thermos

This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1973. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red, plastic stopper.
Description (Brief)
This square plastic thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1973. It has a red plastic, screw-on cup lid and a white and red, plastic stopper. The bottle is orange and has a portrait of Fat Albert from the television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids on the front of the thermos.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1973
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.03.02
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.03.02

The Green Hornet Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1967. The lunch box features imagery from the television series The Green Hornet on the lid, sides and back.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1967. The lunch box features imagery from the television series The Green Hornet on the lid, sides and back. The Green Hornet was originally created as a radio program in the 1930s, but existed as film serials, comic book series, and a television show that this lunch box was based on. The show ran for one season in 1966, and starred Van Williams as the crime-fighting Green Hornet, and Bruce Lee as his sidekick Kato.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1967
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.06.01
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.06.01

Gene Autry Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Aladdin Industries in 1954. It features a picture of Gene Autry riding a bucking horse, and the back of the box features a tan and white design to resemble a cowhide.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Aladdin Industries in 1954. It features a picture of Gene Autry riding a bucking horse, and the back of the box features a tan and white design to resemble a cowhide. Autry was known as “The Singing Cowboy,” performing in radio, movies, and television from the 1930s to 1960s, becoming most famous for such songs as “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” and “Frosty the Snowman.”
Date made
1954
depicted
Autry, Gene
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2001.3100.10
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.10

Yellow Submarine Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1968. The box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, yellow plastic handle. The box has a pink and yellow background on the front and back, and an orange rim.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1968. The box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, yellow plastic handle. The box has a pink and yellow background on the front and back, and an orange rim. The front and back of the lunch box has colorful drawings of the members of The Beatles from the animated feature, "Yellow Submarine.”
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1968
depicted
Beatles
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.07
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.07

Ludwig Von Drake Lunch Box

This steel lunch box was made by Aladdin in 1961. It has a metal snap for hinged lid and collapsible white plastic handle. The lunch box features cartoon images of Ludwig Von Drake at Disneyland on all external surfaces.
Description (Brief)
This steel lunch box was made by Aladdin in 1961. It has a metal snap for hinged lid and collapsible white plastic handle. The lunch box features cartoon images of Ludwig Von Drake at Disneyland on all external surfaces. Ludwig von Drake was introduced as a Disney character in 1961, as part of the first show of Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1961
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2003.3070.10.01
nonaccession number
2003.3070
catalog number
2003.3070.10.01

Mod Tulip Lunch Box

This lunch box is a domed, tin lunch box with two metal snaps for a hinged lid and a collapsible beige plastic handle. The box has a colorful floral design over a black background.
Description (Brief)
This lunch box is a domed, tin lunch box with two metal snaps for a hinged lid and a collapsible beige plastic handle. The box has a colorful floral design over a black background.
Date made
1962
maker
Ohio Art Company
ID Number
2001.3100.07
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.07

Space Cadet Thermos

This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1952. The bottle has a yellow plastic, screw-on lid and a brown cork stopper.
Description (Brief)
This tin, plastic and glass thermos bottle was made by Aladdin Industries in 1952. The bottle has a yellow plastic, screw-on lid and a brown cork stopper. The bottle has a black background with colorful space action drawings from the television series Tom Corbett Space Cadet on the side. The bottle is the companion piece to lunch box #2001.3101.02.01.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1952
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2001.3101.02.02
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.02.02

UFO Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1973. The lunch box has a blue rim and animated scenes of space life and travel on all sides. Due to the success of NASA and the popularity of Star Wars and Star Trek, companies tried to use space images to sell their products.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1973. The lunch box has a blue rim and animated scenes of space life and travel on all sides. Due to the success of NASA and the popularity of Star Wars and Star Trek, companies tried to use space images to sell their products. This is an example of Thermos using generic “UFO” images to sell their lunch boxes.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1973
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.11
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.11

Op-Art Lunch Box

This domed steel lunch box is a conceptual design by Aladdin Industries in 1968 that was never manufactured. It has two metal snaps for a hinged dome lid and collapsible yellow plastic handle.
Description (Brief)
This domed steel lunch box is a conceptual design by Aladdin Industries in 1968 that was never manufactured. It has two metal snaps for a hinged dome lid and collapsible yellow plastic handle. The box has an undulating orange, yellow and blue checkerboard pattern that is made of vinyl and taped to bread loaf lunch box (see 2001.3101.16).
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1968
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2003.3070.24
nonaccession number
2003.3070
catalog number
2003.3070.24

Blue Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made in the 1940s , and has a metal snap for hinged lid and a collapsible silver handle. There is a plain blue and gray design on the exterior.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made in the 1940s , and has a metal snap for hinged lid and a collapsible silver handle. There is a plain blue and gray design on the exterior.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1940s
ID Number
2001.3099.03
nonaccession number
2001.3099
catalog number
2001.3099.03

Tom Corbett, Space Cadet Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1954. As one of the earliest metal lunch boxes, it served as a template for future designs with large colorful images of licensed fictional characters.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1954. As one of the earliest metal lunch boxes, it served as a template for future designs with large colorful images of licensed fictional characters. This box features images from Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, a television show that aired on all four major networks from 1950-1955. Tom Corbett, Space Cadet also appeared as a book series, comic strip, and radio program.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1954
1952
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2001.3101.02.01
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.02.01

Disco Fever Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1980. It features a blue plastic snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible blue plastic handle.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1980. It features a blue plastic snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible blue plastic handle. The box is titled “Disco Fever” and is red and blue overall, and features images of disco dancers dancing in a dance hall on the front side, and the back side is dancers dancing in a dance hall wearing roller skates.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1980
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.05.01
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.05.01

Bee Gees Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1978. The lunch box depicts the three Bee Gees on front lid, Robin Gibb on the rear panel, and various song titles are written on the side.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1978. The lunch box depicts the three Bee Gees on front lid, Robin Gibb on the rear panel, and various song titles are written on the side. The Bee Gees mainly consisted of the brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, and each one had their own lunch box. The Bee Gees first achieved international fame in the 1960s as a rock group, but the height of their success occurred in the late 1970s, with their soundtrack to the hit movie Saturday Night Fever becoming one of the best selling soundtracks of all time.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1978
maker
Aladdin Industries
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3099.01
nonaccession number
2001.3099
catalog number
2001.3099.01

Barbie Lunch Box

Barbie was originally invented in 1959 by Ruth Handler, and the Mattel Corporation has sold over a billion Barbie dolls world wide since that time.
Description (Brief)
Barbie was originally invented in 1959 by Ruth Handler, and the Mattel Corporation has sold over a billion Barbie dolls world wide since that time.
Date made
1962
maker
American Thermos Bottle Company
ID Number
2004.3009.22.01
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.22.01

Battle Kit Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1965. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, olive green plastic handle. The lunch box is entitled “BATTLE KIT” and shows action scenes of soldiers in a jungle setting on the front, back, and sides.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1965. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, olive green plastic handle. The lunch box is entitled “BATTLE KIT” and shows action scenes of soldiers in a jungle setting on the front, back, and sides.
Date made
1965
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3101.04.01
nonaccession number
2001.3101
catalog number
2001.3101.04.01

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1966. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible black, plastic handle. The box has a yellow and red design with colorful action drawings from the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on the lid, sides and back.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1966. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible black, plastic handle. The box has a yellow and red design with colorful action drawings from the television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. on the lid, sides and back. The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ran from 1964-1968 on NBC, and focused on the espionage activities of two agents from the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement.
Date made
1966
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.12.01
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.12.01

GI Joe Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1967. The box has a collapsible plastic handle and one metal snap. The lunch box features GI Joe, a toy action hero produced by Hasbro since 1964.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was made by Thermos in 1967. The box has a collapsible plastic handle and one metal snap. The lunch box features GI Joe, a toy action hero produced by Hasbro since 1964. Each side features a member of the Armed Forces, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines heroically performing their duty in action packed images. This box would have been made in the thick of the Vietnam War era, which is where the action seems located.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1967
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.33
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.33

Get Smart Lunch Box

This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1966. The box features artwork from the television series Get Smart on the lid, back and sides. Get Smart ran from 1965-1970, the first four years on NBC, and the last on CBS.
Description (Brief)
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1966. The box features artwork from the television series Get Smart on the lid, back and sides. Get Smart ran from 1965-1970, the first four years on NBC, and the last on CBS. It featured the adventures of Maxwell Smart as the bumbling Agent 86, and his female companion Agent 99. Created by Mel Brooks, Get Smart was a satiric take on the spy genre, poking fun at popular spy shows and movies like James Bond and The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Date made
1966
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2001.3100.03.01
nonaccession number
2001.3100
catalog number
2001.3100.03.01

King Kong Lunch Box

This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1977. The lunch box has color images of the 1976 movie remake of King Kong.
Description (Brief)
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1977. The lunch box has color images of the 1976 movie remake of King Kong. The front side features King Kong straddling the twin towers of the World Trade Center, swatting at planes and helicopters attacking him.
King Kong is an enormous monster, resembling an ape, that first appeared in the RKO Picture's 1933 film, King Kong. This monster is one of the most famous movie icons and is continually reimagined through countless films.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1977
maker
King Seeley Thermos
ID Number
2004.3009.09
nonaccession number
2004.3009
catalog number
2004.3009.09

Huckleberry Hound Lunch Box

This steel lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1961. The lunch box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible black, plastic handle. The exterior features colorful scenes and characters from the television cartoon series, Huckleberry Hound and Friends.
Description (Brief)
This steel lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1961. The lunch box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible black, plastic handle. The exterior features colorful scenes and characters from the television cartoon series, Huckleberry Hound and Friends. Huckleberry Hound and Friends was a Hanna-Barbera produced syndicated cartoon show that ran from 1958-1962.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1961
maker
Aladdin
ID Number
2001.3087.10
nonaccession number
2001.3087
catalog number
2001.3087.10

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