This steel lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1964. The lunch box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible red, plastic handle. The lunch box features imagery from the television show Wagon Train, which ran from 1957-1962 on NBC and from 1962-1965 on ABC.
This tin lunch box was made by Aladdin in 1966. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, dark brown plastic handle. The box has colorful action scenes from Zorro on the lid, back and sides. There is a "Safety First" message printed in black on the interior of the lid. This artwork is from the Disney version of Zorro that ran from 1957-1959 on ABC.
This domed, tin lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1960. The lunch box has two metal snaps for a hinged lid and a collapsible red plastic handle. The lunch box is covered with images of space scenes, including lunar exploration, satellites, and spaceships.
This steel lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1972. The lunch box has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible brown, plastic handle. The exterior features scenes from the television series Gunsmoke on the lid and bottom. Gunsmoke was a radio show from 1952-1961, and ran from 1955-1975 on CBS, and remains the United States' longest-running prime time, live-action hour long drama with 635 episodes.
This steel lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1973. This lunch box has images that are based on Jonathan Livingston Seagull, a 1970 novel by Richard Bach. Jonathan Livingston Seagull was a very popular book in the United Sates, and it spent 38 weeks on top of the New York Times Bestseller list. The box features a blue and white design depicting white seagulls flying over a rugged ocean coastline.
This tin lunch box was manufactured by Cheinco in 1948. The box has a removable lid and two blue and brown, hinged metal handles. The box features colorful action scenes and portrait drawings from the cartoon series, "Joe Palooka," on the lid and sides. The lid describes the box as a “Joe Palooka Lunch Kit.” Joe Palooka was created in 1930 by Ham Fisher, and ran as a strip until 1984. Joe Palooka was also made into a radio series, feature films, shots, and television series.
This aluminum metal, dome lunch box was made by Thermos in the 1940s. The box has a steel handle, two snap closures, and vent holes. The box has a star stamped on the side of the lid. This box is typical of the metal domed boxes that were used before licensed boxes became commonplace.
This tin lunch box was made by Thermos in 1977. The box has a red plastic snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible red, plastic handle. The box has art from the movie Star Wars. The lid and sides are a starry black background, and the lid has an image of a TIE Fighter shooting at an X-Wing. The back shows Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, and C3P0 in their landspeeder being stopped by storm troopers heading into Mos Eisley.
This hard plastic lunch box was made by Aladdin in 1993. It has a plastic snap for hinged lid and hinged plastic carrying handle. The box is a sparkling blue with an image of Aladdin first freeing the Genie from his lamp in the 1992 Disney movie Aladdin on the lid. Concerned mothers feared metal lunch boxes could be used as playground weapons, so metal boxes stopped being manufactured in 1985. As such, this box was made from plastic, and its image is papered on.
This domed, steel, lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1958. The lunch box has two metal snaps for a hinged lid and a collapsible red, plastic handle. The exterior design is a red, white and black tartan design.
This tin lunch box was made by Aladdin in 1965. It has a metal snap for a hinged lid and a collapsible, blue plastic handle. The box features an image of Annie Oakley firing her revolver while riding a bucking horse on the lid and back. Drawings of a gun belt with ammunition are depicted on the sides. Annie Oakley was known as the surest shot in the Wild West, and toured with Buffalo Bill, and this television show fictionalized her life with her brother, Tagg.
This insulated soft fabric lunch box was made by Aladdin in 1996. It has two red fabric carrying handles and red closing zipper for lid. The box has a purple background with colorful dots, and cartoon images of Pinky and the Brain. Pinky and the Brain was an animated cartoon that was originally part of Animaniacs on The WB, and it ran from 1995-2001. Because of the fear of kids using metal lunch boxes as weapons, many lunch boxes during the 90’s were made of insulated fabric like this box.
This top-opening square metal lunch box was made by Aladdin Industries in 1958. It has a metal snap for hinged lid and a hinged peach plastic handle. The lunch box has a peach and beige faux basket weave pattern lithographed on exterior, while the interior has white butterfly pattern on peach field.
This metal dome lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1959. The front of the box depicts Porky Pig’s lunch wagon serving food to other Looney Toons characters like Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, and Elmer Fudd. The bottom of the box shows Bugs Bunny’s opening his own Burgers and Malts shop and stealing an enraged Porky’s Looney Toon customers by undercutting his price from a dime to a nickel.
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1983. The lunch box has a blue rim and animated scenes from the movie Star Wars: Return of the Jedi on all sides. Star Wars: Return of the Jedi was released in 1983 as the final film in the original Star Wars trilogy. The box features images of the half-constructed Death Star, a Star Destroyer, and Darth Vader’s face on one side, while the reverse side has a picture of Luke Skywalker and a Gamorrean guard.
This metal lunch box was manufactured by Thermos in 1969. The lunch box features imagery from Diahann Carroll’s hit TV series, Julia which aired from 1968-1971 on NBC. Julia was applauded for its depiction of African-American life in a suburban setting, and this lunch box is notable for being the first depiction of a black woman on a lunch box.
This tin-plated iron lunch box was patented in 1871 by Charles C. Moore. The box folds in flat on itself. The lunch box has a black and red plaid exterior, and the top is adorned with the text “Moore’s Patented Folding Lunch Box.” About three inches tall in its box form; it collapses down to less than half an inch when folded.
This metal lunchbox was manufactured by Thermos in 1972. The lunch box has a color photo illustration of Bobby Sherman on the front and a biography on the back. This lunch box is an interesting example of marketing a teenage heartthrob to young girls. The lunch box is covered with hearts, and Bobby’s vital stats are listed so his adoring fans could get to know him better.
This steel lunch box was manufactured by Aladdin Industries in 1959. This lunch box features images of Steve Canyon, which was created by Milton Caniff as a comic strip and ran from 1947-1988. Steve Canyon served as an Air Force pilot for much of the strip, and the lunch box has images of several Air Force airplanes on the exterior.