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Runkel's Cocoa Tin

National Museum of American History

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Object Details

Description
This large, rectangular container contains a multicolored design all over. The front has the name of the product as well as manufacturer and at one time held five pounds of powdered cocoa. The manufactuer, Runkel Brothers, was formed around 1870 in New York City, and remained in business until at least the early 1900s.
Chocolate had been known and treasured by Native Americans in Central and South America for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the first Spanish explorers in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Cacao beans were so highly prized by Mayans and Aztecs that they were used as currency in many areas of the Americas. When first taken back to Europe by the Spanish, the chocolate drink continued to be produced exclusively for the enjoyment of royalty or the extremely wealthy. As the cacao bean gradually made its presence known throughout Europe, it still remained trapped in this exclusive section of society well into the 19th century.
The chocolate trade to North America began more than 300 years ago, primarily centered in or near major port cities of the time, such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Newport, RI. Due to lower transportation costs, chocolate was often less expensive in the Americas than in Europe and therefore had a broader consumer base. The Industrial Revolution radically changed chocolate production and helped propel it into the hearts and stomachs of the working class. Instead of being a labor intensive product, it became entirely machine made reducing costs even further in the late 19th and early 20th century. During this time, chocolate went from being something a person drank to being something to eat, finally becoming a treat for the masses.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1990.0018.132
catalog number
1990.0018.132
accession number
1990.0018
Object Name
container, food
Physical Description
tin (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 8 1/4 in x 5 1/2 in; 20.955 cm x 13.97 cm
place made
United States: New York, New York
See more items in
Work and Industry: Food Technology
Food
Advertising
National Museum of American History
Record ID
nmah_1359890
Metadata Usage (text)
CC0
GUID (Link to Original Record)
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ac-f6bd-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

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