I found this tiny tobacco tin at the thrift store today. It was just being put out for sale. When I picked it up I could hear something rattling around inside but the lid wouldn't open so I just bought it.
When I got it home I pried the lid open and discovered a child's collection of treasures. A piece of Monopoly money dated 1936, a tiny playing card (2 of spades?) and a handful of marbles. The big shooter marble feels really light and I think it might be clay.
I don't know why this beautiful, tiny collection makes me feel sad. I wonder about the child that it belonged to, did they simply outgrow it or did they lose it?
I'm not going to try to clean anything, they all went back into the tin and the tin will be put in my curiosity cabinet with a little note as to where it came from.
I did pick up a couple of other things; a vintage souvenir "birchbark" drum from the Deer Park, a tiny Jadeite bowl and a rectangular wicker basket that I think will fit perfectly on the rack on my bicycle. Total spent $3.75.
In the 50s bandaids came in tin boxes with hinged lid. I remember burying several bits of 'important stuff' over the years in our yards, drew up maps to the 'treasures', maps which then were lost to time. I'm sure those little tins have long ago rusted to dust. But, in my memory, they are there, still yet to be found.
ReplyDeleteThat's such a sweet story. I hope they're still out there somewhere, or another kid found them.
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