One of the more interesting surprises is how antiques come alive in old newspapers. One article from 1878 gives a brief description of an anniversary party where forty “friends and neighbors” descended, unannounced, on a couple on their tenth wedding anniversary. Thankfully, the guests brought refreshments with them! And they also brought the traditional 10th anniversary gifts made of tin.

Only twice in thirty years of auction going have I seen examples of these tin gifts: a man’s hat and a huge shoe. Some antiques guides mention this custom but I still have wondered how true this was. Well here it is in a newspaper article contemporaneous with the custom.

This sent me to the Internet where I found an excellent undated article from the Chicago Tribune: “There was a time when 10th wedding anniversaries were celebrated with a great deal of spirit and sentiment, and tinkers and tinsmiths were employed to create all sorts of whimsical and wonderful things made of tin as presents to commemorate the event—for it is tin that represents 10 years of wedded bliss.”

These folksy tin items ranged from top hats to tin slippers and household items made to “look” like a familiar object but not durable enough to function as such. Items were anywhere from miniature to huge in size. Celebrations probably varied from one part of the country to another but the basic formula seems to have been the creation of and giving of less than practical tin gifts.

Look for these impractical tin objects just about anywhere. The custom continued into the early 1900s and thus pieces must still be out there. Tenth Anniversary Ware falls under the heading of folk art and there are examples in the collection of the American Museum of Folk Art in New York.

Carol Bergeron
Antiques On Canaan St.
http://www.rubylane.com/shops/antiquesoncanaanst