Old Lunch Boxes

OVAL LUNCH BOXES CLICK Here to VIEW OLD SQUARE SHAPED LUNCH BOXES

Here is a list and images of different Old Lunch Boxes that were produced sometime in the early 1930’s – 1940′. This page has mostly Oval lunch boxes. To view the old vintage square or rectangle lunch boxes click here. Most old tin lunch boxes are scarce with some of them being very rare.

Tin Lunchbox w/ 40 College Pennants

Name of Lunch Box: College Pennants Lunchbox with
Year: 1940’s-1950’s
Made By: Ohio Art

Shape: Oval

Description: One of the more common boxes from the Oval shaped lunch boxes but still neat since it is from the 40’s or 50’s.

“Pennants” Notre Dame Stanford

Name of Lunch Box: “Pennants” Notre Dame Stanford
Year: 1950-1954
Made By: Ohio Art

Sports Lunch Pail With Lid

Name of Lunch Box: Sports Lunch Pail With Lid
Year: 1933
Made By: Ohio Art

Approx. 8 1/2″ long x 3 3/4″ tall x 5 1/2″ wide

Decoware Traincar Lunch Box Pail

Name of Lunch Box: Decoware Traincar Lunch Box Pail
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Ohio Art

Measures 3 1/2″ tall by 8 1/4″ and 5 1/2″

Red Tin Folk Art Amish Design Box

Name of Lunch Box: Red Tin Folk Art Amish Design Box
Year: 1940’s
Made By: Unknown

Tin Lithographed Lunch Box Pail Two Handles

Name of Lunch Box: Tin Lithographed Lunch Box Pail Two Handles
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Ohio Art

Double Handled Painted Oval Tin Lunchbox

Name of Lunch Box: Double Handled Painted Oval Tin Lunchbox
Year: 1910’s-1920’s
Made By: Unknown

History of Flight Lunch Pail

Name of Lunch Box: History of Flight Lunch Pail
Year: 1910’s-1930’s
Made By: Unknown

Plaid Tin Lunchbox

Name of Lunch Box: Plaid Tin Lunchbox
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Ohio Art

Name of Lunch Box: Aviation Metal Lunchbox Airplanes TWA Green Litho
Year: 1920’s-1930’s
Made By: Unknown

Old Metal Lunch Box Queen Elisabeth 2

Name of Lunch Box: Old Metal Lunch Box Queen Elisabeth 2
Year: 1950’s
Made By: Unknown

Tin Lunch Box Children at Play Rolling The Hoop See Saw

Name of Lunch Box: Tin Lunch Box Children at Play Rolling The Hoop See Saw
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Unknown

Red Scotch Plaid Small Picnic Basket Tin Lunch Box

Name of Lunch Box: Red Scotch Plaid Small Picnic Basket Tin Lunch Box
Year: 1960’s
Made By: Unknown

Name of Lunch Box: Children’s Lunch Tin, Early

Year: 1900’s

Made By: Unknown

Name of Lunch Box: Green Gingham Plaid Vented Oval Tin Metal Lunch Box w/Tray
Year: 1940’s
Made By: Unknown

Name Of Lunch Box: Green Cream Plaid Tin Childrens Lunchbox
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Name Of Lunch Box: Red Cream Plaid Tin Childrens
Year: 1940’s
Made By: Unknown

Has double metal handles. Red lid with cream and red plaid body. Interior holds a metal tray which can be used for an eating surface or to hold a sandwich..

Measures 8.75 inches wide 5.25 inches deep and 4 inches high. Condition is Wonderful. Has no dents and no dings. Minor paint wear on lid. Small series of airholes on each side to keep food fresh. No manufacturer’s marking on the base.

Yellow & Black Plaid Oval Metal Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Yellow & Black Plaid Oval Metal Lunch Box
Year: 1960’s
Made By: Nesco

Oval Lunch Box Plaid Rare Unusual Shape

Name Of Lunch Box: Oval Lunch Box Plaid Rare Unusual Shape
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Childs Metal School Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Childs Metal School Lunch Box
Year: 1960’s
Made By: Unknown

Child’s Blue Tin Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Child’s Blue Tin Lunch Box
Year: 1960’s
Made By: Unknown

Metal Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Metal Lunch Box
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Early Lunch Box Tin

Name Of Lunch Box: Early Lunch Box Tin
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Tin Handled Chldren’s Red Lunch Box Pail With Lid

Name Of Lunch Box: Tin Handled Chldren’s Red Lunch Box Pail With Lid
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Tin Lunch Pail, Lunchbox, Western, Buffalo, Arrows, Indians, Texana

Name Of Lunch Box: Tin Lunch Pail, Lunchbox, Western, Buffalo, Arrows, Indians, Texana
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

The lunch pail measures 9 inches long. nearly 5 inches across and 3-5/8 inches high.

Child’s Metal School Lunch Box Western Cowboy

Name Of Lunch Box: Child’s Metal School Lunch Box Western Cowboy
Year: c 1930
Made By: Unknown

Tin Lunch Pail Box Train Litho

Name Of Lunch Box: Tin Lunch Pail Box Train Litho
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Lunch Box Snack Tin Dogs Collies Terriers Original Tray

Name Of Lunch Box: Lunch Box Snack Tin Dogs Collies Terriers Original Tray
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

It measures 8 inches long, 5 inches deep and 4 inches tall. There are no names or manufactures dates anywhere on the box.

Jump Rope Swing Stroller Vintage Lunch Box

Name of unch Box:Jump Rope Swing Stroller Vintage White Lunch Box
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

MEASURES 8.25″ WIDE AND 4″ TALL

Jump Rope Swing Stroller Yellow Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Jump Rope Swing Stroller Vintage Yellow Lunch Box
Year: 1920’s
Made By: Unknown

MEASURES 8.25″ WIDE AND 4″ TALL

It has little girls playing on all sides.

“Handy” Carry-All Metal Lunchbox / Lunch Pail

Name Of Lunch Box: “Handy” Carry-All Metal Lunchbox / Lunch Pail
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Unknown

Mickey Mouse Lunch Box Lunch Kit – Tin Handy – Disney

Name Of Lunch Box: Mickey Mouse Lunch Box Lunch Kit – Tin Handy – Disney
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Unknown

Child Pail Lunchbox

Name Of Lunch Box: Child Pail Lunchbox
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Early metal lunch pail with bail handles and upper tray. The lunchpail has vent holes on each side, original paint (pink) and it is in a good condition. The lunch pail measures 8 1/4 in. long, 5 1/4 in wide, and stands 4 1/4 in. high. The inner top tray could have been used as a plate, or just to separate food.

Tin Litho Metal Lunchbox Picnic Basket

Name Of Lunch Box: Tin Litho Metal Lunchbox Picnic Basket
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Tin Picnic Lunch Basket

Name Of Lunch Box: Tin Picnic Lunch Basket
Year: Unknown
Made By: Unknown

Red Tartan Plaid Tin Metal Lunch Box Picnic Basket

Name Of Lunch Box: Red Tartan Plaid Tin Metal Lunch Box Picnic Basket
Year: 1950’s
Made By: Unknown

1930’s Or 1940’s Girl’s Scout Tin Lunch Pail Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Girl’s Scout Tin Lunch Pail
Year: 1930’s-1940’s
Made By: Unknown

1930’s to 1940’s Metal Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Airplain Metal Lunch Box
Year: 1930’s-1940’s
Made By: Unknown

1930’s Summer Kids Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Summer Kids Lunch Box Tin
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Olive Can Chicago

1930’s Peter Rabbit Illustrator H. Cady Litho Candy Pail Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Peter Rabbit Illustrator H. Cady Litho Candy Pail Lunch Box
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Tindeco

Disney1930’s Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Belgiun

Name Of Lunch Box: Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs Belgiun Lunch Box
Year: 1930’s
Made By: Par Aut. Walt Disney Mickey Mouse P.A

1910-20’s Ladies Sports Lunchbox Tin

Name Of Lunch Box: Ladies Sports Lunchbox Tin
Year: 1910-20’s
Made By: Metal Packaging Co.

1930 Mickey Mouse Metal Lunch Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Mickey Mouse Metal Lunch Box
Year: 1930
Made By: Unknown

1940 Cat Dog Frog Lunch Box Pail Biscuit Tin

Name Of Lunch Box: Cat Dog Frog Lunch Box Pail Biscuit Tin
Year: 1940
Made By: Unknown

1940 Children Rooster Cock Fight Lunch Box Pail Biscuit Tin

Name Of Lunch Box: Children Rooster Cock Fight Lunch Box Pail Biscuit Tin
Year: 1940
Made By: Unknown

Lunch Storage Pencil School Box

Name Of Lunch Box: Lunch Storage Pencil School Box
Year: 1920’s-1930’s
Made By: Unknown

Measures 3 7/8″ x 6 1/8″ x 3 1/4″ Tall.

Uruguay Turism Lunchbox El Trigal

Name Of Lunch Box: Uruguay Turism Lunchbox El Trigal
Year: 1960
Made By: Unknown

101 Dalmatians Lunchbox

Name Of Lunch Box: Disney Metal Lunchbox 101 Dalmatians
Year: Unknown
Made By: Fabartel

Lunchbox From Chilean Comic Ogu & Mampato W/ Thermos Fabartel

Name Of Lunch Box: Metal Lunchbox From Chilean Comic Ogu & Mampato W/ Thermos Fabartel
Year: 1970
Made By: Unknown

Luggage Blue Tweed Jean Denim Theme w/ Metal Thermos

Name Of Lunch Box: Lunchbox Luggage Blue Tweed Jean Denim Theme w/ Metal Thermos
Year: 1957
Made By: Unknown

Green W/Silver Metal Tin Lunchbox Pail Kit

Name Of Lunch Box: Lunchbox Green W/Silver Metal Tin Lunchbox Pail Kit
Year: 1958
Made By: Unknown

1960’s Argentina Tin Litho Lunchbox Toys Dog Bear Ball Police & More

Name Of Lunch Box: Argentina Tin Litho Lunchbox Toys Dog Bear Ball Police & More
Year: 1960’s
Made By: Unknown

The online site for the National Museum of American History is chock full of cool historical stuff, from advertising to art to communications to just about anything having to do with the history of our great nation. When I stumbled on to a selection of lunch boxes, I was impressed with their wide-ranging collection, from the plain everyday workingman’s box (think construction worker, 1940s) to the fun and highly decorated tin boxes of mid-century America (think Gene Autry). Here’s a small display of the lunch boxes of our nation. All images courtesy of and copyright © the National Museum of American History.