TIN, ‘WATKINS/ NUTMEG’

Small, rectangular with rounded edges, tall, mustard yellow with dark green central stripe and border, metal, ‘WATKINS/ NUTMEG’, nutmeg inside, tin. Front of tin reads; ‘WATKINS/ NUTMEG/ Purest Ground Spices [written in cursive]/ TRADE MARK/ J.R.Watkins/ 4 OUNCES NETT WEIGHT/ THE J.R. WATKINS CO./ Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney,/ Perth, Brisbane.’ Stylised image of man in profile in centre of tin, between ‘TRADE MARK’. Side reads; ‘WATKINS/ NUTMEG/ THE PICK OF THE WORLD’S/ MARKETS – FIRST QUALITY RAW/ SPRICES FULL OF THE NATURAL/ OILS, MILLED BY IMPROVED/ MANUFACTURING PROCESSES [written sideways along tin]/ MADE IN AUSTRALIA/ J.R. WATKINS CO.’ Reverse of tin reads; ‘WATKINS/ NUTMEG/ The Best in Spices [written in cursive]/ WATKINS PURE GROUND SPICES/ AND WATKINS VANILLA ESSENCE/ WON HIGHEST AWARDS AT THE/ INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION, PARIS.’/ 4 OUNCES NETT WRIGHT/ THE J.R. WATKINS CO./ Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney,/ Perth, Brisbane.’ Central double circular motif, containing wreath surrounded crest to the left, and female figure to the right. Other side of tin reads; WATKINS/ NUTMEG/ THAT SAME DIFFERENCE YOU/ HAVE NOTICED IN WATKINS/ SPICES AND ESSENCES IS/ PACKED INTO EVERY ONE OF/ THE DAILY-USED HOME/ NEEDS IN THE WATKINS LINE [written sideways along tin]/ MADE IN AUST./ J.R. WATKINS CO.’, text divided by tin seal running lengthways through text. Base is plain, slightly gold coloured metal, with raised bottom form edge rim. Top has similar shape and colour, with central sunken sliding perforated hatch to shake out contents. Metal rusted, hatch mechanism no longer slides, nutmeg remains in tin (although not full), label scratched and dirty, with some residue to sides. Tin still smells of spice.

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Collection

Stanwix Collection

History Collection

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