The Joy of Collecting Tins

Why Tins?

My advice? Always collect what you love.

Some collectors search for rarity, pristine condition or investment pieces. I have always been drawn to things with a little more history attached to them. A dented corner. A faded label. Scratches and even rust earned through years of use.

Tins fall firmly into that category.

I didn't set out to collect them. Much like my bowl collection, they simply appeared. While living in France, I would come across them regularly at brocantes and vide greniers. Cocoa tins, biscuit tins, sweet tins and tea caddies, often tucked away in kitchen boxes or sitting beneath tables waiting to be noticed.

Some came home with me because of their colours, others because of the typography. Sometimes it was simply because they made me smile.

Now that I'm back in the UK, I still find myself drawn to them. They appear at markets, boot fairs and house clearances, often mixed in amongst kitchenalia and household objects I found this beauty the other day, It was full of nuts and bolts. I emptied it and home it came with me.

What to Look For

Graphics & Typography

Old tins often feature beautiful lettering and illustrations that would be expensive to reproduce today. Bold colours, hand-drawn lettering and charming advertising artwork are all part of the appeal.

Signs of Age

Small dents, worn paint and faded surfaces are often what make a tin interesting. These objects were designed to be used.

Colour

Some collectors focus on a particular palette. I find myself drawn to cheerful colours, floral designs and tins that brighten a shelf or cupboard.

Original Lids

A surviving lid is always a bonus, especially if it still fits snugly after decades of use.

Personality

Perhaps the most important thing. Some tins simply have presence. Trust your instinct.

Where to Find Them

Brocantes & Flea Markets

Many of my favourites came from France, often discovered amongst boxes of kitchenware and household items.

Car Boot Sales

One of the best places to find overlooked tins. Don't be afraid to rummage.

Charity Shops

Less predictable, but occasionally rewarding.

House Clearances

Often a good source of practical kitchen tins that have been used and loved for generations.

Online

Search widely and don't be too specific. Sometimes the best finds are hidden under vague descriptions.

Living With Tins

What I love most is that they continue to be useful.

A cocoa tin becomes a vase for flowers. A biscuit tin stores sewing threads. A sweet tin holds postcards, ribbons or old photographs.

Unlike many collectibles, they earn their place in a home.

I use mine every day. Some hold flowers, some store odds and ends, others simply sit on shelves bringing colour to a room. A few have dents and scratches. Some have rust spots around the lid. None of it bothers me.

In fact, I rather like it.

So if you're thinking about starting a collection, don't worry about perfection. Let your tins find you. Choose the ones that make you smile, the ones you can't quite leave behind.

Because the joy of collecting tins isn't really about the tins themselves.

It's about the pleasure of giving ordinary objects a second life.