If you have difficulty identifying the can later on, bring these pictures to an antique professional, or upload them to a well-informed message board on an antique collecting website.
Some milk companies are more well-known than others, and come from different eras of history. For instance, if your milk can belongs to the Union Dairy Company, you can date the can somewhere between the early 1900s and 1980s. [4] X Research source Some milk can labels will come with a visible mascot or logo. Keep this in mind when you look up your label online.
In many cases, these phone numbers will appear hyphenated on the label. Older phone numbers didn’t use area codes, which is why these company numbers are so short.
Not all labels are incredibly exact. Even if the label indicates that the can was made during a certain year, there’s a chance that the company could’ve manufactured the can in an earlier year.
Over the years, labeling requirements became more specific. For instance, after 1920, manufacturers had to include “salt added” and “sugar added” on their labels whenever necessary. Manufacturers have used the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval since 1910.
British milk cans used the “Reg. ,” “Rd,” or “Registered” label to indicate copyright around 1884.
The same logic applies to ink and paint used on milk can labels. If the detail work was applied in thick layers, the milk can was probably made in the 1930s or 40s.
This isn’t the most exact way to date a milk can. If the label is in good condition, try using the brand and copyright info to more accurately date your can. If the label feels embossed in any way, the can was likely made sometime after 1890.
Since grooves and solder marks made the milk transportation less sanitary, the milk transport companies updated the milk can model.
These cans are named for their resemblance to old-time milk churns. Since these cans are so bulky and large, you might find them difficult to carry.
