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Page 28 The Antique Shoppe March, 2019
MILK CANS – DOES ANYONE COLLECT THEM?

By Ian Spellerberg

After having spent several years collecting and studying milk cans from all were always ready for collection at the farm gate. For
around the world. I’ve discovered something rather worrying! On the positive many families, the arrival of the dairy truck was the
side, information about milk cans has been readily available. Many people highlight of the day because it also brought news, butter
from around the world have kindly sent me and items for farm
anecdotes about milk cans. I’ve obtained management.
photographs of milk cans from many sources I sense that
including retired milk men and women, there is much
retired dairy farm workers, museums, and nostalgia for
old trade catalogues. I have learnt a lot about milk cans. Why
the history, design and use of milk cans. is that? Perhaps
Indeed, I now have about 250 milk cans it’s because
from 20 different countries. Is that a world the humble
record? milk can was
What is worrying is that I’ve found at the centre
no other collectors of milk cans! I can’t of many family
understand why? I am hoping that through and community A reproduction of an ornamental
this Newspaper, I may find other people activities. brass milk can that would have
been displayed in a dairy shop
interested in the history, design and use Perhaps window. Twenty inches high.
of milk cans. By way contrast, other dairy memories of
collectables such as old milk bottles and old milk cans are associated with happy times
cream separators seem to be very collectable. on the farm when, compared to today, life
There are, for example, milk bottle clubs and A small part of Ian’s milk can collection was more simple and less rushed. Nostalgia
also cream separator clubs and societies around the world. for milk cans is expressed in a variety of ways. For example many people have
Milk cans should be valued for their heritage value! Of all old farmyard memories of groups of milk cans on early to mid-20th Century railway stations.
items, milk cans must be the most photographed and most commonly featured I remember the smell of steam and oil, the porters with barrows laden with
farmyard objects in drawings and paintings. You don’t see many paintings of suitcases, and of course groups of milk cans on the platform. It’s heart-warming
old milk bottles. I received some old photographs that seemed to show families to know that some keen people are returning restored milk cans to old railway
celebrating the arrival of their first milk can. Some people wrote about the stations. That’s a nostalgic reminder that railways were vital for the distribution
delivery of milk cans to the local dairy as being a particularly welcome social of food and agriculture products – as well as milk.
event. I’m told that Children had a part to play in ensuring that milk cans Continued on Page 30

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