Vintage “DELICAF” Dehydrated Coffee Tin probably from 2nd World War rationing

Vintage “DELICAF” Dehydrated Coffee Tin probably from 2nd World War rationing period. A very rare item ( national war museum have one ). Some age related wear but a fabulous collector piece or coffee shop display

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8 cm round

8 cm tall

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Vintage “DELICAF” Dehydrated Coffee Tin – Atomised Food Products Ltd, Welwyn Garden City (Herts) – Price 2/11

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A wonderfully nostalgic original vintage British coffee tin for Delicaf — a charming piece of mid-century packaging featuring bold typography, rich chocolate-brown colouring and a striking yellow banner slogan: “Coffee made in the cup.”

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This tin would once have held dehydrated coffee with the addition of lactose (net weight 4oz) and still carries its delightful printed preparation panel and the original printed price: 2/11 (two shillings and eleven pence). A fantastic find for collectors of retro kitchenalia, ration-era food brands, coffee memorabilia and advertising tins.

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Perfect today as a decorative display piece, prop styling item, or quirky storage tin for small desk bits (pins, matches, buttons, paperclips, etc.).

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Details

Brand: Delicaf

Product: Dehydrated coffee (with lactose)

Net weight: 4oz

Printed maker / company: Atomised Food Products Ltd

Location: Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire (UK)

Notable text: “Coffee made in the cup”

Printed instructions panel + price marking: Price 2/11

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Condition: Lovely authentic vintage wear — scuffs, age marks and fading consistent with age, adding to its collectible appeal

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Styling / display ideas

This tin looks brilliant in:

a vintage pantry / kitchen shelf display

coffee bar styling

rustic cottage or industrial interiors

film / theatre prop collections

collectors’ cabinets of British advertising ephemera

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Maker History – Atomised Food Products Ltd (Welwyn Garden City, Herts)

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Atomised Food Products Ltd was a British manufacturer based in Welwyn Garden City, a planned “garden city” in Hertfordshire that became home to a range of early 20th-century manufacturers and food-related companies.

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The company’s branding and the product type (dehydrated, “made in the cup”) fit beautifully into the story of convenience food innovation in Britain — the era when powdered drinks and instant-style products became increasingly common, particularly as households looked for affordable, efficient everyday staples.

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Food tins like this were designed to be bold, clear, and reassuring, with preparation instructions printed directly on the packaging — a wonderful snapshot of British domestic life and shopping culture from the period.

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This is a highly displayable tin with great typography and branding (and collectors love visible pricing like “2/11”).

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