Vintage Huntley & Palmers Advertising card Biscuit Drum – Reading
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A wonderfully authentic early 20th-century Huntley & Palmers biscuit drum, featuring its original textured paper covering and embossed advertising for:
“Huntley & Palmers – Superior Reading Biscuits.”
This cylindrical container would originally have held premium biscuits from the world-famous Reading manufacturer. The warm, time-softened tones, worn labels, and gentle patina give it a beautifully honest character that speaks of shop counters, pantries, and everyday life from a bygone era.
The lid remains present and sits neatly in place. Surface wear, staining, and label loss are consistent with age and use, adding to its decorative appeal as a piece of authentic advertising history.
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Perfect as:
A kitchenalia display piece
A prop for vintage or heritage settings
Rustic storage for small items
A collectible for advertising, packaging, or Huntley & Palmers enthusiasts
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Condition
Original paper covering with age-related wear, staining, and fading
Partial loss to applied labels
Structurally sound with lid present
Honest, untouched vintage condition
(Please see photographs as part of the description.)
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Approximate Date
Circa 1920s–1930s
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Maker History: Huntley & Palmers
Founded in 1822 by Joseph Huntley in Reading, Berkshire, Huntley & Palmers grew into one of the largest and most influential biscuit manufacturers in the world. Under the leadership of George Palmer, the company became famous not only for its biscuits but also for its innovative decorative and branded packaging, exporting to over 170 countries by the late 19th century.
Their tins, boxes, and containers were designed to protect contents during long-distance shipping and to serve as attractive household storage long after the biscuits were gone. Today, original Huntley & Palmers packaging is highly collectible and valued as a fascinating piece of British social and commercial history.
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Objet d’Art Note
There’s something quietly evocative about this piece — the soft wear, the faded advertising, the sense that it once travelled from factory to shop to family kitchen. A small survivor from the golden age of British biscuit making, ready to bring warmth, history, and a touch of Reading heritage into a modern home.
