This small vintage Recipe Box & Culinary Ephemera set is basically a family kitchen archive you can hold in one hand. The cream metal tin is decorated with playful cookware motifs and the word “Recipes,” and it’s packed with assorted handwritten recipe cards, clipped recipes, and vintage food ads.
You’ll spot everything from “Custard” (written right on the card) to a Bing Crosby’s Swans Down Sunshine Cake card tucked inside. It’s a cozy, real-life snapshot of how people actually cooked—and saved what worked.
Bonus: blank cards to add your own family recipes.
Quick Specs
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Item Type: Vintage metal recipe box with mixed recipe cards/ephemera
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Size: 5 × 3 × 3 inches
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Material: Metal tin box; paper recipe cards/clippings
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Color: Cream/ivory with red “Recipes” lettering; multicolor kitchen motifs; gold-toned interior
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Origin or Maker of Recipe Box: Ohio Art
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GENRE: Culinary Ephemera / Family Recipe Archive / Vintage Kitchenalia
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Language Mixed
Design & Features
- Hinged-lid metal recipe tin with “Recipes” script on the box
- Illustrated kitchen motif graphics (teapot, utensils, cookware)
- Packed interior: handwritten recipe cards, clippings, and vintage advertising recipe pieces (photo-verified: “Bing Crosby’s Swans Down Sunshine Cake”)
- A few cards show clear headings and measures (photo-verified: “Custard — 4 eggs — 3/4 cups sugar”)
Condition Grade: Good
Notes: Noticeable age wear to the tin (scuffs, discoloration/spots, edge wear, and general surface grime visible in photos). Cards and clippings are mixed-condition and mixed paper types; many are handwritten and some are age-toned. Box appears intact and usable as storage/display.
- See all photos for detail—sold as pictured.
Condition Grade Key
Near Fine: minimal wear; tight; clean.
Very Good: light wear; clean text; minor flaws.
Good: noticeable wear; sound and usable; some marks.
Fair: heavy wear; complete but worn; priced accordingly.
Provenance & Notes
Estate sale find. Packed full of a family’s saved recipes (handwritten cards and clippings), as shown.
One box, a whole family’s flavor memory—ready for your kitchen shelf.
Disclaimer
The vintage items I share with you have been previously owned and loved and may show some wear. Please use the pictures as a guide.
While I do my best to capture colors accurately, your monitor or device screen may display colors slightly differently from the actual item.
Care & Handling: Handle paper ephemera with clean, dry hands. Store cards flat and dry, away from sunlight. For the tin, wipe gently with a dry microfiber cloth; avoid soaking or harsh cleaners to protect the finish.
Please note: If you have any questions or need more photos, ask.
About Reading Vintage
At Reading Vintage, I curate one-of-a-kind treasures for book lovers, decorators, and collectors—including vintage books, retro bookends, and charming collectible pieces.
