Miners lunch pail?

[Buddie11]

I'm pretty sure that's what it is.I could only find ones that are similar. This was my wife's grandfathers,she said he used this for work but he was not a miner. Unfortunately I can't ask him about it. It is tin,has 5 pcs including lid. I do have the handle,just can't find it at the moment,no wood on handle. Just curious if anyone can date this,oh almost forgot there are no marks

[bigwull]

they don,t strike me as being a miners lunch pail,s...they look more like  utility..food containers...school, nursery...something along those lines....

[mart]

We had one of those posted here before !!

[Buddie11]

Can you find it mart? Do you know what it is?

[Rauville]

they don,t strike me as being a miners lunch pail,s...they look more like  utility..food containers...school, nursery...something along those lines....

...or a picnic.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/REGAL-WARE-PICNIC-PACK-VINTAGE-ALUMINUM-STACKING-FOOD-CARRIER-/1808648275

[KC]

It is a stacking lunch pail as Mart stated earlier.  Since the earlier post some time ago I have come across quite a few in antique/vintage stores and have found they go by different names.

Modern day they are called tiffen boxes - Tiffen being a an American term for a little bite, but it is more common for Indo-Europeon origins.  You can also find it under Bento Box Carriers.

This style was used widely by miners, so we think of them when we see this style.  However, this was used by many workers in the late 30's onward.

Search vintage stacking lunch box, tiffen box, tiffen carrier, Bento carrier stacking....and you will see more than you ever dreamed of.

[mart]

Can you find it mart? Do you know what it is?

It has been at least a year or more and I can`t remember who posted it or what the subject line was !!

[cogar]

All "lunch pails" are like other pails, a single "handle" for carrying to and from where ever the person is when he/she gets a hunger tantrum.

Round & tall lunch pails are usually associated with coal mining (in the US).

Oblong w/domed top lunch pails are usually associated with railroading (in the US).

Square lunch pails are usually associated with schools & children (in the US).

And of course, the "paper bag" or "poke" lunch pails are subjects for another discussion. 

[bigwull]

It is a stacking lunch pail as Mart stated earlier.  Since the earlier post some time ago I have come across quite a few in antique/vintage stores and have found they go by different names.

Modern day they are called tiffen boxes - Tiffen being a an American term for a little bite, but it is more common for Indo-Europeon origins.  You can also find it under Bento Box Carriers.

This style was used widely by miners, so we think of them when we see this style.  However, this was used by many workers in the late 30's onward.

Search vintage stacking lunch box, tiffen box, tiffen carrier, Bento carrier stacking....and you will see more than you ever dreamed of.

Tiffen being an American term....Don,t think so.... ...Tiffin is lunch, or any light meal. It originated in British India, and is today found primarily in Indian English....it was also the name of a Chocolate bar..made by Cadbury,s.....

[KC]

Don't get in a "tiff" Wullie!    It's origin was there but the name/term/word/referral/whatever is catching on to be tiffen!  LOL

[cogar]

If one checks Google Images they will find everything imaginable being called a "miner's lunch" pail, which just proves, .... "call it" whatever it takes to "sale it".

A stackable-lunch pail makes no sense.

First off, it implies that one (1) cook is preparing lunch for 3 to 5 different workers.

And secondly, I can't imagine a coal miner "toting" something like that for thousands of feet back and/or down into a coal mine every day.