This post has information about collecting vintage Easter candy containers. Learn more about these candy containers made in the 1940s -1950s.

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Easter is such an inspiring holiday. We have the tradition of dying Easter eggs, making baskets filled with goodies, and of course, the Easter bunny stopping by for a visit. Traditionally, we have a brunch and give one another Easter baskets.

Collecting Vintage Easter Candy Containers

You have probably seen vintage Easter rabbit candy containers when you were out antiquing or at a flea market but they may not have been on your radar. So let me share with you what I know about them and why I think they are fun to collect. First, the ones pictured here were made in the 1940s and 1950s and they are made out of papier mache or pulp paper. This basically means paper was decomposed into a liquid form while being mixed with a paste and the resulting solution was then poured into a mold to create the shape of rabbit. Once removed from the mold and allowed to dry, the candy container would become rigid. Finally, they were painted.

The inside of these containers is hollow and was filled with candy! So, if you look on the bottom of these little containers, you will see a hole, which is where the candy went. Similarly, some bunnies have “baskets” on their backs which were filled with candy.

Once the paper form was created, each rabbit was painted. You can spot these candy containers fairly easily because bright, almost neon, colors were used to decorate them including yellow, pink, blue and green. On occasion, you may stumble across a bunny that is all white but I find this is the exception.

The idea behind producing these containers is that once the contents were eaten, you could use the container for decoration.  

In the photo above, the two smaller white bunnies were made in the 1940s while the larger bunnies with the bright colors were made in the 1950s. The size of these containers varies -from 3 inches to 11 inches high.

Where They Were Made

There are vintage candy containers that were made in Germany (or Western Germany) however, the ones shown here were made in the USA. While vintage candy containers made in Germany are very collectible, they are harder to come by, and much more expensive compared to those containers made in the USA.

I love to collect these USA made vintage candy containers because they are still affordable, they are light weight, the don’t take up much space and of course, because they are cute. Let’s be honest, it’s mostly because they are cute. 

Characteristics to Look For

Let me start by stating the obvious, these candy containers were made out of paper. Therefore, overall condition is the most important characteristic to look for. Many of these candy containers have water stains, areas with paint missing, and holes or cracks in the bodies.

So when you are out and about, if you stumble upon one of these containers, inspect it carefully to determine its condition. The price should reflect the overall condition of the container including the brightness and preservation of the paint.

Another characteristic to look for is a variety of color. If a candy container has more than one color used when it was painted, it is definitely more desirable. The majority of the containers have one bright color applied.

Finally, the size of the container is another factor to consider. The larger the container, the higher the price.

For example, in the photo above, the 3 larger bunnies are in good condition. There is no water damage, the paint is in good condition and they are relatively clean. However, the little bunny in the front is missing a fair amount of paint from its ears and front paws. Having said this, I am not a stickler for condition because I think the missing paint adds to the charm and authenticity. I don’t mind. However, many collectors do take the missing paint into into account. It should also be noted, the small bunny in the front was made in the 1940s whereas the other bunnies were made in the 1950s.

Also, as previously mentioned, sometimes the exterior of the candy containers can get dirty. (This is understandable given the age of these containers) If this happens, it’s pretty difficult to remove the dirt because the container is made out of paper. So, keep that in mind when buying one of these vintage candy containers.

Having shared all this information, it’s very difficult to find a pulp paper candy container in perfect condition. Usually, there is at least something wrong with the container, such as chipped paint, a missing portion of the pulp, a crack, or some dirt on the exterior. As stated earlier, I don’t mind imperfections since they add to the character and authenticity of the piece. These flaws are also some measure of reassurance that I am not buying a recent reproduction.

Where to Find Vintage Easter Candy Containers

This is the fun part! Trying to find these little gems. Obviously, antique stores are a good starting point. There is also a good selection of them available online either through ETSY or Ebay. I did some research and provided links to some containers that I found online.

You can also find these cute little containers at thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales. However, please pay extra attention to the condition. You may pay a better price for the containers at these sites but they may have some significant issues. Just be aware of what you are buying.

I also sell these containers but as of writing this – they are not available in my booth. The photos in this post are of candy containers from my personal collection. Next year, I will be sure to include more of these candy containers in my booth.

I also wrote a post about collecting these same type of candy containers that are in the shape of Santa Claus, which were also made in the 1940s-1950s.

Vintage Easter Egg Candy Containers

In addition to collecting the little bunny candy containers, I also am on the look out for unusual paper egg candy containers. Typically, these paper egg containers are made in Germany or Western Germany. They usually depict scenes with different Easter bunnies, chicks, and flowers. As with the other candy containers, these eggs were filled with jelly beans, chocolates, and other sweets. Be sure there is a stamp or some mark indicating where the candy container was made. This is how you can be assured of its authenticity since there are a number of recent reproductions made in the United States.

Last year, I was fortunate enough to come across a vintage Easter candy container with a rooster hand painted on it that was made in France.

While I had seen egg candy containers from Germany, I had not seen one from France! So, I pretty much bought it immediately. You will also notice in the previous photo, a little egg with pink violets covering it. This is also one of my favorite vintage Easter candy containers. I particularly love the gold trim around the edge of the egg.

Prices of Vintage Easter Candy Containers

If you were to buy one of these candy containers online or in an antique store, the prices for the bunnies start at around $30 and go up. The higher prices would depend upon the overall condition of the container, where it was made, and its size. The vintage egg candy containers generally start at around $20 and go up from there. I love collecting these items because they are still reasonably priced. Of course, if you look at flea markets, yard sales, and thrift stores – they will likely be priced for less. Just be wary of the condition of the container.

Some vintage Easter candy containers are linked below so you can see the range in prices.

Summary

Thank you for stopping by the blog today. I hope you found some inspiration and gained a bit of knowledge with regard to these vintage candy containers. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out either through social media or by leaving a comment below. Also, feel free to pin the images for future reference. Once you pin an image to your Pinterest account, you can always go back to it and click on the image to return to this post.

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I hope spring has made its way to your corner of the world. If you enjoyed this post, you might also like the following spring related projects.

Bunny Centerpiece for your Spring Table

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