As a Tilghman Island homeowner, I am always looking for Chesapeake Bay memorabilia from days past and especially Tilghman memorabilia. In a future post I’ll explain how I lost the majority of what I had collected over the years to a fire, but in the meantime, here is one of the Holy Grail items that I’ve been trying to acquire since I started collecting.
This is an original, antique Tilghman Brand Oyster tin from the first quarter of the 20th century. This is the pint sized tin, which is a welcome find, but ideally I would prefer to locate the gallon sized tin.
Here’s a little background on the source of these tins, the Tilghman Packing Company from an article from Chesapeake Life magazine:
In the early 1890s, the Tilghman Packing Company processed and canned oysters and other Eastern Shore delicacies on the island, while the Baltimore, Chesapeake, and Atlantic steamship landing assured national seafood distribution. Production remained solid through the 1920s and got a boost during WWII, when several local packing companies operated twenty-four hours a day, canning everything from oysters and clams to homegrown tomatoes and corn.
An earlier tin from Tilghman Packing is even rarer and is currently available from Wye River Antiques
This later tin is from Harrison Brand seafood packing, also from Tilghman, is an easier find and the price tends to follow; also from Wye River Antiques
In talking to a long-time Tilghman resident a few years ago, he recounted a story about his childhood when the Tilghman Packing plant was closing up. He and some friends found hundreds of these original tins on the property and they proceeded to use them for target practice. Today those tins would be worth tens-of-thousands of dollars.
A good place to find these tins on a regular basis is Ebay and the pint-sized Tilghman Brand oyster tin is currently available there for bidding through November 16th. I’ve put together a good search for finding these tins which you can make use of here.
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
HI,
IM FROM MARYLAND,BUT RETIRED TO FLORIDA.
I HAVE A 1947 HISTORICAL MAP OF MARYLAND EASTERN SHORES PUBLISHED BY AND TO COMMEMORATE THE 50TH YEAR OF THE FOUNDING TILGHMAN PACKING COMPANY IN EX SHAPE.
WITH THE MAILING TUBE ADDRESSED TO HARRISON FOOD MARKET SYKESVILLE MD AND A 4 CENT STAMP.
WHAT WOULD BE THE VALUE,AND WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED?
THANKS
RON
DCOFFMAN7@CFL.RR.COM
I have that map too. Not sure what today’s value is but probably under $20.
we were cleaning out my grandmother’s house on Kent Island and came across a “Tilchmaid” figure. The only thing we found was that it was made by the Tilghman Packaging Co though I can’t find any reference to it on their website. i found one on the Chesapeake Bay Museum in St Michaels MD website
I have one of them too. They’re fairly rare. We’ve been trying to get one for a local museum, so let us know if you want to sell.