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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Very nice tin collection, Tom. Thanks for posting.

Tom, my understanding was that Mr. Colgan, a Louisville pharmacist or drug store owner, bought a bunch of chicle, a railroad car load of it, in Louisville, with no idea what he'd do with it. He added flaver to get folks to chew it. Started the company, then eventually sold it to Autosales Gum of New York. So I'd think Autosales antedates Sterling.

The 4 I have are below (I think these are all I have).

I've always fretted about the super-faded Violet tin that is faded to green. I don't think it was sunlight, the fading is uniform to the top, sides, and bottom.

About 20 years ago when I started hunting for my first of these, I just knew I'd find one in an antique mall here in Kentucky, what better item for a lady to keep a few buttons in than one of these tins. I've looked and looked, but have never seen one in any Kentucky antique mall.