Objects

Tin opener in the shape of an oblong rod with a handle on one side. The item was made from a single cylindrical piece of metal. The metal has been bent on one side to form an oval handle. On the other is a cut-out that runs 1/4 of its length.

Canned products appeared in the early 19th century. This method of food preservation was patented by the French brewer Nicolas Appert, also known today as "The Father of Canning". The creation of canned food was a response to the provisioning needs of Napoleon's army. Interestingly, the packaging of canned food was originally intended to be made of glass. However, metal cans proved to be lighter and therefore more practical. Canned food began to appear in shops in the 1830s. Initially, canned food was only available in England, where the first production facilities were established. Yet the product proved so attractive to the civilian population that it soon began to be manufactured in other countries as well.

MF