Box of Caley's 'Art Crackers'

This box of Caley's 'Art Crackers', contains six winged insects in lime green tissue paper, green crepe and gold foil covered wire. Caley’s started life as a chemist in 1857 and began producing mineral water in 1863. To fill a seasonal gap, the firm began to manufacture cocoa in 1883 and chocolate three years later. In 1897, the firm diversified again. It decided to provide more work for the girls who prepared the frills for the chocolate boxes, and set them to making crackers as well. Crackers were produced for all types of celebrations, not just Christmas, and were in high demand in Paris in the early C20th. Caley’s became a well-known brand during World War One with its ‘Marching Chocolate’, which was produced for troops at The Front. The firm exported its chocolates and crackers all over the world and had agencies in Canada, South Africa, Australia and India.