The 19th century candy container was early packaging and merchandising at its best, designed to delight the affluent child, first with the candy and, afterward, with the toy that remained.

“Any collection of holiday items (Easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc.) will ultimately lead to candy containers,” said collector Jackie Kojis. She got into the containers when she was collecting bears. “I have two candy containers with Roosevelt bears on them but bought them because I was collecting antique bears.”

Kojis will be participating with Scott Tagliapietra, Lee and Roxanne Bernard and a number of other advanced collectors in the special exhibit, bringing many prized examples from their personal collections. These experts will be prepared to answer questions and to share their knowledge with other candy container enthusiasts.

The show features dealers from six Midwestern states offering authentic, affordable antiques.

The Wisconsin Antiques Dealers Association, founded in 1948, is a not-profit organization that produces two antiques shows annually.

For more information visit www.WisconsinAntiquesDealers.com