By SUSAN EMERSON MELLISH
Antique Week Correspondent

HERSEY, Pa. — Valentine’s Day offers up many images – red roses, romantic dinners, hand-holding, but come on … isn’t it all about the chocolate? And who better to focus on than the man who brought milk chocolate to the masses – Milton S. Hershey.

His deeds are his monument. His life is our inspiration. These are the words often spoken in regards to Milton S. Hershey, the man who gave us the Hershey bar. Collectors now seek out items associated with Hershey, not only because of the history behind this American icon, but because they love chocolate.

And the history concerning the phenomenon that brought us the Hershey bar is extensive. Born in 1857 in central Pennsylvania, Hershey was raised in a strict Mennonite family. Though education was valued, family moves left Hershey with a limited education. Still, this man had a dream.

Candy making was his fascination and passion. Hershey apprenticed with a Lancaster, Pa., candy making company for four years before establishing his own candy making company in Philadelphia, Pa. Unfortunately, he failed this first time around. His second attempt at candy making, this time in New York, was also doomed. It wasn’t until Hershey returned to Lancaster in 1883 that he found success. His Lancaster Caramel Company thrived, and was also his inspiration to delve into other areas of candy making.

At this time, milk chocolate was a luxury and was only available from the Swiss. Hershey set out to change this by developing his own formula for a milk chocolate that could rival the Swiss’ products.

First he built a factory known as the Hershey Chocolate Company, near where he grew up in Derry Township, Pa. Both the hard-working people of the area and the fresh local milk available made for the company’s success. According to The Hershey Story Museum on Chocolate Avenue in Hershey, Pa., “Hershey’s Milk Chocolate quickly became the first nationally marketed product of its kind.”
With his success “Came a profound sense of moral responsibility and benevolence,” according to The Hershey Story. Hershey took his good fortune and built a model city for his employees including nice homes, a reliable public transit system and a school. In 1909, Hershey and his wife, Catherine, established a school for orphan boys, the Hershey Industrial School, and later in 1918 endowed this same school with his entire holdings of Hershey Chocolate Company stock. Hershey was known for placing the quality of his products and the well-being of his workers ahead of profits.

Many associate Hershey with the iconic “Hershey’s Kiss,” which came into being in 1907. These small candies were at first individually wrapped in their foil wrappers by hand – a tedious job. The “Hershey’s Kiss” wrapping machine came along in 1921, thereby speeding up production immensely. Along with the wrapping machine came the ability to insert the famous “Hershey’s Kiss” paper tag at the top of each Kiss telling consumers they were indeed purchasing a genuine “Hershey’s Kiss.” So identifiable was this paper tag, the company had it trademarked in 1924.

“Hershey’s Kisses” collectibles are favorite finds. A ceramic “Hershey’s Kiss” cocoa set where the pitcher is a large Kiss was recently seen on eBay for $49.99. “Hershey’s Kiss” jewelry and mugs are abundant. Hershey was not shy about marketing their products.

Anything that deals with the Hershey chocolate bar is highly desired. Kevin Curtis of Campbelltown, Pa., often offers antique Hershey chocolate molds for sale. Other popular pieces in this category would be the cardboard boxes used to sell Hershey candy bars in bulk. These have great graphics. And numerous Hershey Chocolate tins have been produced throughout the history of this company.

There are some collectors who seek out vintage Hershey candy bar wrappers. A visit to http://hersheyarchives.org/

exhibits/default.aspx?ExhibitId=20&ExhibitSectionId=42 will reveal all the different variations the Hershey Chocolate Bar wrapper has gone through during its existence. Another great site to see images of older candy bar wrappers is www.candywrapperarchive.com a site maintained by collector Richard Saunders.

The first Hershey wrapper produced in 1900 was white with gold lettering. It wasn’t until 1902 before the wrapper became the classic maroon color, but this version now sported gold lettering. Then the Hershey chocolate bar cost a nickel.

In 1912, the gold lettering became silver and “Hershey” was printed in block letters on the candy bar wrapper. After World War II, Hershey began looking at cost-saving measures.

They continued to use white glassine paper as the inner wrapper for the chocolate bars. When the cost of ingredients soared, the weight of the Hershey bar declined. However, it is interesting to note, when the cost of the ingredients costs fell, the Hershey Chocolate Bar’s weight increased again.
Doing away with the embossed silver lettering on the Hershey Chocolate Bar wrapper was another cost saving measure.

Probably the biggest change to take place was the raising of the price of the chocolate bar. In 1969, the Hershey bar doubled in price from five to 10 cents each. Other changes to the wrapper included adding an ingredients list in 1973 and a UPC code in 1976; doing away with the glassine inner wrapper and returning to using the foil inner wrapper in 1984, and then completely doing away with any inner wrapper in 2003. This last step was taken to “improve product freshness.”

Hershey Chocolate bar wrappers can be elusive, however a recent check on eBay found a vintage Hershey 1 oz. chocolate bar wrapper issued between 1940 and 1950 for sale for $9.98.

Many Hershey items would be considered cross-over collectibles. Recipe books were always being published by Hershey. Postcards of the Hershey factory, the town, the park – all are eagerly sought. Toy trucks bearing the Hershey name exist.

Other Hershey collectibles can be quite unique. Some acquire the Hershey tableware used at The Hotel Hershey, which opened in 1933 and is still in operation today in Hershey. Enthusiasts like Jeff and Kelly Harris of Yakima, Wash., restore vintage vending machines and Hershey examples are always desirable. The couple recently sold a Hershey 5 cent wall-mounted example for $980. The piece was a Unit-E-Vendor made by the Advance Machine Company in the 1920s. This example was the short window style and stood 33-inches tall. Collectors should also note, Hershey did not limit itself to producing only chocolate. Hershey Cocoa Butter Soap was made from 1938 to 1952.
Like any collecting category, one must watch out for reproductions. Tins, especially, are heavily reproduced, but are often marketed as such and by examining a few, it becomes easy to tell an old tin from a new one.

Milton S. Hershey might have been a humble man; a philanthropic man – but when it came to marketing the products his company produced, he did not hold back. Collectors of Hershey Chocolate related items applaud his enthusiasm, and are eager to see just what is out there bearing the Hershey Chocolate Company name.