Bangalore: Once upon a time, there was something called a radio

Want a sneak peek into the early twentieth century perfume and liquor bottles and cosmetic cases sold in France? Or a knife-shaped hand-blown glass bottle from Nepal stocking rum? Or, better still, a feel of the souvenirs given during Queen Elizabeth’s marriage to Prince Philip? Then head straight to the Heritage Museum of Brands and Packaging.

Located on the outskirts of Electronic City, the 10-year-old museum stocks containers and cartons of almost all well-known brands including Chanel, Christian Dior, McDowell, Johnnie Walker, Cadbury, Amul, Parle, Ray-Ban, Burlington, Kodak etc.

From a Johnnie Walker Red Label bottle of 1860, to perfume bottles inspired by Art Nouveau in 1890, to Victorian ceramic powder boxes, to a 1935 Kodak X-15 Instamatic camera; the museum stocks it all for connoisseurs of vintage and artefacts.

Among the newbies in the collection are tin boxes used for selling colas, tea, chocolates, biscuits from leading FMCG brands like Pepsi, Amul, and Cadbury; that date around the 1950s and 60s.

Started as a hobby by two businessman brothers, who would collect antiques from relatives, friends and acquaintances, and during their travels abroad and within India; the museum finally took shape in 2003, when the collection could no longer find a place in their home.

Today, the museum has more than 1,000 items across 20 categories, spanning the entire 20th century, and a few from the 19th century.

“During a visit to Udaipur, I came to know of a shop that stocked antiques including furniture, tobacco and metal containers. I ended up buying several artefacts and adding to the collection.
That’s how we grow the collection,” says Surendra Kedia, executive director, Manjushree Technopak, who started the museum along with his brother Vimal.

Apart from the wow factor associated with seeing the artefacts, the museum also has a story to tell.

“About how decades ago, glass, tin and wood were the three prime materials used for packaging anything from face powder, to expensive perfume, to tea and motor oil , to cigarettes and biscuits,” says Kedia.

Today, only premium cookies are packed in tin containers. A paradigm shift from the 1950s when even the mass market Parle Glucose biscuits were sold in tin boxes.

On display are cases of mahogany and cherry wood to hold cameras, brass cases for Ray-Ban glares, as well as cases made from wood and tin for holding cigars.

“Packing cigars in wood was said to give the cigar a distinct flavour,” says Kedia.

Thrown open to the public on Saturdays, the museum aims to reignite interest among people, particularly generation X, Y and Z.

Kedia says the museum is specially enthralling for those below 35 years, “who have not personally experienced biscuits or chocolates being sold in tin boxes.”