I bought my first tin in 1979 at a place called the Den's Road Market in Dundee. I had just arrived from Canada to work on the rigs and I discovered this market that was like nothing back home. It was situated in what might have been an old factory and for an 18 year old Canadian kid it was an amazing place. I had never collected before but I started going to this place and buying odd bit's and pieces. I bought what appealed to me and most of what I bought turned out to be good but I get a knot in my stomach when I think about what I must have passed up. Anything over 10 pounds was out of my league and I bought a lot of little items like this Oxo tin that I still have today. 

Over the years I have continued to buy Oxo tins. They have to be in decent shape and cheap but this is the result. There used to be an Oxo toffee tin and a pair of Oxade Orangeade/Lemonade tins but I sold them years ago before I realized I collected Oxo tins. I am missing other Oxo tins because I have never actively sought them out but I'm sure they will come sooner or later.

CANADIAN SAMPLE TIN

COUNTER DISPLAY TINS

ORIGINAL ON TOP

REPLICA ON BOTTOM

A PAIR OF MUGS

RECYCLE AS LUNCHBOX

AN EARLY ONE

It's hard to think of Oxo as anything other than British but it's liquid form was invented by a German organic chemist around 1840 by the name of Baron Justus Von Liebig. It took 30 kg's of beef to make 1 kg of his liquid, so he travelled to Uruguay in South America, There ranchers would raise cattle for their hides but due to a lack of refrigeration they would allow most of the carcasses to rot in the sun. Liebig acquired the carcasses at 1/3 the price he paid in Europe and set up a factory there.

Here's a few Liebig items. The tin is mine. The rest aren't.

BARON JUSTUS VON LIEBIG

AN ODD TIN

THIS ONE IS AMERICAN. IT MENTIONS THE DATE 1906. THE ONLY OXO I HAVE WITH THE WORD LIEBIG.

SOME LIEBIG ADVERTISING

I don't know much about the period where Liebig and Oxo switched but I think the Oxo name came into being about 1899. People often think about Coca-Cola being the original food endorsement associated with the Olympics but Oxo gave athletes their liquid during the games of 1908. The first cube came into being during 1910 and was included in emergency rations during the First World War.

Here's a few items associated with Oxo. (these are not my items)

A PAIR OF ENAMELS

A COOKBOOK

CARDBOARD SIGNS

OXO TOWER LONDON

Great stuff Vlad. That mug Willy B. Hardy is quite rare over here.

Have attached a shop display card with both Oxo and Leibig names plus one other old oxo display card.

Lummox, thanks once again for the encouraging words. With nearly 300 members registered on the site I am a little discouraged when you see the same small group of people contributing. That being said, thanks for your photos Madwon. I like that Oxo/Liebig piece.

Anyhow, there has to be some more Oxo stuff out there. It is one of the most iconic advertising images and is known throughout the world, so if you have something different let's see it!!

Vlad

 Hey Vlad, Here's a string tin for Liebig "Ox Brand"  cheers

Rusty, I knew you would have something interesting to add. If you could spare a moment more I would love to see the sides of your string holder.

Even on the official company website there is no definitive answer to the question of "where does the Oxo name come from?". Most sources suppose it is derived from the word ox and now after seeing the words "Ox Brand" on the string holder I think that would be the most sensible answer.

Since the string holder doesn't mention the word Oxo does it come from before the time it became a British product?

I found the following joke on the 'OXO CUBES APPRECIATION SOCIETY" website. Remember this is their joke, not mine, so please no agro.

Knorr have released a new white and red OXO cube to commemorate Englands Euro qualifying campain- it will be marketed under the name "The Laughing Stock"

Vlad

Just in case I haven't supplied enough useless information, here is an article from the 'MEAT TRADE NEWS DAILY" dated the 25th of October, 2009.

ARGENTINA AND LONDON.

THE OXO CUBE CELEBRATED ITS 100 YEARS BIRTHDAY.

In 1840 concentrated meat extract was invented in London, by  a German chemist named Justis von Liebig.

However as it required 30 kilos of beef to make one kilo of extract, with the price of beef in Europe it was a non starter.

In Uruguay at the time, a young railway engineer also with German origins called George Christian Giebert, read about the work of Liebig and wrote to him.

Giebert was given the license to produce the beef extract at Fray Bentos, on the banks of the River Plate in Uruguay.

A company was set up in London in 1865  named the Liebeg Extract of Meat Company, with a share issue of 150,000 pounds to build a purpose designed  meat plant..

Prior to this, the cattle in Argentina and Uruguay were slaughtered only for the skins, as there was no refrigeration to transport the beef.

From 800 kilos per month initially, the company was producing 500 tons a month by 1878.

The meat was being thrown out for the making of Tallow until in 1878 the first corned beef was produced. This corned beef  which later  became known world wide as Fray Bentos CornedBeef.

The staff at each plant was over 5,000 killing 1200 cattle a day on the ground, in teams of 5 men, on a kill floor the size of two football fields.

Each team has to dress 60 cattle a day, split them with a clever and clean up their area when finished.

The beef extract was sold in glass bottles in the same manner as Bovril today, until 1908 when the first Oxo cubes were manufactured.

The Oxo cube was so successful, they sponsored the 1908 Olympic Games in London, with all the athletes given Oxo drinks for energy. The very first sponsored Olympic Games.

The Liebig Extract company was killing 5000 cattle per week, in Fray Bentos and another 5000 cattle per week in Entre Rios Argentina, all for Oxo and corned beef..

The beef extract company was taken over  the Lord Vestey, beef empire in 1924.

In 1968 the company was again taken over by Brooke Bond Tea company.

 With the sale of the company, came over 2-3 million hectares of farm land and  herds of cattle in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Rhodesia, Kenya and South Africa.

Unilever took over the company in 1984, followed by Campbells Soup, who sold the UK operation to Premier Food in 2006

The Oxo brand is still produced in South Africa  today by the Mars Group.

The name Oxo has been used for children’s games ( similar to naught’s and crosses) and even a racehorse that won the English Grand National.

There was an Oxo family on television every night in England, for nearly 40 years until 1999 suggesting meat recipe’s utilizing the Oxo cube.

Most of all Oxo opened the doors of the South American beef industry, to the rest of the world.

A little cube in a red box captivated  the interest of  every major food company in the world, the previous owners of the brand is like a corporate who’s who.

Happy birthday Oxo.

 Vlad, sorry it's an archive pic, tin long gone. might have a sample tin somewhere, will dig it out & and add it on

Here's a couple of bonkersly rare oxo signs.

Cheers

Al.

Nice first posting guest rpt.

Al, I would love to have that sign with the bull and the yellow lettering but it is likely out of my range.

Some good stuff being shown.

Vlad