I always assumed that Red Rose Tea was a British product and that the Wade figurines, included in the tea boxes of my childhood, were available the empire over. Actually, Red Rose is Canadian, originating from Saint John, New Brunswick in 1894. The free figurines started to be included in 1967 in Quebec to boost sales and were quickly available nation wide until 1983. These small ceramics are still included in some U.S. Red Rose tea boxes, however, this tea is not the classic orange pekoe made for the Canadian market (the tea I take travelling).
Pictured here is the king pin of collectibles. The gingerbread man at one time could get around $40 on ebay, comparable to $1 for other figures. He is rare because his thin body is liable to break. Although the market has softened on Wade collectibles, he's such a jaunty character that it won't be too much trouble to keep him around until his star rises once more.
Their whole advertising campaign centered around British folk drinking Red Rose, muttering "Only in Canada, you say. Pity..."
ReplyDeleteI made a small graveyard and buried all my Wade figurines. I often wonder if current occupants of the house I grew up in have discovered them.
What a great little Canadisn story--and great figurines!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother in Fredericton had these figurines, I don't know where they are now. I have one of these little guys at my house, part of a collection that my mother-in-law had started. When we sold the doubles/triples at auction in 1997, the gingerbread man was sold separately for about $75.00!
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