Wilkins Coffee Mugs
Description: After graduating from college in Massachusetts, John H. Wilkins Jr. returned home to work with his father, John J. Wilkins Sr., in his wholesale coffee and grocery firm in Washington D.C. Shortly thereafter in 1923, a fire destroyed most of the firm's warehouses and it was at this point that John Jr. persuaded his father to terminate his grocery business and focus on making their own coffee. Wilkins Coffee was born and would soon become an institution that would dominate the greater Washington metropolitan area for decades. The company would eventually give way to national brands some time in the '90s and is now largely remembered for their early TV commercials featuring a young puppeteer named Jim Henson.
Description: A nostalgic retro design celebrating Wilkins Coffee, established in 1923. Featuring a steaming cup of coffee with bold vintage typography and a timeless advertising style, this artwork captures the charm of old-school coffee branding. With its distressed details and warm retro aesthetic, it’s perfect for coffee lovers, vintage advertising fans, and collectors of classic Americana. A must-have design for anyone who enjoys retro café culture and timeless branding art.
Description: A circular emblem with concentric lines on a black background. Features two puppet characters, one red and one brown, standing next to a cannon. The brown puppet is holding a cup of coffee and has a speech bubble above it that reads "STILL WON'T BUY WILKINS COFFEE?". The text "WILKINS COFFEE" is displayed prominently at the top.
Wilkins Coffee Still Won't Buy Wilkins Coffee? Puppets and Cannon Mug
by Ivan Belcic
$13 $18
Description: A retro-style emblem featuring a steaming coffee cup and saucer in the center, set against a black background. Rays emanate from behind the cup. "Since" is positioned to the left of the cup, and "1923" to the right. Below the cup, the text "Wilkins Coffee" is displayed prominently, with "It's just wonderful!" written underneath.
Wilkins Coffee Since 1923 Coffee Cup Retro Emblem Mug
by chasingvisions
$13 $18
Description: John H. Wilkins Jr. returned home to work with his father, John J. Wilkins Sr., in his wholesale coffee and grocery firm in Washington D.C. Shortly thereafter in 1923, a fire destroyed most of the firm's warehouses and it was at this point that John Jr. persuaded his father to terminate his grocery business and focus on making their own coffee. Wilkins Coffee was born and would soon become an institution that would dominate the greater Washington metropolitan area for decades. The company would eventually give way to national brands some time in the '90s and is now largely remembered for their early TV commercials featuring a young puppeteer named Jim Henson.
Description: After graduating from college in Massachusetts, John H. Wilkins Jr. returned home to work with his father, John J. Wilkins Sr., in his wholesale coffee and grocery firm in Washington, D.C. Shortly thereafter in 1923, a fire destroyed most of the firm’s warehouses and it was at this point that John Jr. persuaded his father to terminate his grocery business and focus on making their own coffee. Wilkins Coffee was born and would soon become an institution that would dominate the greater Washington metropolitan area for decades. The company would eventually give way to national brands some time in the ’90s, and is now largely remembered for their early TV commercials featuring a puppet mascot.
Description: A retro-style circular emblem featuring two muppet-like characters. One character, a fuzzy red creature, peeks from behind a red border. The other, a brown character, sits on a cannon. A speech bubble above reads "STILL WON'T BUY WILKIN'S COFFEE?". Below the characters, the name 'Wilkins' is displayed prominently in off-white lettering on a black banner, followed by 'COFFEE' in a smaller circular red section.
Description: A vintage-inspired emblem featuring a coffee cup with steam rising from it, set against a background of radiating lines. The words 'WILKINS COFFEE' are prominently displayed within the cup and on a separate horizontal block. Text above reads 'SINCE' and '1923', and below it says 'It's just wonderful!'.
Description: Wilkins and Wontkins were a pair of iconic characters created in the late 1950s to promote Wilkins Coffee, starring in a series of short, darkly humorous television commercials. Wilkins, the cheerful pitchman, enthusiastically endorsed Wilkins coffee, while Wontkins, his grumpy counterpart, stubbornly refused—often with comically unfortunate consequences. The ads stood out for their rapid-fire pacing, clever writing, and surprising edge, helping them become memorable pieces of advertising history. Though simple in design, the characters’ contrasting personalities and the absurd situations they found themselves in made the campaign both effective and enduring.
Description: Get into the Autumn spirit with this design inspired by the Wilkin's Coffee ads. Art by Shannon Graham. Idea by Holly Gillespie
It's Autumn, and the nuts are starting to Fall Mug
by MuppetHistory
$13 $18
Description: Celebrate television history with this vintage-style tribute to Wilkins and Wontkins, the iconic characters created in 1957. Long before Sesame Street or The Muppets, these two stars sold coffee through 10-second spots of pure, chaotic comedy. Whether you’re a fan of the "cheerful" Wilkins or the "stubborn" Wontkins who always seems to meet a hilarious (and violent) end, this retro design is perfect for coffee lovers and puppetry fans alike.
