Tin pot god

Posted by Roger July 17, 2011 at 19:22

I was watching the Granada Television series of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. Watson used a phrase I would like to know more about. He referred to a person as a "tin-pot/tin pot(?) god." I think I understand the meaning as to someone who thinks they are bigger than they really are, but why put a god in a tin pot?