SCARCE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, PRE-WWII POLAR KOLA, SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS VINTAGE BLUE INK STAMPED SODA ADVERTISING WOOD BOX CRATE, featuring FINGER-JOINED CORNER CONSTRUCTION, WOOD PLANK FLOOR & INK STAMPED, STYLIZED, PERIOD TYPOGRAPHY on ALL SIDEWALLS

'DOUBLE SIZE, 5 CENTS'

'DRINK POLAR KOLA, BIGGER, BETTER'

[Estate fresh & all original blue ink stamped typography, never lacquered or varnished & with nearly fully saturated, vivid ink color] 

(Circa 1920-1940)

Early 20th century, pre-WWII American vintage New England carbonated beverage bottlers early mercantile advertising & wood box soda advertising crates

DIMENSIONS: 

10 ½" Height x 12" Depth x 18 ½" Length

 Weight: 6 lbs. 9 oz.

DESCRIPTION:

 A rare early Polar Kola vintage wood box soda advertising crate from Salem, Massachusetts. This early 20th century soda crate pre-dates WWI and was most likely produced between 1920 to 1940. It features finger-joined corner construction, wood plank sidewalls and floor, with naturally aged wood color and dry, matte finish. It features blue ink stamped sidewalls in nearly undiminished, still vivid and largely saturated color. The crate was never lacquered or varnished and remains close to how it was originally constituted, some 80 to 100 years ago. Polar Kola and its associated line of soft drinks were once a mainstay of Salem, Massachusetts manufacturing and early soft drink beverage production. There are no unsightly stains or fractures in the wood to the box's sides. The two wooden floor planks have splits from being repeatedly stacked and unstacked in warehouses, walk-in coolers and trucks. A terrific Salem, Massachusetts early mercantile advertising artifact and a very scarce Polar Kola ink stamped with finger-joined corners, wood box soda advertising crate. Recently found in southern New Hampshire. Very scarce. Really terrific.

CONDITION:

Good to Very Good overall vintage condition.