Antique Early 1900’s FRIES Grain Painted Metal Ice Box Insulated by Mineral Wool

Description

Antique Early 1900’s FRIES Grain Painted Metal Ice Box Insulated by Mineral Wool.
What did people do before electricity, before refrigerators, before cars to go out for a picnic with prepared food and drinks?
They had an ICE BOX. The Ice Box would be filled with ice and the box would have insulation to retain the cooler temperatures inside to protect the food on a hot day in the summer.
This Metal Box is an early picnic cooler by a company named “FRIES.” Between the metal exterior and interior panels is layers of “Mineral Wool.”
“American chemical engineer Charles Corydon Hall in 1897 developed a technology to convert molten rock into fibers and initiated the mineral wool insulation industry in America.” Source: Wikipedia
The Ice box has been decorated with a nice grain painted finish, using multilple colors of paint and graining tools, the effect is to make it look like the metal is wood in graphic way. Very typical of the late 1800’s into the 1900’s, with metal and even wood that did not have strong grain patterns.
There is a latch to keep the top closed down and nice bin pull handles on the sides that point to its use as a portable Ice Box. The front panel has a impressed “FRIES” which is the manufacturers name or brand. The “FRIES” brand was used on other metal containers including Bread Boxes, Cake Boxes, Spice Boxes, and Document Boxes. The last image shows a contemporary company catalog sheet that made the same sort of metal objects, A. Kreamer. If you notice at the bottom left, there is an image of the same Ice Box we are offering here. That box also has divided sections, once for the Ice to be housed, a spigot to drain off the cold water for drinking, and the other compartment to hold your prepared food or drinks.
How can it be used today? For the same uses, keeping Wine, Beer, Champagne cool at your party, whether at your BBQ party, Tailgate Party, Picnic. There is nothing to plug in, just need to pick up ice and load it in!
This is a rare survivor of the Old Days.
The ice box weighs 13 pounds without packing. It measures 18” wide with bin pull handles, 13-1/4” deep with spigot, and 12” tall. Condition is excellent for the age, it has age related use and wear from the paint surfaces, but all parts are intact and functioning.
Shipping by either USPS Priority Mail or UPS, whichever is the least expensive for the buyer.