1973 Coca Cola Reproduction Tin Tray Featuring 1921 Advertising Art Appraisal

1973 Coca-Cola Reproduction Tin Tray featuring 1921 Advertising Art

This is a rectangular lithographed tin serving tray manufactured as a commemorative reproduction in 1973. The tray features a classic 1920s-style illustration originally used in a 1921 Coca-Cola advertisement. The central image depicts a seated woman wearing a cloche hat, a pearl necklace, and an elegant blue and white lace dress, holding a glass of Coca-Cola with a glass bottle visible on the table beside her. The border is finished in a dark hunter green with a gold-tone pinstripe trim. The 'Drink Coca-Cola' logo is featured prominently in gold script at the top. Physically, the tray is constructed of pressed sheet metal. It shows significant evidence of use and aging; notable condition issues include surface scratches, paint loss along the edges and within the central image, scattered white residue spots in the lower-left corner, and visible rusting or oxidation along the rim. Manufacturing text along the interior left edge reads: 'The design of this tray is for memorabilia purposes, taken from a 1921 advertisement... Printed in USA 1973.' This text identifies it as a 50th-anniversary era reproduction rather than an original vintage 1920s piece. Despite the wear, the lithographic colors remain relatively clear, illustrating the mass-produced advertising craftsmanship of the early 1970s nostalgia boom.