Soda Crate Appraisal

Vintage Coca-Cola Wooden Bottle Crate

This item is a vintage wooden Coca-Cola bottle crate, designed for the transport and storage of glass soda bottles. The crate is constructed primarily from wood, likely a softwood such as pine, utilizing a sturdy, box-like form with a grid of internal wooden dividers. These dividers create 16 individual compartments, suitable for holding standard 6.5 oz or 10 oz Coca-Cola bottles. The exterior sides of the crate are painted a faded, patinated yellow, serving as a vibrant backdrop for the iconic Coca-Cola branding. The classic "Coca-Cola" script logo is prominently displayed in red, flanked by the words "DRINK" on the left and "IN BOTTLES" on the right, also in red. The paint shows significant signs of age and wear, including chipping, scuff marks, and areas where the underlying wood is exposed, particularly along edges and corners. The wooden components of the crate exhibit a rich, aged patina, with visible grain and natural discoloration, especially within the unpainted interior dividers. Some minor splits or cracks in the wood are present, consistent with decades of use and exposure to elements. Metal reinforcement straps or corner brackets, now rusted and showing distress, are visible, indicating a robust construction built for commercial durability. The overall condition reflects a storied past, indicating it was actively used for its intended purpose rather than being a pristine, display-only item. This type of crate typically dates from the mid-20th century, likely from the 1940s to 1960s, a testament to the enduring era of wooden beverage crates before the widespread adoption of plastic. Its rustic appearance and the iconic branding make it a desirable piece of advertising memorabilia and American Americana.