A Rare Antique Pine J. S. Fry & Sons Nut Milk Chocolate Display Counter Box
SOLD
Origin: British
Period: Early-Twentieth Century
Provenance: Unknown
Date: c.1900-10
Width: 10.5 inches
Depth: 7 inches
Height: 4.75 inches
Hailing from the Edwardian period, the antique pine lid stamped with ‘Makers to H.M the King’ (King Edward VII), ‘Fry’s Chocolate’, ‘300 Gold Medals & Diplomas’ and the Royal Warrant, with ‘Bristol, London, Sydney’ printed above.
The sides of the box are all in tact; the front panel and interior lid both plain with the remains of the original paper lined interior. The two flanks read “Fry’s Nut Milk Chocolate…16 Divisions No.99 7 1-lb. Cakes” with the rear panel reading simply “Fry’s Chocolate, Manufactured in England’. The box remains structurally sound.
In around 1759 Joseph Fry started making chocolate and the rest, as they say, is history. The business soon moved through several names and hands before ending up as J. S. Fry & Sons. Since the mid nineteenth century over 220 products were introduced in the following decades, including production of the first chocolate Easter egg in UK in 1873 and the Fry's Turkish Delight (or Fry's Turkish bar) in 1914.
This example is extremely decorative with its plain form and desirable typeface and its overall subtlety makes it a covetable nostalgic piece of antique confectionary ware. The lack of paper labels and colour means it is an earlier example, and, still in tact, it proves to be an important piece of advertising history.