My family and I had recently planned a break in Hawaii. We had our clothes packed and our drinks sealed, but alas! My new plastic ice box just broke and shattered like crazy. And that’s when I remembered my 100-year-old ice box in the shed. And thankfully, it was still working!
Now, these antique wooden boxes are pretty natural! Like, they have metal-lined walls and cork or seaweed insulators. So yes, they don’t have an expiry date! And today, they may cost even more than $1000 as per their age and brand. Let’s see how & by how much!
Key Takeaways
- The early 1800s, 1830s, or 1840s iceboxes fetch the best value due to their natural insulation and Art Deco designs.
- Antique ice boxes typically cost $500 – 3000, but those with Wood & Alloyed metal sections are the most precious.
- Look for rare or branded models from Bending Hall, Baldwin, or Ranney for a high resale value.
- You’ll get three types of antique ice boxes – Commercial, Portable, and Glass fronted. Of these, the commercial ones are large & precious.
- Pick vintage ice boxes with a lacquered, brushed, or matte finish for a handmade make.
Key Identification Features of a Real Antique Ice Box
Well, antique ice boxes obviously have patinas, gaskets, and rusty lids. But these aren’t what antique lovers look for! In fact, it’s these unique, technical features that interest them more.
- Simple box-like design with Oak, Ash, or Pine walls
- Hollow sections with hand-filled Cork, Sawdust, Straw, or Seaweed insulation
- External drip pan or drainage pipe with a self-evaporating system for the melted water
- Hand beaten Tin or Zinc sheet lining for the inner compartment
- Might have an ice crusher or built-in thermometer at the sides
The Chilling History & Evolution of Ice Boxes
Can you guess the size of the first ice box? 20 inches? 50 inches? Well, the first ice box was 2-3M, almost as wide as a house. Yeah! Well, Arctic people (1700s) simply collected the natural ice and dumped it with straw in their rooms. But it just wasn’t feasible for everyone!
Then, in 1802, Thomas Moore had a doable idea! He made small stone or wood boxes and added some straw to cool down dairy products. Thus, America got a new milkman! And not just milk, but this box also shipped meat, dairy, and butter! But it was still very heavy!
But, in the 1900s, the millennials started using tin and zinc for the ice box walls and replaced the straw with cork and sawdust. Plus, most of them had wooden trays to hold the water. But this process got standardized, making the handmade ones more precious today!
3 Vintage Ice Box Types With Values
Let’s check the three main types of vintage ice boxes as per their use – dairy, commercial, and picnic, of course, with the base price!
1. Commercial Ice Boxes
True to its name, this icebox has long, 40-60 inch walls, racks, and ice block floors for commercial use. Most have tin or zinc walls, but the 1800s ones might use cork and weed too! Also, you might see water tanks, drains, and lights that hike the cost up to $4000.
2. Portable Ice Boxes
If your ice box is only 20-30” long, it might be a portable one worth $100 – 1500. Such iceboxes use hollow sections, often with handles and straps, for easy lifting. These might also have steel or aluminum lids, drain plugs, and spouts for the ice packs.
3. Glass Fronted Ice Box
These ice boxes are just like 40” wooden cabinets but with glass panels at the front. While these allow you to see what’s stored inside, they don’t hold the ice for long. So reserve them for your daily meat and dairy at just a low value of $30 – 500.
7 Steps to Identify & Appraise An Antique Ice Box
Now, let’s jump to the other factors, like age, material, brands, and much more, to know if your ice box is ANTIQUE or not!
1. Trace the Manufacturing Date & Age
Experts say that the first ice box was from the 1700s, in Europe. But since those models used natural Arctic ice and straw, you won’t get these today! So, if you want the old, collectible ones, look for the handmade 1800s models!
Now, the easiest way to check that is to look at the stamped dates at the back! But if those are faded, study the clues below:
| Old IceBox Years | Age | Unique Features | Average Valuation |
| Early 1800s | 223 years | Looks like an oval cedar tub with hollow walls and rabbit fur, straw, or seaweed insulation | $1000 – 4000 |
| 1830s | 193 years | Single-compartment iceboxes with base trays, seaweed or cork insulators, and Art Deco designs | $900 – 2500, as per the condition |
| 1840s | 183 years | 50 lbs iceboxes with double door walls, sawdust insulators, and small ventilation holes | $900 – 2000 |
| 1850s | 173 years | Small and single-shelved iceboxes with inbuilt mechanical and gas-driven tubes at the top | $600 – 1700 |
| 1870s | 153 years | Multi-shelved iceboxes with metal linings, decorative hardware, and drip pans | $300 – 1500 |
| 1900s | 123 years | Streamlined and modern designs with 3-4 doors, multiple adjustable shelves, water faucets, drip pans, and lights | $300 – 1000 (branded ones cost up to $1500) |
| 1950s | 73 years | Portable, electric iceboxes with metal and tin exteriors, shelves, drawers, drainage holes, and water dispensers | $200 – 800 |
Most REAL and old iceboxes have rusty pin-lever hinges, latches, and lids. So, lubricate them with some edible vegetable or coconut oil for more value.
2. Check the Materials
Collectors love the functional 1900s tin or zinc ice boxes for their insulation. But for good returns, the 1800s wood or metal boxes are best. Also, these have old grooved or sliding joints you won’t get nowadays. So, these fetch a high value, as shown in the table below:
| Old Ice Box Materials | Unique Features | Rough Cost |
| Wood – Oak, Mahogany, Pine, Cedar | Solid wood, Polished or Painted boxes with pin joints, carvings, and moldings | $200 – 2000 |
| Alloyed or Hand Beaten Metals & Steel | Crude, hand-beaten metal walls with uneven thickness, brushed appearance, and matte finish. | $100 – 1200 |
| Stainless Steel / Aluminum | Sleek and shiny walls with white paint and anti-rust finish | $50 – 900 |
| Tin | Glossy, grayish walls with anti-dent and anti-leak seals | $30 – 800 |
| Zinc | Silvery-gray brushed finishes with 2-3mm walls | $10 – 300 |
| Plastic / Silicone | Thick but lightweight walls with an inner metal lining and rubber gaskets | $10 – 200 |
Get wood ice boxes with molded glass, rubber, or leather seals for an old make.
3. Examine the Insulators
Not all iceboxes used straw and grass like the 1700s Arctic people. Some new 1900s ones also use refined fibers like flax and mineral wool.
So let’s check how these materials and their unique traits impact the icebox costs:
| Vintage Icebox Insulating Materials | Top Traits | Average Value |
| Straw | Thick, blade-like insulation in a bundle form | $500 – 3000, as per condition |
| Sawdust, Seaweed | Thin & Particle-like insulation that absorbs water but turns moldy with time | $300 – 1000 |
| Cork | Light and clean insulation with natural air pockets that trap cold currents | $100 – 1500 |
| Charcoal | Black, Carbon-rich, and Non-toxic insulation | $50 – 1500 |
| Mineral Wool & Flax Fiber | Stem or leaf-like, water-repellent insulation | $10 – 500 |
Pick old iceboxes with built-in or freestanding defrost valves to maintain your box’s original insulation properly.
4. Observe the Surface Finishes
You’ll get antique iceboxes in various finishes, including matte, painted, and shiny ones. Of these, the older ones were simply lacquered or brushed, while the new 1900s ones might be glossy.
And here are the average values as per the box finishes:
| Old Icebox Finishes | Estimated Price |
| Lacquered & Varnished | $1000 – 2500 |
| Matte & Brushed | $100 – 1200 |
| Metallic & Shiny | $50 – 1000 |
| Handpainted | $50 – 2000, as per the condition |
5. Observe the Colors
It’s not that all the old iceboxes are bare wood or metal! In fact, in the 1850s, makers started using different paints and pigments that added a bold, colored finish to each. And here’s how to price different colored ice boxes:
| Vintage Icebox Colors | Average Cost |
| Dark Colors – Black & Gray | $60 – 800 |
| Transparent, White & Yellow | $200 – 2000 (branded ones cost up to $4000) |
| Organic Colors – Beige & Brown | $300 – 2000 |
| Metallic Colors – Gold & Silver | $500 – 2500 |
| Cool Colors – Blue & Green | $60 – 400 |
| Red & Orange | $20 – 300 |
Look for dual-colored or glittery gold or silver-streaked iceboxes, which cost more by 2 – 3%.
6. Check the Brands
Branded iceboxes like those from D. Eddy and Coca-Cola obviously fetch better prices than others. That’s because these have unique copper linings and drains that you won’t get elsewhere.
So don’t forget to check the stamped logos, signs, and brand names on the lids, especially on the top, side covers, or undersides.
Check out some popular ice box brands and their values below:
| Old Ice Box Brands | Unique Features | Estimated Price |
| D. Eddy & Son of Boston | Plain, small, and functional designs with top shelves and bottom cabinets | $500 – 2000, as per the age |
| Bending Hall | Oakwood boxes with spring lever latch and two compartments | $1000 – 2500 |
| McCray | Industrial or Residential Ice Boxes with Porcelain lining and glass fronts | $800 – 2000 |
| Baldwin | Seasoned Oak boxes with extra drawers and shelves | $800 – 1700 |
| Ranney | Curved, Cubical boxes with extra shelves, drains, and ice block compartments | $900 – 2000 |
| White Frost Refrigerators | Cylindrical, Steel iceboxes with 2-3 revolving shelves | $120 – 1000 |
Avoid getting broken, deformed, or moldy iceboxes, as these lose their value by 5 – 15%.
7. Examine the Hardware
If you want an old and authentic icebox, get the ones with leather or rubber gasket hinges. Even the fasteners would be flexible, often with twisted wire screws and nails. On the other hand, if you see shiny metallic hinges, it might be a new 1900s model worth $300 – 1000.
5 Most Valuable & Rarest Antique Iceboxes Worth Money
Now, most iceboxes look the same, with 2-3 doors, lids, and drain holes. But some custom-made ones have 14 – 16 doors, gold-plated hardware, and gas lines too! So, these obviously value more than others, even up to $10,000. Let’s study such rare models below:
| Old & Rare Iceboxes | Last Resale Price |
| Custom 7-Door Box with Curved Ice Cream Display | $18,500 |
| 14-Door Icebox with beer Chests | $10,000 |
| 1955 Frigidaire Imperial Refrigerator | $4500 |
| Seeger Icebox | $4500 |
| Custom Bohn Icebox | $3000 |
How Old is an Antique Icebox?
The first icebox dates back to the 1700s, roughly 300 years from now. But the collectible ones are from the 1800s—1900s, i.e., they are 100 – 200 years old.
What Were Old Ice Boxes Lined With?
Old iceboxes often had a zinc or tin lining with other insulating materials like cork, sawdust, natural fiber, and straw at the center.
Do Antique Iceboxes Still Work?
Yes, antique iceboxes work if they have proper insulation and tin lining. So replace the straw or cork in their sections and grease the hinges for a better seal.
How Long Would Ice Last in a Vintage Icebox?
Most vintage iceboxes can hold ice for 5-6 hours, depending on their size and insulation. But some branded ones can hold ice for a day due to their superior circulators and lining.
Identifying a REAL icebox is pretty easy! All you need to do is check its age, materials, and finishes and see if it’s branded or not! Also, test if the insulation’s changed, as such models lose their value drastically. If not, refer to the tables and know the exact value!
Want to know more about such old kitchen furniture items? Check out our guide on ‘Old Hoosier Cabinets,’ ‘Bassett Furniture,’ and ‘Old Wood Stoves’ now!
