Antique 1890s Wire Divider Gardner Egg Carriers Pair Primitive Wood Crates Farm For Sale

Wonderful pair of late 19th-century wooden egg carriers with an ingenious wire suspension system designed to hold individual eggs securely during transport.Each carrier contains rows of shaped wire loops that cradle and grip the eggs individually rather than allowing them to rest directly against one another. The system is remarkably effective—the eggs remain securely held even when the carrier is tilted steeply, as demonstrated in the photographs.The construction closely corresponds to the Gardner egg-carrier system patented in the United States in 1889 and improved in 1890. Gardner Egg Carriers were manufactured in Massachusetts and advertised commercially during the 1890s and into the early 20th century. The pair was acquired in Connecticut, making their New England origin particularly interesting in relation to the documented Massachusetts history of the Gardner design.Constructed of wood with individual wire egg supports and three circular finger holes at each end. The carriers were also designed to stack neatly, as shown in the photographs. Each holds two dozen eggs.Each carrier measures approximately 14 inches long by 9 1/2 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches deep.Both remain in very good antique condition with the expected surface wear and patina from well over a century of age and use. There are areas of old black paint on the underside wooden rails, visible in the photographs. The wire systems remain remarkably functional.A particularly unusual surviving example of late 19th-century agricultural ingenuity—both a striking piece of primitive American farm equipment and a wonderfully sculptural object for display.Sold as the pair. Eggs shown in the photographs are for demonstration only and are not included.