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Please review ALL pictures for overall condition and size, as this forms the overall condition/description of the item. Wear is consistent with age and use. Measurements are in the photos, it is a huge tea tin. 20" X 16.5" X 18.5".
Up for sale is an exceptional piece of New England mercantile history: an original, massive countertop general store tea bin from The Holbrook Grocery Co. of Keene, New Hampshire. This historic bin features their premier proprietary brand, "Monadnock," complete with the iconic Native American profile logo, "No. 140," and "Specially Selected" text all lithographed directly onto the main front display panel. Designed for heavy commercial use, this rugged, all-metal storage display features a flat top lid stamped with the "Formosa Oolong" tea branding.
The piece features incredible cross-collectible appeal, boasting fantastic Chinoiserie-style lithographed advertising landscapes on the side panels. The artwork beautifully depicts junk ships, bridges, and stylized clouds beneath an image of Mount Fuji, which merchant wholesalers used to romanticize the exotic origins of the imported tea. A highly crisp and vibrant decorative cherry blossom border pattern runs cleanly along the bottom section of the bin, offering a rare glimpse into the original color palette of this turn-of-the-century general store fixture.
Offered in honest, as-found primitive condition with an authentic, heavy country-store patina. The rugged sheet-metal structure is fundamentally solid with no major structural collapses, and the front lift-access door and original metal wire ring pull remain fully intact and operational. Dents, scratches, scuffs, etc. The exterior lithographed paint/lacquer finish has heavily oxidized, dried, and flaked away over the last century, leaving various areas of natural surface rust, bare tin, and dark staining exposed (particularly along the edges, corners, and front panel text). Despite the extensive historic flaking, the key graphics—including the iconic "Monadnock" Native American profile, the Keene, N.H. attribution, the side Asian landscape panels, and the top lid branding—all remain clearly legible. The interior shows typical oxidation, dark tea residue staining, and light surface rust consistent with a century of storage, but it remains dry and sturdy. Please study all high-resolution photos closely to inspect the exact state of the flaking lacquer and metal surfaces.
Please Note: This item is strictly for Local Pickup Only. Due to the fragility of the historic flaking lacquer finish and the substantial weight of the sheet-metal structure, we will not risk damage through traditional shipping networks. We would even drive a little bit to meet someone if it makes it easier to do the pick up.
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Please contact us within 48 hours of purchase to coordinate a pickup day/time. Items not picked up or coordinated within 7 days may be relisted.
