We’re seeing a big interest in Ice Boxes lately! Why not? They’re big, bold pieces of history.
Back in the day (before refrigeration) an ice man would come to your home and delivery the ice to keep these cold. You’d use the different sections for dairy, meat and so on. Some had hooks to hang meat!
The economical version was made of oak usually and lined in a tin. The better the box, the better the insulation. They had a tray which would fill with water that you’d have to empty.
The metal Ice Box was for made for commercial use at first but seem to have ended up in many homes.
The “higher end” versions were in wood but then we brought in the craftsmen – carvings, turnings, mirrors and stunning hardware. Bigger and better! Most of these have a hose with a drip system on the bottom.
Today, these are being manufactured by the ground up. A wine frig, meat section, who knows what’s in all the compartments. The big, black beauty resides in the 1832 Hurst Haven Plantation in New Orleans.
I've seen Ice Boxes used as bedroom dressers and book shelves but what does it take to make this a modern working refrigerator? If it's a rare beauty or you just love it, this might be something to look at. (Tip - start saving your pennies now! This is what turns that $600.00 box into the $6000.00 box!) To hide the compressor a steel base on wheels can be manufactured which the Ice Box would be mounted to. A high efficient compressor, condenser and fan motor is installed. The inside of old ice compartment is lined with stainless steel. The next step is to install a new evaporator, cold control, fan, electric lights and recharge the system with an R-12 blend refrigerant.The exterior is refinished and a skirt is built to hide the base and compressor.Any color, new chrome or gold-plated hardware - the sky's the limit.
