Vintage 1930s Jacob Ruppert Beer-Ale Wood Crate circa 1937

{HISTORY}

Just how many stories from history are hidden in the wood grain of a vintage beer crate? As it turns out... quite a bit!

The first begins with the Ruppert family. Comprised of three generations of beer brewers, Franz Ruppert immigrated from Germany to New York City in 1835 to set up a brewery in the Turtle Bay neighborhood of mid-town Manhattan.

In the 1860s, Jacob's son, who grew up working in his father's business, opened his own brewery on the far edge of the Upper East Side. A giant success from the start, the Jacob Ruppert Brewery Company quickly became a favored beer in the city, producing thousands of barrels a year.  The brewery went through several expansions to meet demand, and Jacob himself diversified his activities in the city to include real estate and manufacturing businesses in addition to his bustling brewery.

Like his dad, Jacob Ruppert Jr. also grew up in the beer business and eventually took over management of the Jacob Ruppert Brewery Company before inheriting it completely upon his dad's death in 1915. 

In addition to managing the brewery, Jacob Jr. was also involved in New York politics, assisted two state governors and served an 8-year term as a member of the US House of Representatives. When his father died in 1915,  it turned out to be a pivotal year for Jacob Jr.  A longtime lover of baseball, he purchased the New York Highlanders team, renamed them the Yankees, and built a stadium for them to play in where he could also serve his beer.  The Highlanders weren't the greatest of basebal teams at the time of Jacob's purchase, so he signed Babe Ruth to see if that might help them improve. The rest is baseball history ans Babe enjoyed a long long and storied career with the Yankees. Lou Gehrig was signed in the 1920s, and Joe DiMaggio in 1936, just one year before this beer crate was made. 

With the ability to hold 26 glass bottles of Jacob Ruppert beer, the box was made by the General Box Co in Brooklyn, New York in 1937. With reinforced metal trim and solid wood dividers, G.B.C.'s moniker was "Built to Last." And last, it has.  Ninety years later, it is still strong, sturdy and completely intact. 

In business through 1965, Jacob Ruppert Brewery was one of the best-selling brands of American beer during its run. The year this crate was made, the Yankees won the World Series against the New York Giants 4-1. At the time, it was the Yankees’ sixth win of the series. Jacob congratulated manager Joe McCarthy by telling him, "It's a swell team, Joe, from you, right down to the bat boy." Joe reciprocated by calling Jacob "the best owner in baseball."

Jacob Ruppert Jr. passed away two years later in 1939 at the age of 71. Seventy-four years later, he would be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the sport. 

It's amazing to think that if Franz Ruppert had never immigrated to the US, Jacob Ruppert Brewery would have never been born, and the Yankees would never have existed. 

Now a very hard-to-find piece of American brewery memorabilia,  this box contains the original wood bottle dividers - a piece of the box's composition that usually was removed, lost, or destroyed over time. It also contains clearly markd branding on all sides of the interior and exterior. 

Did Babe Ruth himself pull a bottle from this box after a game? Was it part of the concession brigade for fans in the late 1930s? Or did it circulate around New York City, stacked and stocked in warehouses destined for restaurants, social clubs, bars or hotels where patrons celebrated the post-Prohibition years with renewed cheer?

We'll never know exactly where this box roamed, but any of these scenarios represents an exciting time in New York City history spent with a popular beer brand, a host of baseball legends, and a true American success story. 

Portraits of Jacob Ruppert Sr & Jacob Ruppert Jr. courtesy of New York State's Prominent & Progressive Men circa 1900. Photo of Jacob Ruppert Jr. at 1915 Yankees game with player, Bill Donovan,  courtesy of the Library of Congress.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Rare find with original wood dividers
• Wood and metal construction
• Jacob Ruppert branding on all sides 
• Strong and sturdy
• Stamped with the General Box Co mark, dating it to 1937
  

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this crate is completely intact on all sides. The metal reinforced edges are securely attached. The interior wood dividers are securely in place but are removable. One of the slats on the interior is missing a portion of itself. The wood on both the interior and exterior has accrued lots of character over time with various aging marks. There is a splintered edge on one side that measure 4.5" inches in length but is still firmly attached to the side wall. The branding graphics are crisp and clear on all sides. Please see photos. 

{SIZE}

Measures 21.25" inches (length) x 13.5" inches (width) x 8" inches (height) and weighs 8.10 lbs