{"product_id":"antique-1904-walter-baker-chocolate-box-1900-paris-expo-medal-stencil-rare-6lb-flat-size-iowa-grocery-provenance","title":"Antique 1904 Walter Baker Chocolate Box 1900 Paris Expo Medal Stencil Rare 6lb Flat Size Iowa Grocery Provenance","description":"\u003cp\u003eAntique 1904 Walter Baker Chocolate Box — 1900 Paris Expo Medal Stencil Rare 6lb Flat Size with Iowa Grocery Plaque Provenance\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA Museum-Quality Slice of American Food History \u0026amp; Corporate Lore\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis antique wooden shipping box was manufactured by \u003cstrong\u003eWalter Baker \u0026amp; Co. Ltd. in Dorchester, Massachusetts\u003c\/strong\u003e, around the early 1900s to 1910s. Based on its precise 13\" x 6 ½\" footprint and shallow 3 ⅝” height, this low-profile, finger-jointed crate was engineered specifically for shipping 12 half-pound cakes of \u003cem\u003ePremium No. 1 Unsweetened Baking Chocolate\u003c\/em\u003e, built flat and tough to survive long railway transit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhile it stands on its own as a beautifully preserved piece of country store advertising featuring a prominent 1900 Paris Exposition medal stamp, this specific box holds an incredible, verified family and corporate lineage hidden right under its lid. It is a true cross-collectible piece bridging the golden age of American rail transport, Midwestern pioneer commerce, and a historic corporate acquisition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\nThe Story: From a Small-Town Counter to a Corporate Legacy\n\u003cp\u003eAround \u003cstrong\u003e1904\u003c\/strong\u003e, this exact box arrived at a bustling neighborhood grocery store on the west end of Fort Madison, Iowa. Packed tightly at the Massachusetts factory to withstand the long train ride along the Atchison, Topeka \u0026amp; Santa Fe lines, it was delivered straight to the shop’s proprietor, \u003cstrong\u003eChristian F. Jacobs\u003c\/strong\u003e. From 1890 until 1924, Christian ran his independent storefront at \u003cstrong\u003e2805 Santa Fe Avenue\u003c\/strong\u003e, where these exact chocolate blocks were sold to neighborhood families for Sunday cakes and holiday fudges.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the mid-1920s, the old ways began to shift. Christian retired, selling the business in May of 1925 to Clyde L. \"Pete\" Hughes, who renamed it \u003cem\u003ePete Hughes Groceries and Meats\u003c\/em\u003e. A few years later, around 1930, Fort Madison modernized its layout, renaming the streets parallel to the river. \u003cstrong\u003eSanta Fe Avenue became Avenue L\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the old grocery building seamlessly transitioned to its modern identity: \u003cstrong\u003e2805 Avenue L\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, Christian’s son, \u003cstrong\u003eGranville B. Jacobs\u003c\/strong\u003e, left Iowa and climbed the corporate ladder out East to become a prominent division personnel executive for the \u003cstrong\u003eGeneral Foods Corporation\u003c\/strong\u003e. In a remarkable twist of corporate synergy, General Foods went on to buy out Walter Baker \u0026amp; Company. Standing in his corporate office decades later, Granville recognized the very brand that had once lined his father’s midwestern shelves over half a century prior. He rescued this original 6-pound baking chocolate box from his family's past, commissioning a custom brass plaque to mount securely inside the hinged lid — permanently immortalizing his father's humble 1904 storefront and creating a breathtaking family heirloom.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe legacy of the building itself never stopped feeding Fort Madison. After Pete Hughes ran his market there for decades, John Oscar Naifeh took over the space as \u003cem\u003eNaifeh's Meat Market\u003c\/em\u003e from 1969 until 1986. Today, the building remains a neighborhood anchor, operating continuously since 1983 as the beloved \u003cem\u003eSub-Arena Sandwich Shop\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\nItem Details \u0026amp; Specifications\n\u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eManufacturer:\u003c\/strong\u003e Walter Baker \u0026amp; Co. Ltd.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEstimated Era:\u003c\/strong\u003e Circa 1904 (Dated by internal plaque provenance)\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct Held:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6 lb. baking chocolate blocks\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eConstruction:\u003c\/strong\u003e Classic dovetailed corner joints, nailed bottom construction\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLid Style:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hinged with interior-mounted brass plaque\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFront Panel Stencil:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e\"Made By Walter Baker \u0026amp; Co. Ltd., Dorchester, Mass.\"\u003c\/em\u003e (Clear, dark, and highly legible)\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRear Panel Stencil:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003e\"Gold Medal Awarded Walter Baker \u0026amp; Co Paris Exposition 1900\"\u003c\/em\u003e (Clear and highly readable)\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEnd Panels:\u003c\/strong\u003e Heavy, authentic historic sun-fading rendering the original text unreadable.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBottom Panel:\u003c\/strong\u003e Features an indecipherable historic handwritten script\/shipping markings from its original 1904 journey.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\nMeasurements\n\u003cul\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13 inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6 ½ inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 3 ⅝ inches\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\nCondition \u0026amp; Display Value\n\u003cp\u003eThe box is in \u003cstrong\u003egood antique condition\u003c\/strong\u003e with age-appropriate wear and tear. It is structurally sound with tight joints, featuring a gorgeous authentic wood patina and historic sun-fading on the end panels that provides absolute proof of its 120+ year journey. The internal brass plaque remains beautifully intact, anchored by its original historic screws.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIVL - FC1D2\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Walter Baker \u0026 Co. Ltd.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45551787049136,"sku":"SG-21645-S","price":123.25,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0286\/5990\/8661\/files\/IMG_4673-background-removed.png?v=1788295965","url":"https:\/\/juststuffisell.com\/products\/antique-1904-walter-baker-chocolate-box-1900-paris-expo-medal-stencil-rare-6lb-flat-size-iowa-grocery-provenance","provider":"Just Stuff I Sell","version":"1.0","type":"link"}