This antique wooden Chocolat Menier shipping crate is a great piece of old French advertising, combining wonderfully bold graphics with the straightforward, no-nonsense construction of a working transport box. It measures approximately 37.4" wide x 19.9" high x 15.2" deep.
The crate is constructed from thick wooden boards with reinforced vertical battens running across the front, back, and lid. Two original metal straps and buckles secure the top, giving the box an especially rugged, well-traveled appearance. The hinged lid opens to reveal a large, uncomplicated storage compartment, with the raw interior boards showing plenty of age and use.
What really makes the piece is the typography. “CHOCOLAT MENIER” is boldly stenciled across both long sides in oversized black lettering, with traces of additional red painted markings still visible underneath and between the letters. The graphics are worn and faded in places, but remain strong and easy to read.
Chocolat Menier was one of France’s most important and recognizable chocolate makers, with a history stretching back to the early 19th century. The company was founded in 1816 by Jean Antoine Brutus Menier, originally producing pharmaceutical powders before chocolate gradually became the main focus of the business.
By the second half of the 1800s, Menier had grown into a major chocolate manufacturer, operating from its famous factory at Noisiel, just outside Paris. The company was especially good at branding, and its name became a familiar sight on posters, shop signs, tins, crates, and packaging throughout France and beyond.
One of Menier’s best-known images was the little girl writing the company name on a wall, an advertising graphic that became closely associated with the brand.
Today, antique Chocolat Menier advertising and packaging is collected for its strong typography, French commercial history, and instantly recognizable graphics. Pieces such as wooden shipping crates are especially appealing because they combine advertising with genuine everyday use.
This antique wooden Chocolat Menier shipping crate is a great piece of old French advertising, combining wonderfully bold graphics with the straightforward, no-nonsense construction of a working transport box. It measures approximately 37.4" wide x 19.9" high x 15.2" deep.
The crate is constructed from thick wooden boards with reinforced vertical battens running across the front, back, and lid. Two original metal straps and buckles secure the top, giving the box an especially rugged, well-traveled appearance. The hinged lid opens to reveal a large, uncomplicated storage compartment, with the raw interior boards showing plenty of age and use.
What really makes the piece is the typography. “CHOCOLAT MENIER” is boldly stenciled across both long sides in oversized black lettering, with traces of additional red painted markings still visible underneath and between the letters. The graphics are worn and faded in places, but remain strong and easy to read.
Chocolat Menier was one of France’s most important and recognizable chocolate makers, with a history stretching back to the early 19th century. The company was founded in 1816 by Jean Antoine Brutus Menier, originally producing pharmaceutical powders before chocolate gradually became the main focus of the business.
By the second half of the 1800s, Menier had grown into a major chocolate manufacturer, operating from its famous factory at Noisiel, just outside Paris. The company was especially good at branding, and its name became a familiar sight on posters, shop signs, tins, crates, and packaging throughout France and beyond.
One of Menier’s best-known images was the little girl writing the company name on a wall, an advertising graphic that became closely associated with the brand.
Today, antique Chocolat Menier advertising and packaging is collected for its strong typography, French commercial history, and instantly recognizable graphics. Pieces such as wooden shipping crates are especially appealing because they combine advertising with genuine everyday use.
