EXTREMELY RARE ANTIQUE "LAWCO" WINDOW REFRIGERATOR ICE (Los Angeles, CA)

EXTREMELY RARE ANTIQUE "LAWCO" WINDOW REFRIGERATOR ICE

This POSTING features a very unusual find. It is an extremely rare antique Lawco window refrigerator ice box. SIR We found only one of your LAWCO WINDOW REFRIGERATOR ICE BOX that sold in 2003 and it is an extremely very rare piece to have or to own. As you will see the one that sold was for a very good price even though it was slight rusted and had 2 holes in it when sold at auction. The photos of yours shows us well that yours is probably the only one left that is in almost perfect condition and is a very very easy unit to restore and put back in the original condition when it sold As new shortly after the Civil War and up to 1907 or before. Yours is probably prior to the 1900 S based on the design on the door and the information you also supplied with the photos. YOU WILL PLEASE NOTE THAT IN THE MOVIE THE 7 LITTLE FOYS WITH HOLLYWOOD STAR BOB HOPE THAT IN THE SCENE WHERE HE GOES TO PLACE THE BOTTLE OF MILK IN THE BOX IN THE WINDOW THAT THIS IS A LAWCO WINDOW REFRIGERATOR THAT MR. HOPE PLACES THE MILK IN THAT IS EXACTLY AS THE ONE YOU HAVE NOW. THE F.H. Lawson Company of Cincinnati started business in 1816 mostly making galvanized iron trash cans and garbage pails. Shortly after the Civil War these window ice boxes came into being being made as a Custom Order Only from this company. No other Company in America at that time was making a Window Refrigerator as these were an exclusive product of F.H. Lawson from after the Civil War until the early 1900 s. They were mounted in the window much like we mount window unit air conditioners. A catalog dated 1917 lists these under Specialty & Miscellaneous with the following description Rests on outside windowsill with 2 wires securely fastening it to the window frame. Furnished with or without swinging hinge. When open the door rests on the inside of the window sill making a wide steady shelf. This model measures 23 X 15 X 12 and has shelf rests on the inside sides but It HAS no shelf. It has a turn latch to secure the door. Metal in very good condition with no holes and very little rust.