Antique Wine Cooler

When I first saw this item at Liberty Bell Antiques in Montgomery, Texas, I wasn’t sure what it was. Could it have been a bathtub? A chest for clothes? A type of refrigerator? Close. It’s an antique wine cooler! The owner said it’s from Europe, quite possibly Belgium. It is about 3’ tall and 5’ long, and it’s very heavy.  The oval shape is unusual because it was difficult to build rounded sides – especially by hand. 

Ice kept the contents (wine bottles) cold. A small faucet at the bottom of the cooler was used to drain water as the ice melted. Although it’s not visible in the photos, there was something between the inner and outer wood panels which probably acted as an insulator. Unfortunately, the owner wasn’t sure what it is. 

This is a beautiful piece of history that reminds us what amazing things people were able to create. Check out a few other examples of antique wine coolers on Pinterest.