For sale is an early 1900s American Art Works ICE CREAM SERVING TRAY. This antique rectangular lithograph serving tray’s sides includes the following text: “G.O. PRAETORIUS- FINEST ICE CREAM IN THE CITY – 40 EAST BROAD ST. – HAZELTON, PA.”. G.O. Praetorius was a confectionery and ice cream business located at 40 East Broad St. in Hazleton, PA, during the early 20th century. This lithographic was made by the American Art Works Company in Coshocton, Ohio for the G.O. Praetorius Ice Cream Company in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. This colorful tray features a pretty, curly haired brunette eating a delicious bowl of vanilla ice cream. The illustration is entitled “DELIGHTED” and has a 1913 copyright date. The tray’s illustration is in overall great condition with strong color but there are minor scratches and chips. The tray measures about 13 1/4 inches by 13 1/2 inches. A superb ice cream advertising collectible.
During the 1700s, ice cream in America was a luxury item for the wealthy. During the mid-1800s, industrial production brought ice cream to the masses. In 1861, America’s oldest ice cream company, Bassetts Ice Cream, was established in Pennsylvania. Throughout the late 1800s, ice cream parlors and soda fountains became central to American social life.
