Crates Collection

Milkman and his Float
A milkman taking bottles from the crates on his float to deliver to someones doorstep

British Army messager pigeon service
Taking birds out: to the trenches by despatch-riders to let the pigeons fly for training. Regular going and coming supply service of birds between the pigeon homing lofts at Divisional

Covent Garden Market
Crates of fresh fruit and vegetables from Norfolk etc. being unloaded in the morning at Covent Garden market, central London. Date: circa 1950

Porters at Billingsgate Fish Market, London, c. 1950
Photograph showing a group of porters outside Billingsgate Fish Market in London, c.1950. The porters are shown carrying crates of fish on their heads. Date: c.1950

Smithfield Market 1870
The arrival of an early meat train at Smithfield Market in London: porters unload and move baskets and crates

Aberdeen Fish Market
Two market traders walk through Aberdeen Fish Market, Scotland, where thousands of fresh fish are set out in crates and wicker baskets

Aberdeen Fish Market
Market traders chatting amongst the wooden crates of fresh fish at Aberdeen Fish Market, Scotland

Covent Garden Market
COVENT GARDEN A view of the market setting up early in the morning with piles of crates and sacks lying around. Date: Spring, circa 1930

Neyland Fish Market, Neyland, Pembrokeshire, South Wales
View inside the Fish Market in the coastal town of Neyland, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. The Ice Factory and Fish Market were opened on 16 November 1908

The astronomers waiting for the eclipse
The eclipse expedition in India to observe the total eclipse of the sun. Mr. Norman Lockyer is shown seated a little to the left beneath the umbrella

Covent Garden Market
COVENT GARDEN Early morning; a 21 year-old chap (Alfred John Lewis) in a flat cap, stands surrounded by baskets and crates of apples, fruit and vegetables

Sloop Inn, St Ives, Cornwall. 1904
Buying fish on the quayside opposite the Sloop Inn. Photographer: John Charles Burrow

Unloading Ships at London Docks, 1908
Illustration showing various cargoes coming ashore at London Docks, in the East End of London, 1908. Elephants tusks, barrels

Covent Garden CXP01_01_156
COVENT GARDEN, CITY OF WESTMINSTER, GREATER LONDON. Market traders setting up the fruit and vegetable market at Covent Garden outside St Pauls Church

27 Cases of Apples from just one tree - Victoria, Australia
27 Cases of Apples from just one tree - the State of Victoria, Australia Date: circa 1908

Morocco, North West Africa - Street Bread sellers Casablanca Date: circa 1950s

French Customs officers X-Ray for smuggled goods 1897

Street Banana Seller, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Date: circa 1910s

Fishmonger - Port of London
A fishmonger carrying boxes of fresh fish unloaded at the Port of London, close to Tower Bridge, visible in the distance

Food being unloaded in the Channel Islands; Second World War
Photograph showing the unloading of crates of food in St. Peter Port, Guernsey, 1945. After nearly five years of German occupation the civilian population of the islands had very little food

Covent Garden / Crates
Fresh fruit arrives on a Spring morning at Covent Garden market. A man carries a crate of oranges on his head

Shoot for Carlsberg - mid 1960s Date: circa mid-1960s

F1 Formula 1 Formula One Test Crates Unpack Freight
Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Wednesday 19 April 2017. Teams pack equipment at the conclusion of Bahrain's two-day test

Loading boxes of salmon Petersburg, between c1900 and c1930. Creator: Unknown
Loading boxes of salmon Petersburg, between c1900 and c1930

Fox pups raised by cat at Alaska Silver Fox and Fur Farms Co. between c1900 and c1930. Creator: Unknown
Fox pups raised by cat at Alaska Silver Fox and Fur Farms Co. between c1900 and c1930

Japanese Hospital Corps landing medical and surgical supplies at Chemulpo, c1904. Creator: Robert Lee Dunn
Japanese Hospital Corps landing medical and surgical supplies at Chemulpo, c1904

Yakutsk Region, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Yakutsk Region, 1856. This card is one of a souvenir set of 82 illustrated cards-one for each province of the Russian Empire as it existed in 1856

Astrakhan Province, 1856. Creator: Unknown
Astrakhan Province, 1856. This card is one of a souvenir set of 82 illustrated cards-one for each province of the Russian Empire as it existed in 1856

Progress of the International Exhibition Building: the Western Annexe, for machinery, 1862. Creator: Unknown
Progress of the International Exhibition Building: the Western Annexe, for machinery, 1862. The International Exhibition of 1862 was a world's fair held from 1 May to 1 November 1862 in South

Departure of the Noncomformists from London...for the new colony... 1862. Creator: Unknown
Departure of the Noncomformists from London, on Thursday week, for the new colony of Albertland, New Zealand: scene on board the Matilda Wattenbach on her passage down the river [Thames], 1862

The Eastern Annexe of the International Exhibition Building containing agricultural implements, 1862 Creator: Unknown
The Eastern Annexe of the International Exhibition Building containing agricultural implements, [South Kensington, London]

Receiving goods at the International Exhibition Building, 1862. Creator: Unknown
Receiving goods at the International Exhibition Building, [South Kensington, London], 1862. Our Illustration represents a section of the busy scenes within the building of the International

F1 Formula 1 Formula One Test Crates Unpack Freight
Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Wednesday 19 April 2017. Teams pack equipment at the conclusion of Bahrain's two-day test

North Market Cazneau Street, Liverpool, Merseyside. Circa 1960

F1 Formula 1 Formula One Test Crates Unpack Freight
Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. Wednesday 19 April 2017. Teams pack equipment at the conclusion of Bahrain's two-day test

Tetris
Dmitry Skvortsov

Still-Life with Monkey Mask, 1824 (colour woodblock print with metallic pigments; surimono shikishiban)
5859826 Still-Life with Monkey Mask, 1824 (colour woodblock print with metallic pigments; surimono shikishiban) by Hokkei

Snuff Box, 1800-1815 (striated agate in gold and enamel mounts)
XOS5884100 Snuff Box, 1800-1815 (striated agate in gold and enamel mounts) by Russian School (19th century); Cleveland Museum of Art, OH, USA; (add.info.: Russia, early 19th century)

Farewell Gift for the Horse (Uma no Senbetsu), from the series "A Selection of Horses (Uma-zukushi)"
5859591 Farewell Gift for the Horse (Uma no Senbetsu), from the series "A Selection of Horses (Uma-zukushi)", 1822 (colour woodblock print; shikishiban, surimono) by Hokusai

The Japanese Doll, 1920s (oil on canvas)
NGW238916 The Japanese Doll, 1920s (oil on canvas) by John, Gwen (1876-1939); 33x40.6 cm; National Museum Wales; National Museums & Galleries of Wales

The deliveries and the loading of purchases of fresh fruit and vegetables in a congested Tavistock Street WC2 at the rear of Covent Garden Market

Louis XI Visiting Cardinal Balue in the Iron Cage, (1469-1481), 1890. Creator: Unknown
Louis XI. Visiting Cardinal Balue in the Iron Cage, (1469-1481), 1890. Jean Balue (c1421-1491) cardinal and minister of Louis XI, Balue played both sides in negotiating a treaty

High angle view of fresh clams in crate for sale at market, Caleta Portales, Valparaiso, Valparaiso Province, Valparaiso Region, Chile

High angle view of crates with various fresh sea food for sale at market, Caleta Portales, Valparaiso, Valparaiso Province, Valparaiso Region, Chile

Detail shot of fish in crate at morning fish market, Caleta Portales, Valparaiso, Valparaiso Province, Valparaiso Region, Chile

Covent Garden CXP01_01_157
COVENT GARDEN, CITY OF WESTMINSTER, GREATER LONDON. Market traders setting up the fruit and vegetable market at Covent Garden outside St Pauls Church

The skipper and the American
Alex Mackenzie Tommy Kearins and Paul Douglas in a scene from The Maggie (1954)

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

"From Milkman to Messenger: The Versatility of Crates" they have long played a significant role in various aspects of our lives, serving as reliable carriers and storage solutions. Take, for instance, the iconic image of the milkman and his float. As dawn breaks, he carefully places crates filled with fresh bottles on doorsteps across neighborhoods, ensuring households wake up to creamy goodness. But it doesn't stop there. In times gone by, even the British Army recognized the value when establishing their messenger pigeon service. These feathered heroes would carry vital messages within specially designed crates, swiftly delivering crucial information across enemy lines. Beyond wartime exploits, crates found their place in bustling markets like Covent Garden Market. Here they stood tall amidst vibrant displays of fruits and vegetables - sturdy containers holding nature's bounty while awaiting eager customers. In "Waiting for the Hour, " an intriguing artwork from 1863 attributed to unknown creator William Tolman Carlton, we see mysterious figures gathered around wooden crates shrouded in anticipation. What secrets lie within these enigmatic boxes? Only time will tell. The maritime world also embraced crates' practicality at Aberdeen Fish Market. Amidst salty air and seagull cries, fishermen unloaded their catch into robust containers before being whisked away to satisfy seafood enthusiasts far and wide. Meanwhile, porters at Billingsgate Fish Market in London during the 1950s relied on trusty old crates as they maneuvered through chaotic scenes with remarkable finesse - a testament to both their strength and versatility. Neyland Fish Market in Pembrokeshire witnessed similar scenes as fishmongers deftly sorted their wares into neatly stacked wooden receptacles ready for sale or transport - each crate telling its own story of oceanic abundance. Smithfield Market circa 1870 saw butchers skillfully utilizing sturdy wooden containers to transport meat cuts from stall to stall – a symphony of efficiency amidst the hustle and bustle of commerce.