Metal tray advertising the Kips Bay Brewing Co. in New York City. The circular tray has a central illustration of a sailboat with K.B.B. Co. on the sail, presumably carrying its cargo of stacked beer barrels up the East River near the brewery, which was located on 1st Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets. The picture is encircled by text: "Kips Bay Brewing Co. Inc. Extra Beer, Ales, Porter" and the brewery address. Printed in red, yellow and brown, the edges of the design are a trompe-l'oeil rendering of antiqued peeling paper. The tray is 1.75 inches inches deep, and the inner rim is printed with a gold-edged red stripe. The photo here shows the tray slightly tilted to show that inner rim.
Kips Bay was an inlet of the East River running from present-day 32nd Street to 37th Street, just west of 1st Avenue, with two streams running from it. The bay became reclaimed land, but by general consensus, the name Kips Bay is still applied to the neighborhood between East 23rd and 34th Streets, from the East River to at least 2nd Avenue. The Kips Bay Brewing Company began operations in 1895 on 1st Avenue between 37th and 38th Streets and operated until Prohibition was instituted in 1920. After the repeal of Prohibition it reopened in 1934, and finally ceased operations in 1947. Today it would be called a microbrewery or craft brewery, but in the pre-World War II era, most breweries were local and small scale. The 1895 Kips Bay Brewing Company building still stands and in use as an office building.
Condition: Generally very good, painted surface with the usual overall toning and wear; few minor abrasions. Sides and back good with some rusting oxidation, unobtrusive.
"Kips Bay Brewing Co. Inc - NY 486f." 2004-2013. Old Breweries. http://www.oldbreweries.com/breweries-by-state/new-york/new-york-city-ny-220-breweries/kips-bay-brewing-co-inc-ny-486f/ (12 December 2016).
"Kips Bay, Manhattan." Wikipedia. 30 October 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kips_Bay,_Manhattan (12 December 2016).