Large Canard-Duchêne Champagne Shipping Crate, Early 20th-Century - 18" x 32"

This large early 20th-century French wooden champagne shipping crate was made for Canard-Duchêne of Ludes, near Reims. Constructed from simple nailed softwood boards, it has an unusually elongated, relatively low rectangular form, proportions designed for the practical packing and transport of champagne bottles in rows. The original stenciling remains particularly legible, with CHAMPAGNE CANARD-DUCHÊNE, LUDES PRÈS REIMS prominently displayed across one long side and further shipping numbers on the end. Scratches, stains, darkened nail heads and small irregularities throughout the pale wood speak to repeated handling and give the crate its authentic, work-worn patina.

Founded in Ludes near Reims in 1868 by Victor Canard and Léonie Duchêne, Canard-Duchêne grew from a family Champagne house into an internationally recognized producer, giving the surviving crate an appealing connection to the history of Champagne making and trade.

Its elongated proportions and warm, work-worn patina make it a characterful storage piece for today’s interiors: turned on its side, it becomes a generous low cubby for books and magazines, while upright it could hold bottles, cookbooks, logs or fresh market produce. Its faded typography and honest working surface bring a strong sense of Champagne history to a wine cellar, pantry or kitchen.