Thread: help please - what are these?

Hi,

Im no expert but to me they def. look like doc boxes - perhaps the sort that solicitors would put files pertaining to a case in. if that is a 12 inch rule on top of the box then the boxes look big enough for legal stationary, i imagine that that the little box inside is a pen or paper clip holder etc...

from my recent looksee's at a solicitors office it seems the most common storage these days for legal doco is a set of manila folders held together with rubber bands and filed in open steel shelving... if this is the case generally perhaps this is why you've found these (what might be) now redudant and too big to store boxes..

what sort of construction ? are the fine dovetailed or just banged together ???

G'day.

I have the little brother to these 2. It's only about 10" long but has the same 'rustic' finish & 'pen holder'(?) inside. Mine won't hold legal docs but I suspect that it was a writing box of some sort.

Thanks for the replies.

The dovetails are good - I wish I could produce dovetails like that, although the handiwork is spoilt somewhat by leaving the marking gauge cutting marks visible on the outside, so it appears to be handmade, but not an heirloom piece - mass produced by hand - if you know what I mean...

So, some sort of document box, maybe a solicitor's?

Thanks again

My guess is that they are cases to store scientific instruments of some kind. Possibly microscopes, refractometers, or surveying instruments - with the little shelf used to store an assortment of lenses. I've got some similar boxes that are used to store old microscope slides, but yours are bigger than these. The level of workmanship sounds about the same as I've seen for instrument cases.

Cigar box, the little shelf on the side is to place the cigar cutters.

Tony.

See these things all over the place here. can be for just about anything but mostly versions of document boxes going back to the days when wills and deeds etc were in scroll form. Victorians used them for stationery mainly but usually with provision for ink wells. Other uses include medicines, sewing, instruments of all kinds, the list is endless.In short, they make very useful storeage and Im sure you will fill them up before long.
Second hand value typically around £30-£80 depending on condition and into several hundreds for good quality tea caddies which these are not.
beejay1

Originally Posted by banksiaman

although the handiwork is spoilt somewhat by leaving the marking gauge cutting marks visible on the outside, so it appears to be handmade, but not an heirloom piece

Banksiaman,

There is fierce debate over whether the marking gauge marks should be left or removed. If they are left, some people see them as unsightly but others see them as an indication of the craftmanship whereas if they are planed off, the dimensions of the box are smaller towards the ends but some people prefer to see smooth sides (apart from the dovetails).

I don't strongly support either argument as there are good and bad points on both sides.

What do others think?

I could be wrong, but it greatly resembles sowing boxes my great grandmother use to own, however hers had two or three of the smaller trays across the top which could all be taken out. We always kept cars in one of the boxes when we were growing up. I recall there being a name on the bottom of some old sowing company. In fact, the only reason I recall that part is because she had an old manual sowing machine by the same name.

A thought.

Brian

I think Paul B got it. These look very like the boxes used for gauges and special tools (turbine bearing gauges). Could have been anything really but very similar to tools I used to use on big GE marine reduction gearboxes.

Cheers

Thanks for the replies.

I think I will go for the document box.
I've seen plenty of microscope and testing equipment boxes (I have worked in a University in labs for 30 odd years and seen plenty) and they all had some made to order mounts built into the boxes, and they had the brandname marked somwhere, both of which are missing. The sewing box may be alright but again no brand name. SWMBO has laid claim to one as a sewing box, I just have to make some lift out trays - "it won't take you long, it'll be easy".
The argument of whether to leave marking out lines or not - My view is that if they are visible on the outside, they should be sanded / planed / scraped off. If it is not visible on the outside eg. sides of drawers, that is OK - IMHO

Thanks again for the replies.