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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: carolanivey on January 31, 2012, 08:44:56 pm

Title: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on January 31, 2012, 08:44:56 pm: Hello,

I just picked up an interesting little wooden box at the local antique "mall". It's basically a cube, about 6 or 7 inches wide/tall, tongue and groove construction. There's a brass handle on top but the box opens in front like a door. It's held shut by a tiny latch. On the inside of a door is a sort of rack with three places for what might be vials. At the back of the box is a small, 1" wide shelf or bench. There's a number carefully hand-painted on the front of the door, "24".

There is a small square of felt on the inside of the door, center bottom. The little pedestal under the "bench" in back is also covered in felt. On the inside side walls are scrape marks as if something had been pulled in and out of the box. On the bottom outside of the box, the numbers "2 8 5" are stamped into the wood.

My son thought it might be a communion box, but I don't know. I'm thinking a small apothecary box. A few pictures are attached. Thank you!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: Rauville on January 31, 2012, 08:56:13 pm: Although it's slightly smaller than most I've seen, it looks as if it held a microscope originally.
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on January 31, 2012, 09:00:25 pm: Thank you...that was one of my other ideas, as well. :)
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: mart on February 01, 2012, 12:38:31 pm: That is likely correct !! The inside door looks to be a shape similar to the lens heads when unscrewed from scope !!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on February 01, 2012, 12:52:10 pm: Mystery solved! Now I wish I knew what kind of scope went in it. :)

A friend of mine suggested I use the box to store a shrunken head. ;D
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: fancypants on February 01, 2012, 03:09:48 pm: I don't think it is/was a case for a microscope , per say .... I do think it may have been a case for a field magnifyer , perhaps from a school biology lab , etc. ... the 'rack' on its' door seem to be for holding something other than microscope lenses/eyepieces , to me , esp since they're 'oddly shaped' .

Cool little finger-joint box , carolanivey !
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 01, 2012, 04:36:09 pm: I think that this is a pipe box for tobacco pipes. The pipe stems go in the holders on the door, but I think you are missing the support for the bottoms of the pipe below that. Here is a similar, slightly fancier antique pipe box:

http://www.ioffer.com/i/Antique-Oak-Pipe-Smokers-Cabinet-Box-167001495 (http://www.ioffer.com/i/Antique-Oak-Pipe-Smokers-Cabinet-Box-167001495)

(http://cdn100.iofferphoto.com/img/item/167/001/495/i9IU.jpg)
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on February 01, 2012, 05:27:07 pm: Hm, maybe...but look at the picture of the inside of the front door on my box. If you hang a pipe in the hole, there's no way you can shut the door. I guess it could slide in bowl-down, but I don't see any evidence that there was a support underneath. No residual glue, no scratches, no screw holes. You'd think it would have left a mark. You could be right, though! I'm certainly no expert. :)
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on February 01, 2012, 05:50:54 pm: I was thinking bowl down with a missing support, but if there is no evidence of one having been there, I am probably off-target!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: mart on February 01, 2012, 06:02:19 pm: Don`t know about that shrunken head thing !! Would make a nice little booze box !! Shot glasses in the front if they will fit !!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on February 01, 2012, 07:23:17 pm: Ha! I like the way you think!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: hosman321 on February 01, 2012, 08:45:51 pm: Could it be an antique camera box?
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: fancypants on February 01, 2012, 11:10:54 pm: Seems like the 'wear-marks' i/s of your case would help i.d.ing , esp if they were in a pattern of the base of whatever type of gear that once lived in it , IMO .

Could have been a buncha things ...maybe someone will spot one like it soon !?!

I'm still curious about the actual shape/form of the i/s of the holes on the rack on the door , though .

Maybe a nice bunsen/crucible holder/stand ?

Wish I knew , 'cuz i'd tell ya !
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: cogar on February 02, 2012, 04:25:13 am: carolanivey, I think your box was made to hold a piece of laboratory equipment because of the handle and the # painted on the side of it. Probably came from a High School, College or Engineering Lab.

And Tales, I don’t think the picture you cited was that of an “antique pipe box” because, for one thing, there is no way that door could have served as a means of storing tobacca pipes.

But before I posted I clicked your “link” to make sure I wasn’t missing something, …. and “yup” I was, ………. I was missing that “box” because the ad had been removed.
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on February 02, 2012, 08:36:29 am: fancypants, the holes in the rack are perfectly round, about an inch in diameter. Most standard microscopes, I believe, have three lenses, and taking them off the body of the device would allow you to crank it down short enough to fit inside the box. I'm still a little mystified by the wear/scrape marks inside. If it was the platform where you'd place the slides, you'd think the marks would be lower, not toward the top. Unless you had to detach the table as well as the lenses... or maybe the scrape marks are from the knobs you'd to focus?
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: mart on February 02, 2012, 07:42:23 pm: The knob that you turned to focus the microscope would be right at mid point of the box or a little lower !! Is that where the scrapes are ?? The older ones were a little heavy so if it was carried by the handle of the box it could have slid enough to leave a mark !! I have no idea about that shelf !!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on February 02, 2012, 07:53:44 pm: No, the marks are toward the top of the box, both sides. [scratching head] Odd. If it's not a microscope, like someone else said, it must be some other kind of equipment. The latch doesn't look sturdy enough to hold up to heavy outside field work.
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: mart on February 02, 2012, 08:00:01 pm: I thought about a surveyers transit but its too small for that !! Maybe I should sleep on it !!
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: fancypants on February 02, 2012, 11:03:56 pm: Another thought(s) ... it might have been a case from an industrial "Tool Room" - a location where millrights would store,maintain/true/sharpen specialty tools , chucks , jigs , heads , microcrometers & etc. & a place where a machinist would have to 'sign off' on being assigned a do-dad , before the item left the 'room/cage' - all I can say is that it looks c1900's-ish , without having it b4 my eyes .
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: cogar on February 03, 2012, 04:20:54 am: It is absolutely not for a microscope or a transit because of, to wit:

Quote
It's basically a cube, about 6 or 7 inches wide/tall, .
Title: Re: What kind of box is this?
Post by: carolanivey on February 03, 2012, 07:43:51 am: I'm afraid I misspoke in respect to the dimensions...it's slightly taller than it is wide. But not a lot. Even with the lenses removed I have a hard time picturing how a microscope could fit in there, even a small one. Unless it was disassembled even further to fit inside.

My husband suggested digging his old microscope out of the basement to see if it could be disassembled to fit.

I agree that the number on the box suggests that it had to be signed out to be used, or maybe assigned to a specific student for the year or the semester.