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Antiques! => Antique Questions Forum => Topic started by: Heinle94 on July 18, 2013, 04:38:06 PM

Title: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: Heinle94 on July 18, 2013, 04:38:06 PM

My grandfather showed me this box and he and I have no idea what it is.
It is a wooden box but I don't know what type of wood.
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1999.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1999.jpg.html)
It unfolds to lay flat and it has metal on the inside of the box and almost all of the metal on the inside has a number on it. I counted 1 through 19, there may be more but it is not there.
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1997.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1997.jpg.html)
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1992.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1992.jpg.html)
On the box it states "Patented 1889 February 19"
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_2002.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_2002.jpg.html)

(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1998.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1998.jpg.html)
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1996.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1996.jpg.html)
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1995.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1995.jpg.html)
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1994.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1994.jpg.html)
(http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i425/Bheinle/Antiques/IMG_1993.jpg) (http://s1093.photobucket.com/user/Bheinle/media/Antiques/IMG_1993.jpg.html)

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on July 18, 2013, 04:41:40 PM

It is a sewing attachments box, to hold the "feet" that allow you to do things like create ruffles. I'll show a similar example...

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on July 18, 2013, 04:43:30 PM

More photos on this site:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/129651977/oak-puzzle-box-with-sewing-attachments (http://www.etsy.com/listing/129651977/oak-puzzle-box-with-sewing-attachments)


(http://img0.etsystatic.com/009/0/6022422/il_fullxfull.449880848_40w3.jpg)

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: Heinle94 on July 18, 2013, 04:48:29 PM

Thank you!

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: bigwull on July 18, 2013, 05:29:27 PM

and just to add my tuppence worth...its made of oak...

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: greenacres on July 18, 2013, 06:14:05 PM

Tales, is this box missing the tools? Or did they come separately?

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on July 18, 2013, 06:22:59 PM

You're welcome! Yes, the box is missing the attachments. The sewing machine "foot" that holds down the fabric unscrews from the machine and you replace it with a "ruffler" or other attachment.

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on July 18, 2013, 06:27:56 PM

Here is a scan of an old Singer manual showing how to use the attachments: http://www.treadleon.net/sewingmachineshop/atttachmentsmanual/attachments.html
 (http://www.treadleon.net/sewingmachineshop/atttachmentsmanual/attachments.html)

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: greenacres on July 18, 2013, 06:35:14 PM

I get it now! :) They are sort of specialty attachments. You change the presser foot for the variations.

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: mart on July 18, 2013, 06:53:56 PM

Not entirely sure but that date looked like 1939 !!

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: talesofthesevenseas on July 19, 2013, 11:06:59 AM

I think the date is 1889

Title: Re: Mysterious box. Need help identifying.
Post by: mart on July 19, 2013, 12:30:30 PM

Sure doesn`t look like it in the pic,, !!