Tool box identification.

[Voi]

Local add has an entire garage full of stuff for sale, including this top and bottom box. The ad seems to say the bottom box is a Craftsman but identifies the top box as "one with a lot of drawers".

I assumed Kennedy for the top box at first but can't seem to find one with the exact drawer arrangement to confirm.

Brand and approximate vintage of both would be appreciated. I'm always looking for older boxes but in this case I really want to get in there and pick through the contents of these boxes and of the newer ones to the left.

 

[larryq]

Bottom box sure looks like it has remline handles. The top one...if I had to guess, one shot, money if I pick right, I'd say remline as well.

 

[Voi]

Bottom box sure looks like it has remline handles. The top one...if I had to guess, one shot, money if I pick right, I'd say remline as well.

Thanks. That was the other name I was trying to think of. When I first saw the ad I was thinking they looked a bit like the box that belonged to Roy, the sheet metal guy on that show "American Hotrod".

 

[zkling]

Top is a huot, bottom is a remline or OLD kennedy, need a better pic of the drawer handles. They look kinda rough. How much are they asking for them? Neat old boxes.

 

[posaune]

I second that the top is a Huot. Definitely.

The bottom doesn't look like any Kennedy that I've seen, but that might not mean much. I'd guess Remline or Remline made for someone else (Craftsman and others).

 

[Voi]

Top is a huot, bottom is a remline or OLD kennedy, need a better pic of the drawer handles. They look kinda rough. How much are they asking for them? Neat old boxes.

Guy is looking for about $1000 in trade for the contents of entire garage. Presumably he'd take less than that in cash.

I doubt I'll be a player for the entire thing but I might once I get a closer look at the contents of the tool boxes. There are two newer tool boxes and an engine hoist I don't really want and don't really want to flip. I'd just end up taking them to an industrial second hand place and taking a trade value offer.

Let's assume the top Huot and bottom Remline/Kennedy are repairable. What would be the HIGH end of a decent deal? These things tend to run high in my area in general. I love old boxes and sort of have a pre-existing green light from the wife to buy some. But I'm only borderline hurting for storage and am willing to wait.

I can decide on the contents once I get there.

 

[zkling]

BACK in the day kennedy use to make boxes like that, but their tell tale was the drawer pulls were tapered top to bottom. I can't tell from the pics if the handles are tapered or not. I am leaning towards remline though.

 

[MN Falcon]

The top Huot (definite) Looks like it might be setup for a machinist? The top 2 middle drawers look really thin like 1" high? The Kennedys had a larger drawer like the one on the right that you would put the machinist handbook in. Just a guess though. Overall it is the same box as mine just a different drawer configuration. I paid like $250 for my Huot top, middle and bottom in much better shape than those 2 boxes, but that was a couple years ago.

 

[MN Falcon]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=134399

Sorry there is a pict of my Huot boxes in this thread I started.

 

[posaune]

It is hard to give a high "good deal" on something like this. I've seen those top boxes posted for stupid money on CL, but they've been there for a long time. Maybe browse the "vintage toolboxes of Garage Journal" thread for ideas? My Remline set was $100 with a comparable top box and a bigger roller (shown in post #483 of that thread). Post #1053 shows a sort-of comparable Huot roller I bought for $35. I bet they'd be a little more expensive now though. So maybe $100-$150 for both empty? It depends on how much YOU want them.

Also, check out post #520 for a Power-Kraft branded Remline that looks like the one you posted. A Craftsman branded version is at post #387.

BACK in the day kennedy use to make boxes like that, but their tell tale was the drawer pulls were tapered top to bottom. I can't tell from the pics if the handles are tapered or not. I am leaning towards remline though.

Like this? I always thought those were made by Huot too. Older Huot cabinets have that style of handle (vs. the later ones like the op posted).

 

[zkling]

Like this? I always thought those were made by Huot too. Older Huot cabinets have that style of handle (vs. the later ones like the op posted).

Yea that is an example of them. To my knowledge Kennedy has always made kennedy boxes. They have a few very specific defining feature to them like drawer slide clips, sheet metal folds. They may have made boxes for Huot, but I highly doubt if Hout made boxes for kennedy.

If they are remline boxes they should have a engraving on the face of the handles.
And OP, put me in the $100-$150 absolute tops for the combo empty. Leaning more towards the $75-100 range because they look pretty rough from the picture.