Vintage chest identification

[kshillbilly]

Any ideas. I’m thinking it’s either national who was making the radio boxes.! But I’m betting it’s the company that was making suitcases. I’m still reading back through the guide trying to find the name. But I bet the maker is the specialist toolbox maker who used to work for Simmons hardware company making there marked cases. And I bet he’s the suitcase maker that started producing toolboxes

 

[kshillbilly]

Also if someone knows someone stupid smart on old wooden and metal boxes. And I mean stupid smart because mine I have dated I don’t see anything else about them. I’d love help. By the author of the guide book or by the businesses. I’ve been calling up anyone I can and nobody knows what I’m asking. I’ve stumped auctioneers at a company who specializes in the one company I had. I described a tool bag he’s never seen in 32 years.

This is a challenge to all you brainiacs who are obsessed. I’d love help.



I had an old metal cantilever that was 10 by 10 by 20 ish and looked like a plumbers box but had cantilevers that had bars inside that went across and attached to the cantilever boxes. I’d love help for this also.

I’d love help on these. If anyone has any examples on what they think the toolbox was I’d appreciate it

 

[kshillbilly]

Atleast I’m only down to 3 I need help.

 

[bmwrd0]

Is this yours, or one you are looking to buy? Who is the suit case maker? And why do you think National?
The cantilever and tool bag we would need to see good, clear pictures of to have a guess at.

'The' Guide for Wooden Machinist Tool Chests

'The' Guide for 20th Century Wooden Machinist Tool Chests This site was originally a Google Old Style, launched in Sept. of 2014. It used to be for the Pre-1960 Machinist Tool Chests and Cases. Google Sites had stipulated that it be converted to their New Site format prior to 9/1/2021. On July 18th

sites.google.com

Don't know if it will help you, but that is the best source about the wooden, Gerstner type machinist boxes.

 

[kshillbilly]

Is this yours, or one you are looking to buy? Who is the suit case maker? And why do you think National?
The cantilever and tool bag we would need to see good, clear pictures of to have a guess at.

'The' Guide for Wooden Machinist Tool Chests

'The' Guide for 20th Century Wooden Machinist Tool Chests This site was originally a Google Old Style, launched in Sept. of 2014. It used to be for the Pre-1960 Machinist Tool Chests and Cases. Google Sites had stipulated that it be converted to their New Site format prior to 9/1/2021. On July 18th

sites.google.com

Don't know if it will help you, but that is the best source about the wooden, Gerstner type machinist boxes.

Yeah that’s were I was getting my guesses. It’s a good source of income.

I just talked to my sister in law. Thank Jesus she was a tomboy

The cantilever was her grandfather’s. It is one of a kind! It was used by my great father in law on the railroad for 19 years. Passed to my uncle in law then my father in law then to me. He specialized it. I’m so glad she remembers because no other exist.

It has big single hinges on each side front and back It’s about 12 by 12 by 20 ish. It had 2 trays on each side that pulled out like a Kennedy and a middle tray! The lids crossed over eachother. The one side had a flat 6 inch leather handle. The other side folded over the side. It had a hole were it met the handle.
My father in law specialized it. He drilled out the inside lock and put A brass hook latch on it. He put brass window latches on each side. He put the 2 bars on it to carry it. They were one on each side. He put metal handles on the sides that had wooden covers like a pail buckets….

Y’all know how many boxes I’ve lost. You know how hard it is to find info on a box you can’t find anything like. I couldn’t even find the lids. I definitely couldn’t find the latches or the handles. Or a flat tombstone shaped lid that was a cantilever. I seen nothing like it.

And my memory is awful. So I thought I was just remembering wrong.

The national box was his 2. He drilled out the inside latch cause he lost the key and put the suitcase latches on each side with a combination. I see it in a 1920s ad

 

[kshillbilly]

And I know what the bag was. It was a large Simmons hardware bag. It’s on the right in the 1912 keen kutter salesman guide. Nobody else has probably ever seen one. The Simmons auctioneer been doing it 32 years he’s never seen it.

I’m about 99.99 percent sure that is my chest I’ve lost in the picture If not it had the stickers in the same location and they have the same wear.

National made radio boxes first. It could be them. And I think the suitcase company is only in the list of makers im gonna read again and see

 

[kshillbilly]

Union tool chest company. They went into business with the furniture company.

 

[kshillbilly]

He’s right in the chest front panel. Usually If I was in a hurry I wouldn’t latch the side latches. When you pull up it would drop the drawers out and come up at an angle

 

[kshillbilly]

And the chest on the bottom of this Union page looks just like mine. The one my father in law put the suitcase latches on. I don’t know how many folks made a black leather wooden 24 inch box with 2 hook latches a middle lock latch . I see one on this and one on the national page. I’m betting all my boxes got sold by Simmons company. It’s all from a little railroad town woulda been less than 500 people so I bet they had one hardware store and I know some was keen kutters. They made boxes but I’m pretty sure they sold other companies boxes through their company