Brass bound Machinist chest?

Lester Bowman · Jul 21, 2013

Here is a recent purchase of what appears to be a user made machinist chest.It came out of Pleasanton,California which is near the bay area.I've never seen a brass bound machinist chest before if indeed this is what it actually is.
It looks like Mahogany construction with no top till.The brass work is very well done each hole being laid out equal distances apart and neatly counter sunk brass screws.
The green material isn't felt..it is almost like canvas or sail cloth.I'm sure a machinist used this box as it has chips and oil stained drawers and liners.Has anyone seen such a handle? It is so odd yet functional.
Thanks for any information or opinions.I think is is craftsman made but I've been wrong before.The box is not signed.It measures the typical size..20 x 12 x 8 1/2 inches.It is very heavy

Thanks!

Lester Bowman · Jul 21, 2013

A few more additional pics...

Lester Bowman · Jul 21, 2013

And two more..Could this have been a machinist from aboard a ship?

rivett608 · Jul 21, 2013

Looks like a nice craftsman made chest from the second quarter of the 20th century...... Nice find, don't over clean it.

stephen thomas · Jul 21, 2013

I was gonna guess first quarter/1920's.

Love the hardware and corner details.

Absent the actual screw or sex bolts, I think that was a not uncommon handle construction. Among other half memories, seems my dad had a leather bag/suitcase with something similar, though there were probably rivets where the screws are. Then again, the memory plays tricks 50 years on....

Very neat work, and score on your part!

smt

Marty Feldman · Jul 21, 2013

Nice box. I like the 3-2-1 arrangement of the upper drawer tiers and the recessed pull-rings.

Yes, chips inside would suggest a machinist, but I am not sure what leads you to speculate maritime use. Also, can you say anything about the front cover panel? It doesn't seem to fit the height of the box, and it is unclear how it is held in place either when covering the front of the box or in a stashed position such as the traditional under-box slot. Does its lock -- which seems to be a type more typical of a somewhat daintier box -- engage in an appropriate recess in the box frame?

Hard leather handles in your shape & size and stitched along the top were common, and can be seen on old valises as smt noted and also on a number of old machinists' chests such as Gerstner's and Kennedy's. Your handle, however, is of more complicated, robust, and pleasing design, and probably shopmade - the LH tab screw seems a bit off center, something that would not be expected in a commercial article.

L Vanice · Jul 21, 2013

About 50 years ago, I bought an old (at that time) oak machinist chest with brass corners and pulls. The leather handle was worn out. But that was the era of leather suitcases and shops that repaired them and shoes, etc. I got a nice leather replacement handle that had some means of attaching to the metal rings on the chest without opening the rings. The chest is long gone and I have forgotten the exact details of the handle. It may have been the buckle style, which I see is still available as SCH201 for $20 here: Handles for Antique Suitcases Larry

Lester Bowman · Jul 21, 2013

Thanks for the replies so far.I speculated it might be from a ship because when I googled "brass bound machinist chest" most of the "hits" were marine related although none were machinist chests.It seems odd..the brass work on this box.However I can understand why whoever built it desired the brass work.It really sets off an otherwise typical chest.
The front panel has two inlet brass tabs on the back which mate with brass reinforcement tabs attached to the lip of the bottom runner of the box.A nice heavy Corbin lock is fitted of the type which when pushed in it retracts then snaps into the lock cavity.I had to make a key before I dared to try it for fit

But I did make a key and the front fits very nicely.
I cleaned the front panel lightly with 0000 steel wool and waxed it.I'll do the whole box this way but I don't intend to clean the brass work much excepting maybe removing some localized corrosion.I agree..don't over clean because the box does tell a story.
I thought the box was older because of its design.No top till and the heavy brass pulls.However I'm rather pleased that it could very well have been made for Rosie..Maybe her Dad or brother or even she herself made it.I only wish I knew a bit more about it because it is rather unique in its execution.Here are a couple more pics of the front panel.

Lester Bowman · Jul 25, 2013

A few pics of the cleaned up chest..ready to go back to work

tdmidget · Jul 25, 2013

Lester Bowman said:
A few pics of the cleaned up chest..ready to go back to work

Unique AND beautiful!!

Maltesehunter · Jul 25, 2013

Here is a similar one I just found on CL. It looks like it has the same handles for the drawers. Jake

AWESOME DEAL!!Antique machinist tool chest and tools

James H Clark · Jul 26, 2013

Lester: I worked with a fellow that had a chest very similar to yours. I think they dated from before WW II. That style of carrying handle was used by several machinist chest makers. I think I even saw an old Gerstner with one of those "suitcase handles" When I started my apprenticeship, many of the old timers had started before or during WW II. Thanks for sharing.

JH

gwilson · Jul 27, 2013

The very long pores in your wood look just like Spanish Cedar,not mahogany. They used to use Spanish cedar for cigar boxes. It is very aromatic. I have used it many times. It is the traditional wood for classical and flamenco guitar necks. Ity is quite light and strong for its weight. They made those college racing shells from it before fiberglass.

You can still buy those type handles,though they may have small buckles instead of the screws. They are called "emergency handles". Also used on guitar cases. You can buy them from Stewart Macdonald guitar supply.

magicmaker · Jul 27, 2013

I would suggest that the cloth might well be Mali cloth (billiard table covering). It is still often utilized by leather and wood workers. The handle can be attached "after the fact", is nice looking, and easy to make. This is a very nice chest. Great find and save.
Jim

reggie_obe · Jul 30, 2013

Willing to bet money that the additional brass angle stock was added after the fact by the owner of the chest to add additional protection for a box that might be moved frequently. Corner pieces found on this and all wood "machinists chests" serve a dual purpose: protect the corners; reinforce the joinery. The brass angle would serve no such purpose and be omitted in the manufacture of a utilitarian object. That's what wooden machinists chests are, utilitarian items meant to be used, filled with oily, possibly sharp tools, respected maybe, but not worshiped like Grandma's antique solid black walnut sideboard.

EarlF · Jul 30, 2013

James H Clark said:
Lester: I worked with a fellow that had a chest very similar to yours. I think they dated from before WW II. That style of carrying handle was used by several machinist chest makers. I think I even saw an old Gerstner with one of those "suitcase handles" When I started my apprenticeship, many of the old timers had started before or during WW II. Thanks for sharing.

JH

I have an old Kennedy that has that style of leather handle on it as well. I am very nearly certain it is original.

fen2art · Aug 2, 2013

I have a friend that has the box his grandfather made during his apprenticeship. It has the similar "campaign" box pulls. which were cast and machined as part of the machinist's training. While it, IIRC, was smaller, the drawers were completely full, as you couldn't fit a thin rule into the empty space. I can remember the old hardware store carried replacement suitcase handles like the one on this box.

Fen2art

mrbreezeet1 · Jan 1, 2014

Maltesehunter said:
Here is a similar one I just found on CL. It looks like it has the same handles for the drawers. Jake

AWESOME DEAL!!Antique machinist tool chest and tools

View attachment 82129

View attachment 82130

View attachment 82131

OP that box cleaned up looks very nice, You say just steel wool and wax?

Maltesehunter I need drawer pulls (well just one right now) like your chest shows, Anyone have a source?
Machinist chest has one might work (I don't have the box here yet) but there site is not open yet. (As you may know, John passed away at an early age)
Here is a picture of the box I need the pull for, as I need to make the missing drawer.

Maltesehunter · Jan 1, 2014

I do not own that chest. Just pointed it out as it was available at the time this thread was started. Sorry I am of no help. All the best, Jake

Smoothbore · Jan 2, 2014

In the 1970's I built several of the "Trunk Style" Gun Cases, ... popular with Trap & Skeet Shooters.

At that time, the leather "Luggage" handles, and that particular style of solid brass "Corner Bolster", were readily available Catalog items, from Companies like McMaster-Carr.

Based on that information, I'd suspect that box might not be as old as you think.

The leather appears to be in good condition, ... and those handles didn't last forever .....

Of course, it might well have been replaced, somewhere along the way, ... and the bolsters and brass binding might have been added to an existing box, as well.

That's exactly the sort of thing I might do, if a found a nice old box, that had issues with it's structural integrity.

.

Brass bound Machinist chest?

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