Have no idea what this box-on-legs is!

Guessing early 20th century cooler.

 

Good guess but, kinda small for a cooler isn't it? especially if ice is involved.

 

Yeah, small by Yeti or Coleman standards, but perfectly adequate for a couple of bottles of beer, a gallon of milk, or what have you.

Just shooting in the dark here. I've actually never seen anything like it.

 

Timeline I'm agreeing with, but not thinking cooler....

 

A place to put food waste until you could take it out to the compost pile?

 

I'm thinking along those lines as well.
Early 1900s dental office where the instruments were placed before washing/sanitizing.

 

Or a Patent number on pedal?

 

Maybe these will help in some way?

 

Well, nothing says "patent," but there are these letters/numbers, which I think are S16 but may be S18.

 

Well, no help there but, worth a try!

 

Maybe a coal bin ?

 

Way too small. And you'd not use nice white food quality enamel for coal.

 

Think probably a sterilizer.

 

How would that work? Or do you put the metal bin in the chest after boiling, steaming, whatever? Underside of wooden lid is unprotected.

 

Think it is missing an insert. Maybe just for storage of instruments once sterilized. Otherwise, the medical waste idea would fit.

 

Don't think sterilizer because the lid is wood & that wouldn't work, not even a little.

 

Before sterilization.
Sits on the floor, drop used utensils into a bath water. Remove enamel with utensils put in sterilizer.
Agree there may be a colander type of liner missing.

 

Chest doesn't seal, so nothing would stay sterile for long.

 

Thank you all so much for your guesses! They all make sense. I do like the ideas that the box could have held coal or cold items. Perhaps we'll never know! But this group is fantastic.