Featured Can anyone identify what this box is?

This box came from my grandpa's attic and he doesn't remember what it is (he's turning 99 in Dec.). It has a mechanism on the side, that I assume does "something", but I have no idea. It measures 15 1/8" tall x 9 1/8" x 9 3/8". When you pull the rod, it pulls the lever at the top, which is tensioned by the flat spring. I don't know what it is supposed to do though! Bother grandparent's families had farms, so maybe it has something to do with canning or something?

 

I think you may have to show the box from more angles so we can get a better idea of it.....looks SO interesting!!! And does that lid detach or just swing open? What's painted on the box and, what are the dimensions of the box please? Thank you!! AND, WELCOME to ANTIQUERS, @Wraith_3!!!

 

Hello @Wraith_3 & welcome to the forum!!

Where were your grandparent's farms located? Since we are an international forum it sometimes helps to know the country something came from originally.

The piece of wood at the back looks like it might have depressions or holes or am I seeing things?

Is there any way you can show the mechanism with the lever out? It looks to be in the back of the box but it doesn't appear to operate anything inside the box.

Any additional photos or details you can provide would be great!!

Keep checking back because we have members stopping by at all hours of the day & night sometimes. Also not everyone is able to be here every day so it might take a little while for the right member to drop in to see your post.

 

The dimensions are in the first post. The side with the ornamentation just slides up to open it. The mechanism on the side doesn't move other than when you pull the skinny rod, it moves the mechanism, but I can't see it actually doing anything that I can tell. It doesn't connect to anything inside, though there is a hole there, so it could be missing something. The farm would have been near DeGraff, Ohio, U.S. Here are a few more pictures I had. The holes in the back have an odd numbering system, so maybe that's a clue.



Hole under the mechanism:


Showing direction it moves. It seems like the nut on top might adjust tension on the mechanism.

 

The outer mechanism worked something inside the box. Music box maybe, although that outer metal looks a bit robust for that.

 

12-10-8-7-6-5-4-3?
I have no idea. Reminds me of boxes that might have held old telephone equipment, but that is a total WAG.

 

My first thought is telephony.

 

Certainly possible. I haven't had my mitts on a hand-cranked phone in over a decade and never a European one. DId ship the box for an American one to Hungary of all places. Probably used it to hold cell chargers.(LOL)

 

Looks like a spilled oil stain on the inside bottom.

 

Maybe telegraph rather than telephone?

 

I think more farm related.... off some type of machine. You often see decorated wood parts on old machines and that red color is ubiquitous. I think a couple of the wood fittings inside are not original. Maybe converted to house tools with the one piece for storing bits.

 

Yeah that was one of my guesses, storing a tool and bits, but who knows.