Help with this one

Jumped on here because I have an item I can’t quiet make out. Pulled it out of my garage. Was wondering if anyone knew. It is a tabletop cabinet of drawers. The drawers themselves are numbered along with each hole inside the drawers numbered to coincide with the number range on the front of the drawer. Any ideas?

 

For some reason I can’t upload photos from my phone.

 

They are likely too big. You can email them to yourself and use the downsize option to get them smaller if on the iPhone

 

You might want to copy and save this for reference for a while....it helps when you're new!!!

For Future reference, when posting images:

Each image MUST be UNDER 1 MB....
There are instructions on site here on how to reduce the size of your image, if that is the problem......you are allowed up to 10 images per post!!! Here are some links to the instructions:

Try emailing them to yourself as "medium" size, they should then be under 1 MB!

If on the computer:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/posting-a-thread-and-uploading-pictures.15990/

If on an iPhone:
https://www.antiquers.com/threads/resizing-photos-on-i-phone.35097/

And if on an Android phone:
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As an added note, when you have your photos LISTED, BUT BEFORE you hit POST, please click on the wording that says to "INSERT EVERY IMAGE AS FULL IMAGE" !! That way, we're not clicking on little thumbnails, but get to see all of the images full sized!! Thanks! Remember, it takes a bit for MOST new members to get the hang of it, but it's really quite simple once you get used to it!!!" If you still have questions, DON'T hesitate to ASK!!!!

 

Thank you so much!!!

 

To me it appears to be a collector's cabinet of some sort, but can't envision what would have fit in those rectangular holes.

 

maybe a salesman's sample case for traveliing, but no idea what for.....

 

ok , fun time..

no locks...the items weren't precious , and required easy access.

Whatever items fit those square holes were solid, maybe metal, and scored the drawer dividers over time in the exact line of 10 across.

There's room for 601 separate items , categorized by number only.

The knobs and drawer dividers show extensive use, likely daily use.

Hey @Sami Montella ...can u tell us more?
Was the garage a workspace?
Any markings on the box or drawers as to who made it?
It looks industrial ......

 

could it be a set of metal number punches???

 

I got it from an antique place years ago and forgot about it. It’s been in the garage this whole time.

 

I wish I had more info!! This was written in the drawers. Each drawer has a number at the back numbered 1-4. Hand written.

 

The holes are so crudely cut, like the cabinet was repurposed. The numbers 1-4 on the drawers may just indicate where they fit in the cabinet. When I had some wooden bookcases made, the carpenter told me to keep the shelves in order, with the original frame, if I wanted to be sure of the best fit.

 

@Bronwen ..look closer......

147, & 8 & 151 seem to have been used often ...while 129 & 30 have very little use.

& where is 149 and 150 ???

yes , B , the cuts are not exactly perfect.....but I think more is going on here...

those stamped numbers are pretty uniform, suggesting care was taken making the box.

 

That's just it: the rectangular holes seem to have been made later, & unprofessionally, after the basic box was made. Maybe it originally had round holes but owner had square pegs.

 

a conundrum !!

Still more info please...
box size..... hole size....drawer height....
found in NY City......Maine...or SC...?

 

someone else has one?



https://www.reddit.com/r/Antiques/c...ll_wooden_box_at_a_thrift_store_it/?rdt=54270

 

LOL, why don't people take a few seconds and edit their feet out of their photos?!

 

much less use on the new one.....

some reddit folk thinks they are smart...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/254778217643

but I think they're wrong..

 

Box for a gage/guage pin set looks very feasible. Precision diameter pieces used to measure interior diameters of holes in metal.

A more modern version -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/354173644577

This shows pins with square/hex shanks that would fit in the holes (Sami's would have had square shanks) -


https://www.ebay.com/itm/2959262191...%2B8fHKb3qWYMuTpE%3D|ampid:PL_CLK|clp:4429486