Old and battered wooden chest

Hi everyone,
I am fascinated by this old and battered chest which has been in my family for at least 70 years, but more I suspect. It has obviously been used to ship things more than once due to the selection of old shipping labels still in place. The locking mechanism has disappeared over the years, but can you believe I still have the key (useless though it is!).
I can see it has been strengthened and had bits of wood added over the years to make it usable - I suspect my grandfather had a hand in that. What I'd really like to know is the approximate age of the bones of the chest. I've tried to take photos of the nails and screws in various places. You can also see it has 4 balls on the bottom which still work (very squeaky!) so you can move it around. Would they be later additions? I've never seen anything like those before. The nails are interesting too - some of them are patterned! Any info on both of those would be great and I'd just love to know how long it may have been travelling! It's a total wreck but I love it!
Thanks in advance for your help as always,
Jane

 

you don't mention size but looks like a blanket chest ( store for summer ) restored about 20 years ago( the lock was on the other side

here is mine that came to France with my grand parents around 1920

nb : patterned nails are just non-slip

 

Hi, and thank you for your reply. Your blanket box is lovely. If mine is a blanket box (and it may well be) it's certainly well travelled as it has at least 4 or 5 luggage stickers on it, so I think it was definitely used to send things at some point in its life. It feels very old, but maybe it's just tatty! Plus the balls on the feet which move makes it feel like it was used moving rather than for storage. The strange thing is it has no handles. I love it just as it is - I just wish I knew its story. Thanks again.

 

I think its definitely an older piece that has seen some reworking.
I dont believe those castors are original to it.

Pictures of the hinges and the inside?

 

An utilitarian piece from the start (cheap but well made), either for travel or storage, it looks turn of the century to maybe 1930s. Those Acme ball casters date from the same era, though it doesn't mean they weren't added later (I've learned a bit about them recently, and they never became popular but were patented in 1903). WD40 will most likely leaving working just fine. It was strengthened at some point with those "modern" nails (probably the wood dried out and the dovetailing became loose). And from what I can see, the lock is pretty much still there.

 

Love it and totally understand your attachment to it! Judging from the similarities between it and ones I’m just as attached to (reasonably or not, I don’t care), I would think closer to turn of the last century rather than 1930’s. You may have some luck dating some of the labels. One of mine has a label from the WWI era, so I know it’s at least that old.

 

I’d love to see pictures of the labels and the inside!

 

I found a label with the same words as one on your trunk, though it isn’t the same label:
https://www.alamy.com/sticker-on-cl...used-for-rail-delivery-uk-image418745905.html

 

Hi everyone, thanks to you all for your replies.

Seagoat - Thanks - I so wish the inside was interesting and the hinges too, but it's been 'modernised'! My grandparents have stuck wallpaper all over the inside - I know it was them as it's the same as I remember on their wall as a little girl! I'll take a picture though and you will be able to understand my disappointment!
Fern77 - Thanks for helping date it. Acme ball casters - I've never seen them before. I think they're great and can't understand why they didn't catch on. I'll have to take a magnifying glass to them and see if I can find anything marked on them. Yes the lock and key are there ... but I'm missing the top bit that slots into the holes. Very annoying.
Born2it - I'm so glad you like it and can see my attachment to the tatty old thing! The labels are fascinating - I've managed to read a couple of them and they are addressed to a lady living 6 houses down from my grandparents! I do social history/genealogy so I'm going to check her out and try to see if I can connect the destinations somehow. What else is there to do on a Thursday night . Thanks for the label photo - yes, that's just like it. I need to investigate ... meanwhile I'll pop some pictures of my labels on too.

Thanks again to everyone for taking the time to reply. It's very much appreciated.