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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,919 |
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Valued Member
United States
116 Posts |
I just came across this "Numismatic Cabinet", and normally I can find out answers to my questions through shredding the forums, but this one kind of stumped me. I've read about these very briefly, but I know very little about them. Is there anyone who knows anything interesting about this guy? Also, of course, whether it's worth anything? Thank you for the insight!! Best regards, Mickey    *** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. *** |
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
I moved your original post to this section. Please do not start it again,
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1699 Posts |
I don't believe its original purpose was to house coins or medals. It was likely made to house something else, though I'm not sure what.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
711 Posts |
It looks like my grandfather's machinist wooden tool box that a lot of older guys had only modified on the inside to hold parts.
Almost like a parts bin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1601 Posts |
I've seen similar in old-time sporting goods shops. Numbered as it is, it could also be a fly cabinet for holding fishing flies in a fly shop. Could be used for anything small, light.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3079 Posts |
Looks to be a specialty letterset press fonts and what are called dingbats type storage for numbers in assorted sizes. If the drawer dividers in the other drawers are different sizes
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4415 Posts |
I strongly suspect that this chest was made to house optical, dental equipment, jeweler's findings or materials otherwise used by some professional who had an office. That said, over the years, I've enjoyed repurposing old chests to house my collections. The subject piece looks to be ideally suited as such.
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Valued Member
United States
424 Posts |
To me it looks like an old sewing cabinet. To compartments in each drawer would hold the bobbins of different colors of threads. Do the lower drawers have larger compartments or no compartments at all? This is where the scissors and thimbles would be stored. These could be placed on a small side table and mom would sit in her rocking chair for the evening while darning socks and reattaching buttons. They were also easy to store away inside a cupboard when not in use, probably a Shaker design. They are worth something but I don't know how much, it might be whatever you paid for it. It is a cool piece and it can be repurposed for many different things.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4415 Posts |
Yes, the sewing chest or spool chest is a distinct possibility. If so, it might have once rested upon the counter of a general store. I've seen similar chests sell for $200 or so.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
Are all the drawers the same on the inside? Whatever it started out as, it was used for some product assembly or repair. I think it's possible that the dividers were added by whoever used it. The columns with the numbers are most likely for parts. My late father-in-law was a jeweler and watchmaker and he had a similarly divided steel chest. The numbers seem all wrong for that though. But yours is older and maybe things changed. How big is it? Could a drawer be easily removed to put on a workbench? I doubt that it ever held valuables since there is no lock. It's an interesting item (and now I want one).  Check under the drawers for any cabinet makers labels. Maybe there's a clue there. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
937 Posts |
I doubt it was a thread cabinet as every one I have seen are set up quite differently. No mater what it was if I found it for sale I would not leave without it if it was anywhere near affordable as I have been searching for a cabinet like that for a while
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Rest in Peace
 United States
1380 Posts |
Looks like a typesetters cabinet to me. (As TypeCoin said)
I used to work when much younger at a printing plant and we had several of these in the junk room from when they used to use cold type. Really wish I had absconded with a couple, as I'm sure they were just cleaned out and trashed at some point.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,919 |
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Posted 11/03/2016 05:10 am
