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Western Electric Wood Tool Box 1958 Never Used!!

Started by Doug Rose, December 21, 2013, 01:08:51 PM

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Doug Rose

Picked this up on eBay a few weeks ago for a BIN for $14. Yes $14, cost more to ship it. Seller had three in a box and this one that was not boxed. The ones in boxes all had cracks in the wood. This guy look crack free. Missing one brass corner foot. The slide drawer was taped closed on the inside. My guess on wood is pine by the color,  but it is very heavy; very un-pine like!  Very sturdy. 

Seller said the boxes were dated 1958. Well made and in wonderful condition for 55 years old. This is one cool piece.

Did WE have a Construction Division....Doug
Kidphone

TelePlay

Nice find. Looks more like, maybe, Ash? Pine would be too soft. Has to be a hardwood. Someone has to know.

WEBellSystemChristian

Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

southernphoneman

Doug that is a beautiful box and a great find, ;) :), Gregg

Matilo Telephones

Congratulations Doug. That is a great find.

What are you going to do with it now? Exhibit it somewhere in your house? Use it? Fill it will the right tools?
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

G-Man

Hi Doug-

Yes, WECo definitely had woodshop departments as did Kellogg and Stromberg Carlson and most of the rest of the manufacturers.

After all they manufactured switchboards, telephone booths, etc. The woodwork was first-rate and often gorgeous.

Even in later years if for example, a addition to an 40-50 year old switchboard was being built, the woodshop would dig out the drawings and patterns used for that customer's original board and create a perfectly fitting, cosmetically matched, add-on section; without an onsite visit by their carpenters beforehand.

Bill

Beautiful box. But I would have expected dovetailed joints on a WE-built item. And certainly not the bare unedged plywood shown in the last two photos. The knots on the interior certainly look like pine. When you get it, let us know if there are any markings inside or out.

Bill

Dan/Panther

Since Oak was the wood of choice, I'd guess Oak. It does resemble oak grain. But seems a little larger grained than is Oak. The internal parts are Plywood, and Pine. But the outside, My guess Oak.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

HarrySmith

Really nice box. Great shape! It looks like it was made to hold a special tool or tool set. Possibly the plywood section was added in the field. Any ideas on what it held?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Doug Rose

Kidphone

HarrySmith

AHA ;D
Now we know what it was meant to hold! From the auction description:
"case for pneumatic pressers 10-9-58."
So it held adapters and plates for a press! Nice!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"