Featured Antique Carpenter's Tool Chest

Good evening all! We got our hands on a great old carpenter's tool chest this weekend and I'm hoping someone might know a little more about it. The shape says it's a toolbox but I've never seen one constructed in this almost butcherblock style and was wondering of any of you have? Any idea of age? There are no markings that we can see on the piece and there are clearly some additions/missing bits so hoping y'all can shed some light! It is SOLID/HThanks in advance!

 

nice !!

 

Looks like this carpenter was demonstrating skill with its construction. To bad it does not have the inner boxes. Look at the nice inset for a right angle on the underside of the lid.
I like it!

 

What's with the wooden center plaque on the lid; does it open; is there something written on it? Does it look like it is meant to be open when in use? It's very good looking.

 

I think just another demonstration of skill, a cutout with use of moulding. It would have been a great place for the owner's name. I guess carving has not within the skill set.

 

it's nice but a real carpenter - a continental European one anyway - would not dare to appear with such a thing on any building site. looks as if the striped two-color construction was intended for a beach party or picnic with all the old striped tents and deck chairs.

 

Looks more like a hope chest ( or as my mother used to say " a hopeless chest" )

 

It is beautiful, but I don't think it is a carpenter's tool chest.

 

I think Roaring20s is probably right about the right-angle insert. It's unusual and possibly made more for show than use.

Maybe made by someone who made tool chests to sell.

 

Other than the laminated wood, looks like a classic tool chest form to me, especially with the already mentioned space in the lid for a square, the handles and lock are typical, but that recessed pull, like those usually found on sliding doors, in the edge of the lid is a bit odd, and not seeing the purpose of the cut-out under the plaque, also odd - doubt it has any great age (are those phillips-head screws in the hinges?).

My old neighbor used to make pieces like this, in all sorts of sizes, have a small one with three woods somewhere, can't recall if he used box joints like the piece here (dovetails would be stronger), but the quality of his work was similar, made well enough, but not really master craftsmanship.

Here's a newly made chest, smaller, but similar form, handles and lock:

https://bronzeoakleaf.wordpress.com/2015/02/17/traditional-tool-chest/




~Cheryl

 

It's a Carpenter's Chest..it has a cut-out on the underside of the lid for a square ....

 

Ah, missed what Roaring wrote.

 

That is a very nice chest, but not at all built like a traditional tool chest. Traditional tool chests followed a very specific style- lending to the universal usefulness of the common design. Old tool chests were built of solid wood, all surfaced by hand, and usually showed off the skill of the owner. I’ve never seen a laminated version, especially one that used the laminations as joinery. Still a very nice piece.
Thank you, Cheryl, for referencing my tool chest. It was built strictly following traditional form, and is my everyday tool chest.
-Sam- bronzeoakleaf

 

Welcome, Sam! It's an oddity, isn't it? Your tool chest is beautiful - one of those pieces that just pleases the eye, and makes one wish they could run a hand over it...

~Cheryl

 

Very nice! Both the originally posted one, and the new one made by @Bronzeoakleaf . Welcome to Antiquers, both @Jodie and @Bronzeoakleaf !

 

It might very well be a ship's carpenter's chest. The form is similar. I deaccessioned one from a musem collection years ago but have no access to those image records anymore... sorry.

 

Not unusual. For painted image, carving, veneer inset work, pyrography or plaque. Perhaps he was hoping to use it as a "salesman sample" and sell it somewhere down the line, so left it blank? (Pure wild-a** speculation on my part). Are there any remnants of paint on the chest, inside or out?