Chest help

Hello, new here. I got this chest from my Dad. I remember before I was in grade school of us picking it up from our local garbage dump. Dad used it to store nuts and bolts. He has since past on and I now have it. I have done some searching to try to identify and have have not come up with much. Could not see any identification on it. Would like to know where it would have come from and its use, approximate year? Not even sure of type of wood? It appears to have places for hinges on the front sides indicating there may have been some doors originally. Some sort of tool chest? What would be recommendations on restoring? Sand and stain, varnish, build new doors?

 

how big is it
where did it come from...town !!
where is it now
are there any markings on it

help us.....to help you !!!

 

The brass corner pieces remind me of "campaign furniture."

 

Chest is 26 1/4" wide, 18 1/8" high, 12" deep.
Found in Western Canada, Port Alberni, British Columbia, where it is now.
There are no markings I could find. All drawers are empty except the top left, which I added pictured.

 

Are there signs that it had legs or a base at some point? If not, it may be the top part of a campaign style chest like this one. Campaign furniture was designed to break down or fold up for easier transport for military officers. Looks like oak to me.

 

No legs. You can see the brass corners are also on the bottom and also on the bottom there are 4 metal "skids" that look like large thumb taks that appear to take the weight of the chest.

 

And it looks like it might have had doors on the front, something like these.

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I believe you are correct. There are also divots in the centre, top and bottom that appear to be receivers for some type of pin locking to hold doors close.

 

Was wondering, could the three recessed holes in the drawer be ink wells?

 

maybe ...hold ink wells.........but why 3 ?

I hope the storm leaves you unscathed !!!

 

Perhaps a Machinest chest?

I bought my son one a few years back................

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=Vin...iXCPIQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=867&bih=559&dpr=1.75

 

If indeed campaign rather than machinist/engineer, the third hole may be for the pen wiping raspy thingy, but it seems more like the former to me. It is a bit rough for cutlery, in which case would come with the doors. It is rather nice anyway, and a little TLC will do wonders for it.

 

This website is a great resource of information about campaign furniture. I noticed they have these two chests similar to yours in their archives - top pieces with doors, and in a smaller size.

https://campaignfurniture.com/campa...urniture/georgian-collectors-cabinet-on-chest

 

Not knowing much, but it appears my chest drawers are a little on the large side for a machinist chest, but anything is possible. It appears to be very well made, and from the corner guards and the side handles looks like it was made to move.

 

It is a precision tool/machinist's chest. The 3 holes probably held cylinder wood boxes with bits in them. Does appear to be missing doors. Most of these had a single door that either removed completely or dropped down. The hardware on yours are atypical, as are the exposed dovetails on the drawers. Leads me to believe that this is either home made or by a more obscure maker.

 

Those side handles it is sporting at the moment are a much later addition. Wood looks great from every angle, though!

Mark, that site is great, thanks

 

Anyone care to guess year?

 

I agree with Brad that is is a tool/machinist chest. They would not have used exposed dovetails on the drawer fronts on campaign furniture. This looks to have been made about mid 20th century (maybe 30's to 70's). The side handles look newer, added by the homeowner - if you remove one you may find holes for an original, or maybe first sold without them. I think the drawer pulls are likely not original either.

Tool collectors like these; they are useful for just about anyone with old tools in their basement - I would have grabbed it.

 

I showed the pictures to an old workmate of mine. He says he remembers older carpenters (in England) using something similar when he started his electrical apprenticeship in 1965.