The Box
 

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The box is made from plywood and is 13 deep 24 wide and 22 tall and HEAVY. The top of the doors are shaped to fit in the lid lip. There are neat little stops here and there - well strategic places. There are little shelves at the top. There is a drawer across the bottom. It recesses so the little drawer pulls don't interfere with the doors when they are shut. The top latches don't work - probably because a hinge is missing screws. The bottom doesn't latch well probably for the same reason. Who ever made it thought it out really well. It had some kind of paper glued to the front of it some time. I half way wonder whether to refinish it or to glue on more paper. I wonder what paper was glued to that box. The ad said it was a sewing box. There IS room enough for a machine but DH says you sure wouldn't want to LIFT it. Well, boxes don't come along around here every day so I went to Dayton after the box. (Thank God for GPS) Crazy me. I took 2 grand kids along. Wilbur's birthday is today so we stopped at the Air Force Museum on our way home. Wilbur now owns it. (Well he thinks he does.) For sure he wants to go back with my Dad who flew on some of those old airplanes. Of course Wilbur is never speechless... Miss L was whiny - she might have been happier if it was a sewing machine museum. I wish they would match up old sewing machines with some of those airplanes. After all sewing machines WERE used to make a lot of that stuff in there on display. If you are in a parachute wearing one of those leather bomber jackets you should be thankful for a sewing machine.... SSOOO what do I do with the box??? :D:D:D Maybe someone knows what the box was used for. SUGGESTIONS welcome of course.

another picture or two:
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Cool box Miriam!

Nice find! Loved your story about the grandson. That sure looks like a custom storage box for someone's sewing machine. I'm sorry I don't have any advice on recovering the outside of the box, but whatever you decide, be sure to show us!

I was wondering if you were going to get it. Did the prior owner have any history on it at all? It could have been for sewing, It could have been a custom box for some sort of measuring instrument or something along those lines too.
It's a neat box and a clever design anyway.
Rodney

That is "some box" and I loved your story. Are you writing a memoir? Or keeping a journal? You have a way with words.

Always like to read about your adventures with Wilbur. That is a fascinating box and someone spent a lot of time thinking out the design and making it. Regarding silk parachutes, a LOT of wedding dresses were made from old parachute silk, especially after WWII.

Do you have a side view? It's puzzling to me. I've studied it for a (relatively) long time and keep thinking that there would be a gap if you close the lid, i.e. drop it 90 degrees.....

That is a wonderful box Miriam and it has lots of possibilities. I am sure you will find a good use for it. It looks like one of those boxes made for a chainstitcher like a Wilcox and Gibbs.
Skip

My father had a box he made somewhat like that for his model airplane hobby. He always needed to take sprays and oils, spare motor or props, starter fluid etc. I've also seen large boxes for sale like that for the Dog Show hobby to take brushes, combs, hair ties, cleanup items, leashes and whatnot. It's a cool box.