Who made it?

[BMcC]

Hello everybody,

I know this is not a Gerstner box, but I am hoping someone here can help me to identify who actually built it. There are no markings on it aside from the lock code, and a number in the top compartment, "6L8" or "628." The handwritten numbers were originally under the felt. It is missing the front panel.

The hardware looks like what I am seeing on some of the vintage Gerstner boxes, but I don't know if other manufacturers used the same hardware. I've checked https://sites.google.com/site/thegui...chinistchests/
and the dimensions seem close to some of the known manufacturers, but slightly off.

The overall dimensions are 20"width, 13" height, 9" depth.

The case is solid plain sawn oak. The drawers are also solid oak on the front and sides, but poplar (or softer wood on the back), and the bottom is hardboard, which seems too new, and are possibly replacements. The lady I purchased it from said her mom was in the process of restoring it to use as a jewelry box when she passed in the late 1990's. She is in her late 60's, and thinks it may have belonged to her grandfather.

I plan to restore it by fixing the splits in the wood and derusting/polishing the metal hardware, replacing the felt, and mirror. I have restored, and am restoring several vintage woodworking machines and metal working machines, so I plan to add this box to my usable collection of workshop stuff.

I've attached a number of photos...

Thanks for looking!

- Brian

[Scott Campbell]

@BMmc

Welcome to the Gerstner Forum and thank you for your post.

The corner hardware makes me think it may be a Star or a Sipco Chest. Bill & User459 (Terry) both have experience with those brands, so they may be able to help identify your chest.

[BMcC]

Thank you Scott. Here are some more pictures of it.IMG_7777.jpgIMG_7781.jpgIMG_7780.jpgIMG_7774.jpg

[user459]

The corner braces disqualify it as a Gerstner, and the handle ferrules do not look like a STAR or SIPCO. Also, STAR had metal drawer runners. Yours is missing the front panel as well as the locking pins and mirror. I'm hoping that Ted will rescue us on this one.

Take a look at his web site: https://sites.google.com/site/thegui...chinistchests/

Sipco-chart.jpg

[toolbox]

I really tried, but I’m also stumped. Its size and features just don’t add up compared to my USA archives. Sorry…….Ted

[BMcC]

Thanks for looking, I've been stumped by it too...

The dimensions seem to be closest to a George Scherr, but the corner brackets are different than the ones I've seen on your sites. I think the hardware may have originally been black oxide finished. Did Scherr-Tumico manufacture machinist chests after they merged?

I'll be restoring it regardless, but I was hoping to pattern the front panel to look like the original, whatever it would have been.

[toolbox]

I agree with your consideration of Geo. Scherr. I did too because they had built a 7 drawer that was 20” x 13 ¼” x 9” with drawer beads along the bottom edges and other similarities. But they always used a cyl. lock in the front panel. I see yours used a panel locked in place by the vertical pins in the face board. Maybe they deviated for some reason. I’d go ahead and make a Scherr front panel. Scherr stopped selling chests in1950 which I believe was before Tumico joining them. Good luck.......Ted

[user459]

Here are a couple George Scherr boxes I have restored:

https://gerstnertoolchest.shutterfly...therchests/494

https://gerstnertoolchest.shutterfly.com/1835

Maybe you'll see something that could help.

Terry

[Bill]

The hip straps shape, tear drop if you will, have always been on the Scherr's that I have had in the past. The Sherr's that I have had also had a small rectangle metal framed mirrors. I had the frames but I had to take them to my local glass and mirror shop to special cut them for me. The Stars I have had always had a round metal frame mirror. The mounting brackets were also that open leaf florentine style. However the hip straps had rounded mounting ends and were flat like that on the chest in question. I also notice that the ends of the drawer slides are not dirty, stained with oil, and to me don't show the wear that should be there for a chest that age. I would start with the ghost shadow of the mirror and compare it the size on Terry's Sherr, Sipco, Starr and Unions. The wood, from the photos, look like American Chestnut, which was killed off by a blight in the 20's and 30's. That may help narrow it down a little. Bottom line is, beats me, but well worth the effort to restore.

[BMcC]

Thanks for the input guys. This box will continue to be a mystery for now...

I'll be following Terry's process for cleaning it up, and will order up some felt from the Gerstner site to replace the faded and moldy stuff inside it. I'll post more pictures as I make progress.