Old Wooden Rural Carrier Box

[dooski3]

Hi I recently came across this neat old wooden box, and was curious if anyone could tell me anything about it.
Here are some pictures of it.

[msghopper1924]

Don't know about the box, but that's a cecropia moth in the background! 

[KC]

msghopper...you made me spit out my drink I laughed so hard!!!! 

[sapphire]

msghopper...you made me spit out my drink I laughed so hard!!!! 

OMG, it's contagious!! 

[wendy177]

A little confused on this one, the receipt seems to be for a money order purchased from the post office Not sure it has anything to do with your box I think it was just placed in the box & stuck to the bottom as it is also upsidedown when you open the box.  And how does the key go with the box?? No keyhole looks to use a padlock type of lock.The rural carrier would be the post office employee not the box itself. But lets see what the others think 

[bbc-antiques.co.uk]

looks early 20th century perhaps an instrument case

[mart]

like wendy said the receipt has nothing to do with the box !!  i didn`t know they had money orders in the 20`s but guess they did !! the receipt was just that they had purchased one from their rural carrier, the carrier wrote the receipt, gave it to the person, and they then put it in the box for safekeeping as all people did back then !!  i think thats what this box was used for,, keeping receipts, stamps,papers and such !!  as to its original use,, it looks very similar to what surveyers transits came in !! you didn`t give size so not sure about that !!  it has had many coats of paint/finish over the years !!

[bigwull]

msghopper...you made me spit out my drink I laughed so hard!!!! 

OMG, it's contagious!! 

Ah!...but was it Pepsi!! ...

[KC]

Looks like a man's valet box to me...or what my dad called a handkerchief box.  Would hold a few kerchiefs, keys, change, etc.  I agree the receipt just was put there for safekeeping and has remained.  (Kinda neat - it is still where they put it!)

bigwull, Luckily it was ice water or my carpet/me would be in trouble!!!!!

[Rauville]

Is that a hole that has been plugged behind the locking hasp staple on the side of the box? If so, I might think that it was a telephone magneto box originally, and that was where the crank came through. Regardless, it's a nice re-purposed item.

[ghopper1924]

Even the alligatored paint looks good.

[greenacres]

I can't see the use of locking this box when you could easily pick the box up and take it and break into it just as easy.  I bet the key was just in the box and went with something else.

[cogar]

That is a old "skeleton key" for entry door locks.

[mart]

yes !!  door key !!