Another Chest...

[mariok54]

That takes me back, Tales, we called them 'Dymos'. but I imagine that was probably the make that was available!

Nice chest, Hosman. It has character, and a useful size. If she had such a big home in the woods, couldn't she have found some use for it? Some people are odd, but then that is to our benefit.

Our kitchen table came from an old butcher's shop about 25 years ago, via an auction (despite being a strict veggie I can live with it). A friend at the time who was lodging with us had a better opinion of his skills than nature had actually blessed him with. Result....some beautiful sanding scars over the surface. With time, the table is recovering.... you can barely see the scars with all the cup 'rings' !!   

[cogar]

It's 23"x12"x12" overall. Maybe it is a document box, it just looks big in person...

Now when I first seen the picture I was thinkin what I would call it ....... and now that you posted the dimensions I will tell you what I would call it, ..... a Sailor’s or Seaman’s chest.

[hosman321]

Thanks for the advice guys!
I remember those label makers. They were pretty popular in the 90's, too. My mom bought one once when I was little and it lasted about an hour with 3 boys in the house. She never bought refills after that.

I was wondering the same thing about the woman's house. So out of place in the woods. A stream flowed right through the front yard and there was a bridge and garden. Her porch was just like a boardwalk or something. It was just gorgeous but I'd take a big old victorian house over that new one any day! When my husband and I pulled up we both just looked at each other and he said, "How in the world do we find the front door??" It was so long that there were three different doors in sight! So, we just picked one. They definitely weren't friendly folks, even when I said they had a beautiful home and beautiful dog. 

[hosman321]

That's a good idea cogar. Small enough to travel with yet big enough for all your papers and personal effects.

[hosman321]

Hmm the history of the city kind of explains the snooty 'tudes...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Normandy_Park,_Washington

[hosman321]

Oh how funny...
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/r/e/e/Daniel-C-Reese/PHOTO/0006photo.html
They're all gawking at a trunk about 100 years old.
I have also been seeing a lot of 18th and 19th century trunks this size called book chests. Maybe it was for books.

[Oceans64]

Would Old English Dark be too much of a change and/or the same as painting? I bought some a few days ago and really like it for most all my furniture.  I haven't used it on bare wood tho so results may vary...

[waywardangler]

Hosman, there is already a finish on the wood surface because those sanding marks appear.  From another site..."We've all been there. Carefully and meticulously sanding a workpiece with a random-orbit sander, going from coarse grit all the way up to 220 or finer. Thoughtfully wiping the surface clean before advancing to the next finer grit. Then to discover - after applying the finish - that there are a bunch of curly scratch marks in the wood. Back to re-sanding after all that preparation. Despite the best efforts, it's almost a given that a few grains of coarser grit will stay along for the ride, leaving the tell-tale marks in the wood. It's hard to see these scratches in raw wood. Then when you apply a finish, it brings out the contrast - including the scratches. But the finishing phase is not the time to discover these imperfections. It's far better to spot them beforehand. There's a quick and easy remedy. After you have sanded up to a medium grit, apply some mineral spirits or denatured alcohol to the wood to show the contrast. DO NOT use water, as that will raise the grain. Use a rag or paper towel, and don't saturate it. Just enough solvent to dampen the rag a bit. Wipe it on lightly and any errant scratch marks from the coarser grit should become more visible. Using the previous grit, go back and sand the area with the marks, brush it clean and check again with solvent. Once free of scratches, advance to the next finer grit."

A clearer pic of what is on hosman's chest...

[waywardangler]

In my opinion, this has already had years of patina removed and hardware removed and rearranged so whatever YOU want to do is OK.  Milk paint would be a good option in whatever color you like and I would wipe some areas (normal wear areas) down to raw wood so it appears to be natural.  I would not use Old English or even mineral oil as that would emphasize the sanding marks even more.  I would use an opaque finish to cover the marks unless you are going to sand or scrape the marks off.

[hosman321]

I'm not sure what I'll do to it yet. If I screw up the look by painting it then it will be hard to reverse. And I kind of like the yellow color of the wood. Light colored wood is not my style but I obviously bought this because I liked it.
I used regular old english on it before I went to bed. I tested a little area on the side first, then checked on it a few minutes later to see what it did. It didn't look like it changed the color at all and it removed a lot of dirt. So, I did the whole thing. I woke up this morning and now all those water marks on the top are really pronounced and dark, looks kind of crappy. Oh well, maybe they will fade after a little time. Didn't have any effect on all the sanding marks. I don't think I'll sand them away, I'll just leave them so I don't remove more of the effects of wood shrinkage. If I do paint it, I'll paint it red so that it covers the scratches.
Anywho, what would be your guys' guess on age? I'm thinking the first half of the 1800's? Do you think newer or older?

[waywardangler]

My guess would be 1850-1890.

[hosman321]

I don't think it's 1880s or 1890s. The repairs look older than that, 1870s at the latest. The original hinges were also hand forged or crudely cast because the holes are all crooked. It wasn't really common in the last 20 years of the 1800s to still make nails and hinges by hand. I'd be willing to think it was made in the civil war era-1860s but any later than that, no way. 

[waywardangler]

Obviously, hosman, you are privy to more info because it is in your possession.  I did not see mention of the specific type of nail or hinges.  This site will help you narrow down and date nails but you really have to know what you are looking at.  http://www.journalofantiques.com/Aug02/businessaug02.htm  or  http://www.harpgallery.com/library/nails.htm

"By 1886, 10 percent of the nails produced in the United States were made of soft steel wire. By 1913, 90 percent were wire nails."  http://ezinearticles.com/?Nails---How-A-Simple-Invention-Changed-Our-World&id=610812

That would leave 90% cut nails or wrought nails still in use in 1886.  Rosehead nails would be earlier but I do not think those are original to the piece and could have been reused or what was handy.  You can still buy rosehead and cut nails today.  It would be hard to speculate on the original hinges if you do not have them.  I am not arguing with you but I think you asked for age opinions when you already have one that seems firmly entrenched.