ID Antique Box

[dream.store.2]

Hey Gang,

Any thoughts on the age and purpose of this box? Thanks in advance.

[maxine*j]

Without knowing the size, it's hard to even make a guess, but metal-lined boxes were / are often used for tobacco and tobacco products (cigars, cigarettes).

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[fab_finds4u · Accepted solution]

It looks like an antique lead lined box used  to store periapical x-ray film in a dental office.

[dream.store.2]

Hi there, thanks for the reply. It is 5-3/4" square x 4" and the inside is 5-1/4" square x 2-5/8" deep.

[maxine*j]

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@fab_finds4u wrote:

It looks like an antique lead lined box used  to store periapical x-ray film in a dental office.

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Could be.  Could be anything from a trinket box to something someone made for Schwerer Gustav artillery rounds.  Who can say without knowing the size of the thing?

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[Anonymous]

The presence of the inner lid plus the tin lining makes me think tea caddy /box.

Also, why do we always have to plead for the measurements?

[dream.store.2]

Thank you all for your help. Here is the listing: http://www.ebay.com/itm/174980793279

[maxine*j]

So you are that sure of what you have, are you?   Then you must have known it before you posted here, because you haven't had to research the suggestion.  And you want $2,000 for it?   Wow.  Just wow.

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[mmadigan]

Office Dental x-rays moved into the mainstream in the 1950's.  The box looks to be old for the 1950's  I suppose an early adopter in the 1900's may have used x-rays.  I also question if a typical film that they used would fit in the box.  Are you sure it is lead?  What is the density of the free piece of metal?

[borntodeal]

@Anonymous  please scroll up, I provided them the first time someone mentioned the measurements concern (mea culpa), @maxine*j we had no idea before posting, not sure why you said that, but it is old, has a key and is in nice condition. We found no others. The starting price is our first pass at an auction. Why not? We once sold a uniform for $7,800...that didn't seem very remarkable. We sold a magazine for $10,000. There's no harm in trying and we will try. It is a consignment and we have a duty to the client. Hi @mmadigan , we didn't say lead, that was someone else but we'll see how this goes. We may find a collector who posts more info. Thank you all for commenting, I will tap out so I can get back to listing.  All of you are appreciated, even you @maxine*j, but please no assumptions about our motives and please respectfully do not question our integrity, we are very honest and have been at this a long time. We don't post up here unless we actually require help.

[maxine*j]

So you are telling me that you know, for a fact, that what you are selling is an antique holder for dental X-ray film?  You have researched and confirmed that?   You have seen comparables?  You have good reasons to believe that you are selling what you say you are selling?  Andyou know the metal is lead, for a fact?

Because I will tell you that as someone with a bit of experience in the area that I do not believe that box ever saw the inside of dental office.

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[gracieallen01]

I would suggest that it is an old tea caddy.  In olden days tea was kept under lock and key - had to keep the servants out of it, you know.

[jpgharv29]

Agreed!

Appears to be your typical 19th/early-20th C. English wood brass mounted tin lined tea caddy 

[jpgharv29]

Similar examples...

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/english-burl-wood-tea-caddy-462-c-1914392802

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/an-english-wood-tea-caddy-with-brass-mounts-160-c-d42485ba82

[argon38]

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@borntodeal wrote:

There's no harm in trying and we will try. It is a consignment and we have a duty to the client.

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When you ask for help on a forum like this, people will offer thoughts and suggestions in good faith. Sometimes they hit the mark; sometimes (inevitably) they're wrong. The responsibility lies on the questioner to sift any information provided, and to verify any proposed ID before listing.

Here you've taken an honest suggestion, and instead of checking it out you've immediately accepted it as the solution and used it as the basis for your listing. Your listing is factually mistaken and you risk misleading your customers. You say you have a duty to your client, but they won't be happy if you succeeded in selling it for $2,000, only to have it returned for a refund.