Posted 5 years ago
EtherIsland
(1 item)
Any clue what this long skinny box is? It's wood, three feet long or so, but only 3 inches square in girth, with two hook latches to hold it closed. Inside, there is a 3 foot long wooden dowel. Around the dowel is wrapped a very old scroll. I can't tell what the scroll is, as the edge is stuck down, and I'm afraid I would destroy it if I tried to pry it open. Age could be either Civil War era or even Colonial.
Anybody ever seen any similar box? Could this be a map? A survey of some kind? Maybe even an original copy of the Declaration for all I know. But maybe the paper is just a glued-on base for something that used to be wrapped around it.
I'm hoping somebody out there knows what this is. Thanks!
Welcome to CW
Can't see the joinery of the box or the inside but the one latch that shows would make me think you may have over dated it by a few decades. At 36" I would expect probably a survey map. If you are near a college their history department might well be able to help you for free and guide you on where to take it to unroll it safely.
I appreciate that. I will take some better pictures of the exterior and some of the interior, and some close-ups on the paper and dowel tonight and will update the post.
Thanks!
love the way the floor is pegged...smiling
I finally got to take some closeups of every part of this box, as well as the [whatever it is] inside. See dropbox link.
Is it a scroll that got stuck together? Is it just a paper coating for the dowel for something else to wrap around? How old is this item? I'm totally baffled.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ikkjh0c4gk3quyu/AABq1d8imcPNN-sKW00RfL-va?dl=0