Nipper!

Growing up as a kid in the sixties there was a "blanket box" sitting in the basement. It may have contained a blanket at one time but I remember the contents as being family heirlooms. I recall a dress sword from some type of Masons fraternity, old paperwork, etc. I remember my dad saying that the blanket box was homemade by his grandfather. I'm guessing in the 19teens or twenties. Some 25 years ago while doing a partial basement cleanup I noticed the box was showing its age and starting to fall apart. So I helped it along by taking it apart to get rid it. Low and behold I noticed some graphics on the inside of one end. Carefully removing the end I ended up with this. The remnants of an RCA Victor shipping crate. Evidently my great grandfather was a pretty frugal handyman. Although it has seen water damage from the damp basement I thought it was worth saving. I cleaned it up, varnished it to protect it a bit and sorta framed it. It is what it is, but pretty neat with the family history of how it came to be.