Interesting Letterpress Chest

Anyone seen this type of chest before? I bought it from a guy here in Illinois who had 4 of them. He thinks they are custom made. The handles to the drawers say Hamilton.

image: chest.jpg

chest.jpg

Log in to reply   4 replies so far

Aside from wood type and type cabinets and furniture, etc. for printers’ use, the Hamilton Manufacturing Company also made a myriade of other pieces of furniture and cabinets, etc. - mainly for the medical industry. What does the inside of the drawers/cases look like? Are they partitioned for type or something else or simply blank?

The Hamilton Mfg. Co. has changed hands several times but the current corporate owner still produces medical products in the original factory buildings in Two Rivers, WI.

Rick

I would guess that it was for watch parts or optical supplies.

Daniel Morris
The Arm Letterpress
Brooklyn, NY

The top of the chest opens up and its an empty space. But the two drawers look a lot like type trays.

It looks like a “marriage” to me. I may be wrong but it looks like an old sewing machine case, which are common here in the UK. The handles and clasps look to have been added later. But as I say I could be wrong!!!!