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FredRydr
November 21st, 2016, 09:51 AM
28328

I shoulda. But now it's gone.

Fred

MY63
November 21st, 2016, 01:14 PM
You definitely shoulda

Jon Szanto
November 21st, 2016, 01:27 PM
You probably coulda, too.

christof
November 21st, 2016, 01:35 PM
double.

christof
November 21st, 2016, 01:36 PM
thrift shop find? nice.

...but no, you shoudn't. we all have way too many pens. I definitely stopped accumulating pen and writing related things which are bigger than a pen. just my opinion....

C.

Jon Szanto
November 21st, 2016, 01:57 PM
Ok, serious question: what is the purpose behind the inside of the left-hand door? Are those elastic cords to hold something in place, or ??

FredRydr
November 21st, 2016, 05:49 PM
I have no idea, Jon. I don't know what the other door holds, either. Christof, had I taken it home, it would have been stuffed with paper and dip pens.

Fred

MY63
November 22nd, 2016, 02:21 AM
I believe the elastic would have been used for papers and notes it might have originally been ribbon. The white panel on the right hand side is an early version of a dry wipe board usually made from ivory along the same lines as Victorian ladies dance cards write in pencil and it wipes off with a damp cloth.

Jon Szanto
November 22nd, 2016, 09:34 AM
Fred, I posted the photo with my SF friends, and David Nishimura had the following to say:


That setup was a general-purpose holdall. There are some nice American tromp-l'oeil paintings showing them in use.

Jon Szanto
November 22nd, 2016, 04:30 PM
Probably was originally something like this:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/79/47/33/7947334cae1447b23241b2bcf1d4acfd.jpg

FredRydr
November 22nd, 2016, 04:41 PM
Fred, I posted the photo with my SF friends, and David Nishimura had the following to say:


That setup was a general-purpose holdall. There are some nice American tromp-l'oeil paintings showing them in use.

Funny, my avatar in FPN is tromp-l'oeil. Thanks, Jon.

Fred

BoBo Olson
October 11th, 2021, 05:18 PM
Of course not...ball point users have no such clutter....nor such nice taste.

Chip
October 22nd, 2021, 04:51 PM
A writer friend sent me her parents' pens (Esterbrook) to restore and was pleased to have them in working order and looking like new. Ever since, she sends me odd junkshop finds, mostly ruined pens, but also curiosities such as this writing box. The silver plating is worn and tarnished. There's not much space inside for storage, but there's a built-in inkwell and a folding stand for a dip pen, which would be convenient.

https://i.imgur.com/71q1e4C.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/IxErpDa.jpg

Chrissy
October 23rd, 2021, 12:59 AM
Fred, that could look really nice after restoration :)

FredRydr
October 23rd, 2021, 05:36 AM
Fred, that could look really nice after restoration :)
It needed very little, but someone else took it home 5 years ago. Besides, I hadn't the space for another thing like that unless it went on the top of a tall bookcase.

Chip
October 23rd, 2021, 11:11 PM
Fred, that could look really nice after restoration :)
It needed very little, but someone else took it home 5 years ago.

It's not highly-finished or decorative. Wonder if it was intended for a bookkeeper, clerk, timekeeper or the like? With the date at the top and two inkwells (one for black and one for red?) The cubbyholes look too small for stationery: perhaps sized for time cards, inventory chits, or credit/debit memos?

treykion
November 12th, 2021, 03:29 AM
I don't quite know what you're talking about. This item does look a lot like a general-purpose holdall. This thing is very, very old, and it belongs in a museum. No one has made one of these in years. There are a lot of property appraisal companies out there now. Have you heard of one? We once found some old garden furniture in the garage that our grandparents once used. In the end, it turned out to be part of an old vintage set, and it turned out to be quite expensive. We're not fans of old things, so we sold it and instead bought some stylish new garden furniture here: www.gardenfurniture.co.uk (https://www.gardenfurniture.co.uk)

FredRydr
November 13th, 2021, 05:31 AM
While browsing in a used bookshop yesterday, I came across a Smithsonian book about the Lewis & Clark expedition. There was a photo of a "portable" desk typical of the period that was taken on their journey. Recalling this thread, I took a couple of snaps.

64822

64823