Help with Leather Tool Box Identification

[fliffy42]

I picked this guy up the other day. First one like it I have come across. Any help on an ID would be greatly appreciated....

It is a leather Machinist's type tool box. I have seen them covered with leather in the past but this is actually made of leather with reinforced corners and felt linings. Alas it is missing it's front cover (ugh). The only markings are on the latch again which is also an Eagle Lock Co. ( http://www.papawswrench.com/vboard/index.php?topic=259.0 )

It measures 18"L x 8 1/2" W x 10" H.

[fliffy42]

more pics.....

[1930]

Judging by the hardware I would suggest that it were made quite a few years later than the initial eagle lock box post you had made, hardware reeks of  late 30s early 40s more toward the latter end. When eagle fist came about they were the dredge of the lock community, they had little to no machinery to aid them in their hardware process so it was all done by hand with unfairly paid workers whom didnt exhibit much talent.
They were bought and sold a few times and finally were purchased by people that had money to spend and their quality was greatly improved thanks to stamping machines.
In my opinion this particualr box was certaintely not their finest level but a mass produced attempt at filling some particular void in the every day machinests workspace. I would highly be surprised if the material you think is leather is not some sort of sythetic material.
One sign you might want to start looking for when considering these boxes is what I call chinky overdone, in my if a defanition is needed for that phrase than just look at this box to find it.
I hope my attempt at decribing the box nor my opinions of it offend you, its just my opinion. observation

[Dustin21]

i think we  want more pics of the contents lol

[fliffy42]

I hope my attempt at decribing the box nor my opinions of it offend you, its just my opinion. observation

No offense ever taken here at Tooltalk and I great appreciate the input and value everyone's opinions. Thanks!

[scottg]

Nice box Cliff!
I guess I have to ask again, are you sure its leather?
Lately I have seen a couple of boxes that were actually a kind of hard fiber.  Looks kind of like leather, but its a fiber and hard enough to be structural on its own.
Leather itself, would become too floppy over time unless supported by something else. 

Unless you meant it was leather over wood?


It looks 30's/early 40's.  I have a large trunk and a portable carpenters toolbox that are very similar in construction. Same time period.
The toolbox is leatherette, harder than leather.  Can't say I ever saw a real leather covered toolbox, but its possible.
     My big trunk really is leather that has been treated with something to be harder than usual.

This is a carpenters box meant to be carried to work on the train every morning.


This trunk in the far corner of the room has 5 drawers, a fold out lap desk and a wardrobe compartment for clothes on hangers that slides out for access.
Its green and black leather and dripping with hardware.
I guess I need a better picture. heehehehehe   
This picture is just part of my music room series.


This is my music page
http://www.snowcrest.net/kitty/sgrandstaff/music.htm
   yours Scott

[rusty]

Hard to tell from the picture, but, yes, I would suspect it's not leather also, I have seen boxes made from that weird fibre board, I think it's cardbaord soaked in phenolic (bakelite) and hardened. It was one of the first synthetic composite materials and people tried to use it for just about everything.  It's the same thing heater boxes in old cars are made out of, before they discovered fibreglass...

pick off a tiny fragment and hold it in a lighter, if it smells like a cow is on fire, it's leather, if it smells like your car is on fire it's fibreboard...

[There are a few other weird things that were used, asbestos instead of paper, rubber compounds, and certain weird tree sap's that harden...]

As to the box, I have seen old ads for inexpensive machinists tool boxes, never occurred to me that someone might be making them out of something other than metal.

Will have to pay more attention to the ads...