Footlocker: is this something?

[selby]

I stumbled across this footlocker/chest a few weeks ago with thoughts of just restoring it and using it as a coffee table. As I started sanding away I started finding the lettering and then started a little research. Looking at photos of other civil war era footlockers, it looks like it may be one as well and was hoping to get some of your thoughts. There is a name, F.M. Beegle of the lid that is pretty clear. Unfortunately, I was pet aggressive in my initial sanding, but I did manage to save the name and above the name it spears the have an "18th" and then a capital P or R. There was also some more lettering directly above the name that appeared to have started with "Col". There was also some more lettering on the front of the chest but could not make out what it was.

It's basically 36x20x16. The main body is 3/4 inch pine boards that are about 12 inches wide and dovetailed. It's rock solid, but unfortunately whoever had it before me painted it pink and then later put on some dark stain. The wood is still in really good shape and would make me think it may be a reproduction, but then when you look at the bottom it makes me rethink that.

Anyways, I thought I would post it here and see what you all thought.

 

[Sheltowee]

Just my opinion- construction seems kind of heavy for a general purpose footlocker?

Quick internet search turns up an FM Beegle who published several manuscripts in the early 1900s, related to food and agriculture. Some were published by the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.

Could this be the same researcher? Perhaps this is his crate for storage of lab equipment ?

Just guessing…..

 

[selby]

Just my opinion- construction seems kind of heavy for a general purpose footlocker?

Quick internet search turns up an FM Beegle who published several manuscripts in the early 1900s, related to food and agriculture. Some were published by the Ohio Agricultural Experiment Station.

Could this be the same researcher? Perhaps this is his crate for storage of lab equipment ?

Just guessing…..

Could be. I had not seen that. I did find a F. M. Beegle that was in the Union army, but he appeared to be a private. I'm assuming privates would not have had footlockers. Thanks for weighing in, I appreciate it.

 

[Gandycreek]

Looks like a carpenters chest to me. JMHO

 

[selby]

Looks like a carpenters chest to me. JMHO

Could be that s as well, but definitely would be more interesting if it was a footlocker.

 

[johan_steele]

It's no footlocker but appears to be a tool chest. I would need to see pics of the interior to know for certain but expect there are steps within which would have held tills of one sort or another.

 

[Larryh86GT]

I have a chest that seems to be similar construction. I think it's an old carpenter's chest. The inside
is pretty beat up from the tools:

 

[selby]

I'm

It's no footlocker but appears to be a tool chest. I would need to see pics of the interior to know for certain but expect there are steps within which would have held tills of one sort or another.

there are not steps inside but there is a small pull out tray to hold smaller items. I wasn't 100% sure it was original so I didn't post it. I don't think the inside is beat up any more than the exterior. I originally assumed it was just a cheesy but the lettering I found on it and pictures I found off Custer's footlocker made me believe it may be a soldiers.

 

[selby]

I have a chest that seems to be similar construction. I think it's an old carpenter's chest. The inside
is pretty beat up from the tools:

View attachment 456419

Yeah, that is similar. The inside of mine is not really beat up any more than the exterior, maybe less. There is a small pull out tray to hold smaller items. It was the photos of Custer's footlocker that really made me think it was a soldiers. Here's the link if you're interested: https://historical.ha.com/itm/milit...ersonal-7th-cavalry-footlocker/a/6180-43260.s

 

[selby]

It's no footlocker but appears to be a tool chest. I would need to see pics of the interior to know for certain but expect there are steps within which would have held tills of one sort or another.

Here's the inside. It's still pink, but I think you can get the idea. You can see on the bottom of the photo the rectangle where the pull out tray ususally sits.

 

[selby]

I really appreciate everyone's insights. This the project has become very fascinating no matter what I find out.

 

[johan_steele]

Can you post a picture of the pull out tray.

 

[selby]

Can you post a picture of the pull out tray.

It's 18x16x5, and very pink!

 

[johan_steele]

The chest construction is typical of a carpenters chest, there were some made in bulk to be sold to apprentices who would build/finish their trays/tills to fit what was needed. The strips/lumber to make the tills and such were included with the box when sold. These were also sold to schools completely unassembled for woodshop projects. It's possible this is one of those, several hardware/tool concerns, such as Simmons, Sears etc. sold them. The pink color was likely not originally pink, there is a beige/tan (IIRC) color that was used around the turn of the century that would fade to a pink color with time. I've dealt with that god awful color a time or two.

There is no reason this couldn't be an unfinished tool chest that was repurposed.

 

[selby]

Again, thanks for all the insights. I did not purchase this thinking it was a civil war footlocker, but it sure would be cool if that is what it turned out to be. The only reason I thought it may be, was the lettering. A carpenter, I guess could/would put their names on the chests as well. Either way, I think it is much older than I originally thought. I definitely don't think the pink was original. It appears to be a fairly recent change. Thinking that someone painted it for a toy chest, and then later tried to change it back, but did a horrible job.

 

[Package4]

I stumbled across this footlocker/chest a few weeks ago with thoughts of just restoring it and using it as a coffee table. As I started sanding away I started finding the lettering and then started a little research. Looking at photos of other civil war era footlockers, it looks like it may be one as well and was hoping to get some of your thoughts. There is a name, F.M. Beegle of the lid that is pretty clear. Unfortunately, I was pet aggressive in my initial sanding, but I did manage to save the name and above the name it spears the have an "18th" and then a capital P or R. There was also some more lettering directly above the name that appeared to have started with "Col". There was also some more lettering on the front of the chest but could not make out what it was.

It's basically 36x20x16. The main body is 3/4 inch pine boards that are about 12 inches wide and dovetailed. It's rock solid, but unfortunately whoever had it before me painted it pink and then later put on some dark stain. The wood is still in really good shape and would make me think it may be a reproduction, but then when you look at the bottom it makes me rethink that.

Anyways, I thought I would post it here and see what you all thought. View attachment 456380

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Where are you located, there were quite a few Beegles in Bedford, PA one being a Colonel of the 154th Reg of PA Militia in the 1840s.

 

[Russell]

should the nails be square heads?

 

[selby]

Where are you located, there were quite a few Beegles in Bedford, PA one being a Colonel of the 154th Reg of PA Militia in the 1840s.

I'm originally from the Gettysburg area, but currently, I'm in Florida and got the chest here. I need to contact the seller and see if he knows anything.

 

[selby]

should the nails be square heads?

The nails and screws were initially why I didn't think it was civil area myself, but I was seeing others that claimed to be civil war era with what looked like the same hardware. And exactly why I posted here.

 

[Package4]

The nails and screws were initially why I didn't think it was civil area myself, but I was seeing others that claimed to be civil war era with what looked like the same hardware. And exactly why I posted here.

Period forged nails had both square and round heads, yours appear to be forged. The nail shank itself should be square.