1930s Vintage & Unique Wooden Railroad Crate/Side

Details

Description

*A vintage railroad wooden shipping crate … side….
… the crate’s “address side” … from the very early 1900s.
*After … Read more *A vintage railroad wooden shipping crate … side….
… the crate’s “address side” … from the very early 1900s.
*After getting our hands on this recent (previously unseen “in person”) … online auction purchase … we discovered after a fair amount of online research … that what we actually had on hand was not a suspected vintage wooden sign to direct local traffic to maybe an old then existing business.
*But … it was actually the side of a large rare old antique wooden railroad shipping crate!
*The noted addressee on this
crate was/is -
“BESSIRE & CO” of Indianapolis, as described below.
(We, incidentally, live 60 minutes from Indy, in an antique corridor of sorts, Indianapolis being one of six original Bessire sites, in the 1930s.)
*The referenced “STAR UNION” on this crate/side, was then the “cutting edge” interstate transporting business of its day … a railway freight business established in the wake of the Civil War ! (See photo sequenced #12 at some point.)
*After first absorbing the photos of the crate/side … please see … and scrutinize … the fascinating historical perspectives and documentation at sequenced Photos #s 10, 11, & 12.
*After purchasing what we initially thought was just “a board” of sorts … we soon discovered, and purchased, online the above referenced interesting pieces of vintage business correspondence dated in the 1930s, exchanged between said Bessire & Company and an actual contemporaneous east coast business customer of it, named Lamson & Goodnow, Co. (See sequenced Photos #s 10
& 11.)
*Lamson was, and still is … a premier cutlery manufacturer … that operates yet to this day. (Google “Lamson Cuttlery
of Shelburne, Massachusetts” on EBay for many currently available vintage pieces of Lamson Cutlery.)
*The "March 27, 1930" vintage correspondence pictured in the photo array on Bessire's distinctive letterhead makes note that -
“Bessire & Company, of Indianapolis, Indiana” was an “Importer, Manufacturer, & Jobber”
located in Indianapolis and had 5 other locations and was established in the year 1900.
*Bessire & Co., the letterhead also details, operated in -

Indianapolis
Louisville
Columbus
Richmond (KY)
Memphis
Atlanta

It also touts that Bessire marketed to -
Ice cream plants
Bakeries
Confectioneries
Creameries &
Dairies

And … that they were even manufacturers
of -
Ice cream cones &
Ice cream pails.

We are gleaning that the indicia that demonstrably supports the conclusion that this rectangular board was a portion of a vintage railway shipping crate from some 100 years ago, is -

* its rectangular shape;
* the particular and strategic location of certain “metal and cloth remnants” still upon on it;
* the heavy brass tacks and fabric pieces situated thereon;
* the board’s side 1 inch edges, lined with original iron nails and the more brilliant brass tacks on one side end;
* the researched history of Bessire & Company …. the addressee and supplier Lamson Cutlery; and
* the railroad history of the “Star Union” reference on the face of the address label area on the “board”….

*Further, it is reasonable to conclude, after yet some more research, that when packing the subject crate’s contents, that heavy protective fabric was likely tacked to the outside of the crate … essentially surrounding the entire crate … but intentionally leaving an exposed rectangular area “of board” … within which the address for the crate can be “labelled”…. this addressee being Bessire & Co. and the shipping means thereof can be noted … being said cutting edge railway transporter … Star Union … instead of today’s
Fed Ex or UPS … to better seal the crate’s edges and its precious contents (perhaps Lamson cutlery) … from dust and moisture and railroad locomotive soot.
(We’ll stop, for now, with the purported “antique archaeology”….)

*We had this one-of-a-kind piece quite carefully “cleaned” … taking some 25 hours … by meticulously, lightly sanding around and within the lettering on the board’s outside face … so as to “pull up” some old growth grain and remove decades of soot … and we also carefully enhanced the original faded black lettering … with a thin coat of black oil paint.

It is speculated that the original lettering may have even been applied by “a fingertip” … as there are no pointed feathered paint brush bristle frays.
*This truly unique wood piece is a species of solid, quite heavy dark cherry, with deep, long, old grain growth striations.
*The vintage brass tacks are substantial, solid, and original.
*The bigger piece of remaining fabric remnant still on its face … in the top right area … even has a distinctive “feel, weave, and look” when closely examined, of an old floral print. Likely of a moisture resilient, thick, “silky” vintage piece of drapery or upholstery fabric.
*This purchase also includes the 2 exchanges of vintage business correspondence … from Bessire … and to Bessire … from said Lamson cutlery manufacturer … a supplier from the northeast … regarding a particular cake knife … Bessire wanting that cake knife specially produced to include in Bessire’s “new” upcoming “Bakers' Catalog” for its customers !
*We are placing those delicate paper items in a protective plastic jacket for quick and easy historical reference, to perhaps be kept near this truly historic piece; or even attached to its backside, on a little brass hook that you could easily attach.
*Note - Additional authentic vintage “Star Union” correspondence from 1892 is also currently available on EBay.)
*The included vintage Bessire letter dated "March 27, 1930" is particularly noteworthy … not only for its old-fashioned flowery letterhead … and provenance … but, it also has a crisp raised date seal on its backside … similar to a notary seal … visible at the top and center of the letterhead … horizontally in line with the letter’s date … stamped:
“Mar 1930” ….
*This thick wooden piece (a true 1 inch) of old grain cherry wood is so solid, that it weighs 15.6 pounds.
*It is 44 inches long and 18 inches wide.
*We have carefully drilled 2 eye-bolt hanger holes on the backside, and are providing said bolts with an attached heavy braided wire … with which to hang it … as you might with any traditional wall hanging.
*This would be a great vintage wall hanging with an Americana rustic touch … for any kitchen, especially with the dialogue regarding Bessire’s products and its request for Lamson’s cake knife.
*This piece would also show well on a floor, leaning against a wall, too, if space permitted it, or even sitting upon a big countertop next to your 6 burner commercial gas range.
*And, even maybe … hung from a rustic ceiling beam by inserting eye bolts on its very top 1 inch edge … or by mounting metal straps on its 2 side vertical side edges to be hung thereby.
*This really is a very rare …
“one-of-a-kind” piece.
*It even sports authentic highly desired well worn worm holes, that only 100+ years of harvested hard wood rarely develops.

THIS SHOULD GO FAST … to someone with a good eye … coupled with a respect for history. See less