Historical Antique “Star Union” Railroad Cherry Wood Shipping Crate Side

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Description

*New additional restoration work on it completed in the summer of 2026. Also new updated photos and newly discovered vintage … Read more *New additional restoration work on it completed in the summer of 2026. Also new updated photos and newly discovered vintage Star Union ephemera to post soon, substantiating Star Union’s activity in our state’s area 100+ years ago….

A really unique vintage railroad wooden shipping crate … side….
… an apparent railroad shipping crate’s “addressee side” … or “shipper’s side” from the early 1900s … shipped via STAR UNION … by railroad … a cutting edge FED EX/UPS of its day; formed during the Civil War !

After getting our hands on this item that we purchased via an online auction … we later discovered after a fair amount of online research … that what we actually had on hand was not a wooden sign to maybe direct local traffic down some dirt road.

But … it was actually the side of a large rare old antique STAR UNION wooden railroad shipping crate!

*The addressee or shipper on this
crate was -
“BESSIRE & CO” of Indianapolis, as described below.

We, incidentally, live 60 minutes from Indy, on Old U.S. National Road 40 … on an antique corridor of sorts, Indianapolis being one of six original Bessire sites, in the 1930s and we were in area also serviced by Star Union; serving Indiana cities - Indy, Cambridge City, and Richmond … this item purchased by us close to Richmond, Cambridge City, and Indy … from local historic Centerville, Indiana’s … renowned Walther Hawkins Auctioneers.

The referenced “STAR UNION” on this crate/side, was then the “cutting edge” interstate R.R. transporting business of its day … a railway freight business established in the the Civil War to expedite shipments with the direction of the Pennsylvania Railroad!

We will soon be posting vintage ephemera for said Star Union that we purchased on September 15, 2026 … yet to be received and posted … that highlights its unique mission and history.

After you slowly absorb the photos of the crate/side … please see … and scrutinize … the fascinating historical perspectives and documentation at sequenced Photos #s 10, 11, & 12; and those pieces yet posted.

After purchasing what we initially thought was just “a beautiful aged cherry board” of sorts … we soon discovered interesting pieces of vintage business correspondence dated in the 1930s, exchanged between said Bessire & Company and an actual east coast business customer of its, 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 historical evidence that demonstrably supports the conclusion that this rectangular board was from a portion of an actual vintage railway box shipped via STAR UNION; a shipper established some 100-150 years ago.

That evidence consists of -
* 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 or shipper of this crate side … and supplier Lamson Cutlery; and
* the railroad history of the “Star Union” reference on the face of the “board”….

*Further, it is reasonable to conclude, as was then a routine shipping practice … that when whoever packed the subject crate’s contents, that heavy protective fabric was likely strategically tacked to the outside of the crate … essentially surrounding the entire crate and its joints … while intentionally leaving an exposed rectangular area “of face board” … within which the address for the crate can be “labelled”…. this addressee or shipper being Bessire & Co. and the shipping means thereof being noted … same being said cutting edge railway “through transporter” … Star Union …
ala today’s modern shippers like
Fed Ex or UPS.

The outer cloth tacked on to better seal the crate’s edges and its precious contents (perhaps even Lamson cutlery) … from dust and moisture and railroad locomotive soot.

We’ll stop, for now, with the purported “antique archaeology”….

We originally 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 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 believed to be a species of solid, heavy black cherry … with deep, long, old grain growth waves of striations.

The vintage brass tacks are quite 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. Possibly of a moisture resilient, thick, “silky” vintage remnant scrap of drapery or upholstery fabric.

This purchase also includes the recent referenced Star Union ephemera (of some 5-6 pages) and the unique 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 for you to keep near this truly historic piece to share.

Also Note - there is more authentic vintage “Star Union” ephemera from the late 1800s still currently available on EBay; but no Star Union RR crates or pieces … that we could find … anywhere.

That 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 black cherry wood is so solid, that it weighs 15.6 pounds.

It is 44 inches long and 18 inches tall.

This would be a great vintage wall hanging with an Americana rustic touch. Or would show well on a long shallow shelf.

This piece would also work on a floor, leaning against … or even sitting upon a big countertop next to a 6 burner commercial gas range.

Or 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 an exceptionally very rare …
“one-of-a-kind” piece.

It even sports authentic distinctive well worn worm holes.

THE NEW RESTORATION WORK IN JULY & AUGUST OF 2026 included -
1. An intensive sanding of the BACKSIDE … to highlight the incredible old growth cherry wood grain.

2. The BACKSIDE received an undercoat of unwaxed shellac followed by an interim sanding … finished with a thin top coat of beeswax.
The black printing on the FRONTSIDE address side was painstakingly and meticulously softened and lightened … with 220 and 320 grit sandpaper to better return it to its original condition, as it appeared when we first laid our hands on it.

4. We have tried to return the FRONTSIDE wood to its raw, unfinished, and natural condition.

This rare piece shouldn’t last long … but, we said that months ago.

It’s waiting for someone with a really keen eye … coupled with a respect for history … and that also appreciates “the unusual”…. See less