Small shoeshine boy's box?

Used as a footrest and to carry the blacking and rags.

Another angle of this box....

Does the inside of the box show signs of use, e.g., odor, stains, scratches? Is there any kind of liner in there?

I think the iron handle (and pull tab) are almost overkill for whatever was able to fit in the box, and are probably decorative rather than functional. MHO.

Here's another one in rougher condition on ebay. But they do not say what it is.

Here is a link that might be useful: another very similar

if you google antique grease pot or antique tar pot you can find other pictures of these, some very primitive. For wagon wheel grease? Or to seal seems of tarps, Conestoga covers?

My clue was in looking closely at the supersize photos on ebay. The interior seemed perhaps grease stained and the wood was cut so the the grain of the wood would tend not to let grease flow out of the box with gravity. The grain of the wood leads sideways, where the sides are thicker. Also the hanged door opens so that the load the box carries must have been only a shallow portion of the box; otherwise the door would dip or bang into the load.

I imagine the box was made to recess into floor boards of the wagon and sit out of the way for the most part.

Here is a link that might be useful: bing: antique grease pot

Duplicate

This post was edited by lazygardens on Mon, Oct 28, 13 at 13:43

^^^^ I think we have a WINNER!

If you start looking up wagon grease pots you find a few similar items of wood.
Some of them have a brush in the lid, others don't. Hanging from the axle is convenient for a slow moving vehicle, but more secure storage for a carriage or stagecoach would be good.

The shape reminds me of a cleat on a boat. Maybe some nautical tie--in.
Casey