Discover this Distinctive Relic at Past and Present Home Gallery
Frozen in time, this beautifully handcrafted piece of Americana is the perfect addition for any collector or home decorator with an eye for the obscure.
Despite this artifact of American history originating in the early 20th century, the story that accompanies this gorgeous wooden cabinet—complete with white porcelain knobs and intricate detailing—adds a layer of fascination that truly brings character to this unique piece.
A Brief History of the ‘Hardware Store’
While hardware stores are anything but uncommon these days, their long-endured past extends to the ‘ironmongers’ of medieval England centuries ago. Originally sellers of hard goods as opposed to items like cloth and fabric, their shops often included pots, pans, and other small metal-made objects.
As years passed and manufacturing capabilities grew, new types of metal fittings were produced in bulk rather than made to order. As such, the 18th and 19th centuries saw the range of products carried by hardware stores expand to include a variety of home goods and repair fixtures.
With this new level of increased supply and demand for repair elements such as metal bolts and screws, the need for organization of the many different types and sizes became paramount. That’s when, in 1880, Joseph Sooy Gold designed and patented the American Bolt & Screw Case Company’s first model for a one-of-a-kind cabinet.
This Revolutionary Design Changed the Way Bolts and Screws were Accessed
The original patent design created by George W. Chaffin in 1903 for the American Bolt & Screw Case Company.
By the 1900s, the American Bolt & Screw Case Company’s wooden organizational cabinets could be found in catalogs across the country. Available in a variety of sizes from small table top models to versions that were five feet tall, it wasn’t until 1902 that the 72 drawer model currently found at Past and Present Home Gallery was designed and patented in 1903 by George W. Chaffin of Dayton, Ohio.
His design was unique in that the eight-sided fixture rotated on an octagonal base around a vertical axis. In addition to this, it also featured the construction of triangular shaped drawers for extra compartments which accommodated the many different sizes of mass-produced bolts and screws. Once built, each compartment was adorned with two carefully stenciled numbers that correlated with the measurements of whichever products lay inside.
This layout proved to be incredibly successful as the rotating caddy allowed customers to easily search for their desired hardware; not to mention that its compact size was both convenient and took up little space in already crowded stores.
An authentic ad from a 1903 catalog that depicts the American Bolt & Screw Case Company’s rotating octagonal wooden cabinet.
This is Your Best Chance to Take Home this Vintage Work of Art from the Early 1900’s…
Whether you’re looking to organize a vast collection of small pieces or simply wish to display this stunning cabinet in your home or elsewhere, there is no shortage of beauty to be found on this remarkable object. In its nearly pristine condition, the deep finishing of the woodwork contrasts brilliantly with the stark white of each circular porcelain handle. It’s in these complexities - and in each painstakingly stenciled number with artistic surrounding design - that this cabinet comes to life. Another treasure from Past & Present Home Gallery, the Antique Store with Character.
If you’re interested in acquiring this rare antique and would like to see it in-person, please feel free to stop in or contact us. We look forward to speaking with you!