Wales Goodyear Shoes antique wooden box crate KEDS precursor LOCAL PICKUP

Description

PLEASE NOTE:
This item is for local pick up only (Lebanon, PA);  I am unable to ship it.
************
SALES TAX ALERT!!!
*******************************************************************
Ebay
has started collecting state sales tax from the buyer (for the state that the buyer resides in) so please be aware of
that when you are considering the purchase of this item
.
*************************************************************************************************
I found this neat old box in an estate sale (in North East, PA near Erie).
It looks very “
antiquey
” probably because it is.
Based on information found on
Wickipedia
(see below) the box dates back to 1916 or earlier.
Based on that info it
appears that the Wales Goodyear Company was one of a number of companies in Naugatuck, Connecticut that were
consolidated to form the larger
United States Rubber Company.
In 1916 the shoe products were consolidated to form
the “
Keds
” brand so it would seem that this box is contemporary with that event or predates it.
I do not know the type of
wood.
A shipping address in the upper right corner of the front of the box indicates that it was addressed to G.W.
Farnham
,
Buffalo, NY L?K R.R.
It appears the Geo. W.
Farnham
was a shoe wholesaler in Buffalo around the turn of the century.
I was unsuccessful in my attempt to identify the railroad – it appears to be printed as three letters.
First appears to be
an “L” the second is indiscernible, and the third appears to be a “K” followed, of course, by R.R.
This item may then be
possibly of interest to railroad buffs.
The interior and exterior of the box contain some pencil drawings evidently done by a child.
It’s kind of cute.
The box
may have been used at some point as a toy chest or, perhaps a clothes or blanket chest.
This box would be of interest to anybody who is just looking for an
antiquey
old box or it might be good (or a good gift)
for anybody interested in the history of Naugatuck, Connecticut, anybody in the shoe industry or the rubber industry or
anybody with any interest in Buffalo, NY history – particularly the Geo W
Farnham
Co .
92 Pearl Street in Buffalo
(apparently a shoe wholesaler at the turn of the century – 1900).
There are currently some other related items on
Ebay
(including a nice, stained version of this box and a yet-older version of the box) that would go nicely with it for the
history buff.
It would make a nice display piece in a shoe store.
The information on one end of the box is:
Womens
Vassar
Straight Toe Cap
F
3
½
4
½
5
4
4
6
4
6
24
prs
shipping info on front (upper right corner):
G W
Farnham
Co
Buffalo, NY
LMK R.R.
(I’m not sure about “LMK” – I could not find such a railroad – the “M” might
not be an “M” but I could not identify this railroad.
Dimensions:
width:
29”
Depth (front to back):
14-7/8”
height:
13-5/16
”
With the photos I’ve posted an image that I found online of “The Vassar” shoe style from a
1910 newspaper.
Please ask any questions you might have prior to bidding
.   Again, please note that shipping is not offered for this item;  it is local pick up only.
Thank you
.
seller’s item reference number:
12.001
hhL8190915IDT_2