In article ,
"mike hide" wrote:

I do not think the owner was a flag buff persay .The U.S. flag is and has
been a favorite decoration in America since it's inception to this day . In
the early eighteenth century it must of been of particular pride as the it
indicated a fledgling country that had survived and prospered .

The horse artwork below the name tag looks to me in the style of early
1800's artwork (as does the flag). It's interesting that the art doesn't
have a common theme or symmetry. I'm wondering if the box was merely a
convenient utility object that was used for art practice - or perhaps as
a carry-around sample of skill. In other words, I don't think the art
was added to the box to because it was a valued piece of woodworking or
was a presentation box containing valuables.

The nametag is probably recent as it appears to be aluminum, however the box
itself is probably the most valuable thing and should remain as is if that
value is to be maintained...

If you look at the enlarged image by way of the thumbnail link, notice
the crackled and aged looking finish - especially over the horse paint
colors.

You can also see what looks to be whitish polish around the name plate
and perhaps reddish (? I'm red/green colorblind) (rust?) stains on the
plate itself. Look at that beautiful script - is anyone doing that
today? I thought it could be a brushed silver but then looking for info
on the history of aluminum I came across a page from The Minerals,
Metals and Materials Society about the aluminum cap on the Washington
Monument
http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9511/Binczewski-9511.html:

"The 1884 price of aluminum was approximately $1 per ounce, the same as
the then prevailing market price of silver, which was considered a
precious metal. "

On the same page is the composition of the aluminum alloy - it contains
between 1.7% and 1.9% iron - which, if this piece is at all similar
could account for what may be rust stains. It's certainly possible the
plate is aluminum and attached in the late 1800s - that shouldn't
detract from the value, both monetary and historical, just because
aluminum is inexpensive today.

Look also at the unevenness of the countersinks - I'm not convinced the
plate was added at a much more modern time - perhaps not original but I
believe pre-1900 - I don't think later than that. I do agree that the
box is likely the most valuable item there.
--
Owen Lowe
The Fly-by-Night Copper Company
__________

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
Corporate States of America and to the
Republicans for which it stands, one nation,
under debt, easily divisible, with liberty
and justice for oil."
- Wiley Miller, Non Sequitur, 1/24/05