Vintage Painted Wooden Tool Chest – Rustic Workshop Storage Box

Vintage Painted Wooden Tool Chest – Rustic Workshop Storage Box

30 cm wide

15 cm tall

20 cm depth

A wonderfully characterful old wooden tool chest or utility box, retaining layers of heavily worn green and black paint that give it an authentic, timeworn appearance.

Constructed from solid wood, the chest has a hinged lid with simple metal hinges and an old iron fastening to the front. Inside is a large open storage area together with a raised narrow wooden compartment running across the back, divided at one end – a practical arrangement traditionally found in working boxes for keeping smaller tools and accessories separate from the main contents.

The exterior is undoubtedly the star of this piece. Years of use have worn the green-painted top back to the natural timber in places, creating a fabulous patchwork of colour, scratches, stains and exposed grain. The sides are predominantly black, while the unfinished interior shows further evidence of its working life.

Its exact original use is unknown, although the construction and internal arrangement are consistent with an old carpenter’s, joiner’s or general tradesman’s tool box. We would date it broadly to the earlier-to-mid 20th century rather than make a more precise attribution without provenance.

Today it would make a great piece of rustic storage for tools, craft materials, collections, paperwork or workshop paraphernalia, and would look equally at home in an industrial, country or vintage interior. Fabulous jewellery box!!

Condition:

This is an old, well-used working box and its considerable wear is very much part of its appeal. There is extensive paint loss, rubbing, scratching, staining and marking throughout, together with knocks and wear to the timber. There is some loss/wear around the front edge and fastening area, oxidation to the metal fittings and general age-related dirt and discolouration internally. A key is not included and the lock has not been tested.and or missing Please study the photographs carefully as they form an important part of the condition description.

A cracking piece of genuine old workshop storage with bags of patina – definitely one for those of us who prefer our vintage pieces to show their history rather than hide it.

Why we love it:

That lid. You simply couldn’t convincingly recreate those layers of worn green paint, exposed timber and decades of workshop knocks. It has the sort of honest patina that only comes from years of actual use.

As with all our antique and vintage pieces, this item shows signs of age and previous use. Our photographs are not digitally enhanced, although colours can vary slightly between screens. All descriptions and dating are given to the best of our knowledge based on the information available.