RARE FIND- automotive tool chest- 1908 - 1912 era

[Brass Era Racer]

I was able to acquire this very original automotive tool box with some tools out of a basement in Olympia, WA with a bottom drawer that seems to have remnants of cigar leaves.

 

Would love to hear any thoughts or information as I begin a deeper dive into this tool box.  The family had little to no information, but I'm following up on that further.

 

Here's an outline of what I do know, first the brass plaques:

1.  "LOZIER" maybe taken from an early Briarcliff?

2. "Selden Patent" with serial number #109637

3. "Chanslor & Lyon Motor Supply Co.", Coachmaker for Lozier and others, with a Seattle location)

4. "John W. Merriam & Co. AT THE SIGN OF THE BULLDOG" on bottom drawer.  Cigar manufacturer.

 

Then the old cloth labels/stickers:

1. Miniature "Stanford" fabric flag

2. "Nothern Pacific" emblem.

3. "Hotel Washington" with "J.M. Lux, Manager" emblem.

4. A miniature flag (unidentified) with ships anchor.

5. A miniature flag with "COLBY CRA..  CO."  The 2 letters of the last word lot legible.

 

The handles on either side have the look of gears and chains cast into them.  Construction appears to be oak and of good initial build quality (rabbited joints), but no other markings.  Any thoughts or Ideas would be appreciated.

 

[trimacar]

I’d say the tool chest itself was just a regular chest, the mechanic just added the brass

plaques as he found them.  The Selden plate would have been assigned to a car and had nothing to do with tool chests.  It’s worth a couple hundred by itself.  The Lozier plate has some value too.  Very neat find….

[Brass Era Racer]

In my imaginative ways, and given there were some WA state race tracks where individually owned Lozier cars ran.  Was this a portable tool check used by someone at the track with a stripped down Lozier?  Hence the Selden badging and logo to match.  Then they kept the cigars in the bottom drawer to celebrate wins?  Will likely never know but fun to ponder the possibilities.

[Brass Era Racer]

[Brass Era Racer]

[Brass Era Racer]

[Lozierman]

I had a very in-depth conversation with a Lozier expert who lives in the south Seattle area.  He has stated without a doubt this is a very rare toolbox and thinks its history can be traced all the way back to originally belonging to Harry A. Lozier.  From him it was presented to the famous Lozier engineer, John Perrin and then presented to Ralph Mulford who took it and used it in the pits during the original Indy 500 in 1911.  Ralph used it, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to give him the victory in the first 500 race.  As a result, it was delegated to some losing Lozier mechanic and its provenance has now been lost.  How it ended up in Olympia WA is truly a mystery, but perhaps an ad placed in the local newspaper can bring forth your requested answers.

Who knows, perhaps there is a Lozier lurking away in an Olympia WA garage awaiting the opportunity to rejoin this toolbox!

Happy hunting!!!

Seriously, this is an amazing find, and I'm glad it has found you.  I can only think of one other person who I wish had found it first.

[Brass Era Racer]

speechless, thank you Lozierman!

[chattin]

There’s always a good storage place in Georgia for it. Great find