Vintage H Gerstner Machinist Chest Model W41C "W-41-C" Light Walnut with 2 Keys

Description

Vintage H Gerstner & Sons Machinist Chest Model W41C "W-41-C" Light Walnut with 2 Keys. Also known as the "Sportsman" model. The inside of the case below the bottom drawer is marked W41C. W probably stands for walnut. The drawers have some sawdust on the green felt from when original owner used it in his garage. The keys work fine and all the hardware is present and fine. The top leather handle is coming loose at 1 end but is still attached and should be an easy repair. The only issue otherwise is the drawers are a little sticky but all will open and close OK. The front pull-up cover does not fit tightly as the panelled wood has shifted very slightly and possibly swelled a bit from being in the garage. I am leaving the front not pushed tight as I did not want to get it stuck. Please see my 12 photos. Nice solid & sturdy chest. Local pickup is always fine if you can save the shipping cost, we are located just south of Boston MA.
H. Gerstner & Sons, Inc. is a manufacturer of wooden tool chests based in Dayton, Ohio. Started in 1906, it has remained family-owned. Of more than twenty manufacturers building wooden tool chests for journeymen in the early 20th century, H. Gerstner & Sons is the only one to still exist.
The company was started in 1906 by journeyman woodworker Harry Gerstner, using a one hundred dollar bonus he had earned upon the earlier completion of his apprenticeship. The name "H. Gerstner & Sons" was chosen because it sounded well-established, but Harry Gerstner would never have any sons, instead raising three daughters with his wife, Emma. The original building occupied by the company was damaged in the Great Dayton Flood of 1913. Later that year, a new factory was built, where production has remained since.
H. Gerstner & Sons produces primarily tool chests, but their products also include shooter's chests, fly tying chests, jewelry boxes, and humidors. Additionally, the company will custom-build chests to a customer's specifications. As of 2001, approximately 4000 chests left the factory each year. For a short period of time in their early years, Gerstner & Sons also ventured into the boat manufacturing business.
The chests were originally made of oak, although they were ultimately also offered in cherry, walnut, and maple. While a single batch of chests (numbering as many as fifty) is being built, the drawers are selected and grouped together based on the style of their grain. Each drawer is then designated for a particular slot in a chest. The chests are assembled, sanded, and finished all in the same building, and most models also receive felt drawer lining. The tall, narrow center drawer on the popular Model 52 is sized to hold a copy of Machinery's Handbook, and the mirror inside the top lid was reportedly included to aid machinists in removing metal filings from their eyes.