Lot 373: Vintage Red Enamelled Steel Utility Box with Carrying Handle
A vintage rectangular utility box constructed from sheet metal with a bright red enamelled finish. The box features rounded corners and a hinged lid secured by a central metal latch clasp on the top. A metal carrying handle is mounted to the front face via two riveted brackets. The interior is not visible. Two adhesive labels are present on the left-hand side of the lid: an orange label hand-marked 373 and a white label hand-marked 12 12. A rectangular blue label with white lettering is positioned on the front face beneath the handle; the characters PAR are legible, but the subsequent characters are obscured by the metal handle and the manufacturer name is not legible. The hardware for the latch assembly and handle brackets appears to be nickel or chrome-plated steel. The mounting plate for the top latch features two mismatched screws: one cross-head screw and one slotted flat-head screw.
Condition report:
The box is in good vintage condition. The red enamelled finish retains a high gloss, although there are scattered surface scratches and minor paint loss, particularly concentrated along the edges and seams (photo 1). The metal hardware shows signs of surface dulling and minor oxidation (photo 1). The mounting plate for the top latch has been repaired or altered, evidenced by the two mismatched screw types (photo 1). The box appears structurally sound with its primary hardware intact.
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