The Material Legacy

Thread Box

This is the sort of box commonly used in stores which sold spools of thread during the nineteenth century.

This particular box was left by former owners in a ranch house (the Taft house) we moved into when I was about two years old (1915). It was used by me to keep small toys. The ranch was located at Indian Prairie, near Spokane, Washington.

A penciled note on the back of the lower drawer reads: Save this box for Mrs. Taft if empty any time in 11/17/1891.

I removed the old finish, made a new front for the lower drawer of red oak, turned and painted wooden knobs for the lower drawer to match the original black Bakelite knobs on the upper drawer, and applied clear finish.

The box has been used by my wife, Bea, as a jewelry box.

Book Ends

Wooden book ends, also made by me as a manual training class project at about the same time, are made of gumwood stained and varnished. The design represents my initials – A.L.C.

Round Table

The round table was made by my grandfather, Joseph Cardinal (1830-1913), and came to my father after Grandpa's death.

As I remember it, the table was a dark color. It was later painted black, and then, still later, gray.

My son, Peter, now has the table.

Rocking Chair

The bent-wood arm rocker belonged to my grandmother, Lillie Roy Strahl Whipple (1860-1921), and it was used by her until her death in 1921. Then it became the property of my mother, Lillie Strahl Cardinal (1877-1948), until her death in 1948. It was constantly used all those years. After Mother's death, the chair remained in our attic until I completed refinishing in 1982.

I removed all of the old finish and refinished with Formby's tung oil finish rubbed into the natural wood. I replaced the seat with new leather tooled by my sister-in-law, Helen Lu Ferslev, in a pattern similar to the original. New tacks were used. Other than minor joint tightening, no restoration was needed.

Game Board

This game board measures about 29″ square with mesh pockets at the four corners. It was patented by The Carrom Company, Ludington, Michigan. This is Style E, No. 1 Archarena. It is designed to play Carroms (registered) and checkers on one side and croquinol on the reverse side, as well as many other games. It came with an instruction book (now lost) covering 57 games (I think). Playing pieces are wooden rings in red, green, and clear, black. There are also two wooden cues 26″ long.

The game set was bought in 1918 or 1919 by my father, Gilbert Cardinal, while we lived at Oneida. He particularly enjoyed playing Carroms with my mother and me.

A few of the rings have broken.

Diary

Gilbert H. Cardinal

Mostly during War with Spain (1898). He served in Porto Rica [sic].)

Shop Tools

Acquired by me during high school years (1927-31) or before.

• Work bench (made for me by my father)
• Vise
• Claw hammer (marked Alty on handle)
• Push drill (Mr. Punch)
• Auger bits for brace (6/16″, 8/16″, 10/16″)
• Countersink bit
• Twist bit (¼)
• Brace
• Marking guage
• Try square
• Large screw driver (square shank, wood handle) (bought for me by my Uncle Sam Cardinal)
• Screw driver set (3 in 1)
• Wooden handle containing may tools
• Jack plane
• Carpenter chisels (½″ ¾″)
• Spoke shave
• Hand cranked grinder