I found this funny little wooden box last week, made in Japan by Rex Cards in 1968, and designed to look like a Powell St. cable car in San Francisco, CA. Cute illustrations of smiling people, packed in like sardines, and clearly on their way to the Takahashi Gift Boutique in Ghiradelli Square to get themselves a box too! Apparently this was a music box and played “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” too, but any musical mechanism within is now unfortunately long gone. There's just some ratty old black felt badly glued to all sides inside, if anyone was curious...
That's so neat. I can't really tell how big it is. The size of a lunch box? A car battery? And what was originally in there? Cigars? Just empty space? Animal Crackers shaped like people? Looks like it would be a nice place to store postcards, assuming they'd fit.
ReplyDeleteSorry, yeah it’s about the size of a recipe card box, postcards would fit inside perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI love the first image, it's like the conductor has said in a satanic voice "Do not look at me!"
ReplyDeleteAny idea who the artist is? I remember this style of illustration in the 60's.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny that I didn't even notice the bronze crank hole the first time I looked over these. Ha!
ReplyDeleteAll second hand items have a bit of a mysterious past when you think about it.
ReplyDeleteWho was the original owner? Someone's grandmother? Someone's aunt? Was this a favorite item of some niece or cousin?
It is a mystery that can never be solved, but pondering about the past of this item, as well as all second hand items, is a fun way to create a story for those who have the interest in storytelling.
That's the way the tales of cursed antiques get started, not that this item is under a hex, unless of course it starts playing music on its own.
Here's hoping it stays silent while on your collection, Karswell.
Well, we did figure out what originally came in the box (it's actually a music box but no mechanism in mine), and unfortunately, the box is not cursed, (drat!) nor did we ever figure out who the artist is (double drat!!) I am glad that everyone enjoyed the post though. More cute 60's art coming up next, see ya in a few!
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