Topic: Unidentified box

[sparks]

Hi All

I wonder if anyone can identify the maker & age of this cast iron box about 8 inches by 4 inches, 200mm x 100mm. I has the word Piano and a goblet or wine glass to the top and AR in a six pointed star and the number 23 to the front. There is a stamped number under the lid but it is illegible.

Many thanks
Nick

[keith]

Welcome Nick,bit of a puzzle there,man with turban type hat a Jewish star,wine glass and the word piano,worse than the Guardian cryptic crossword ,not a clue

[sparks]

I know it's been driving me mad, it's not quite the Jewish or the Masonic star as it has unequal points. The goblet/wine glass rings a bell with me but I've been through all my books and searched the web and can't find it or any of the other marks now??

[Anne]

Nick, welcome to the board. What a puzzle you've brought us as your first post! 

Thinking laterally, I wondered if the word Piano might be a help, so I ran it through the Google translate page (piano is an Italian word as well as English), and came up with some interesting results:
http://translate.google.com/#auto/en/piano as it has many more meanings than the two I knew of (the instrument, and playing music slowly/gently). There are connection with plans and designs etc... see the link for the whole list, so I wonder if Piano in this sense points to one of those?

Also, the figure of the man is wearing a turban, in the style as found in places such as India and Turkey, so again that might be an indicator, rather than Japan... even though the face has more of a Japanese look, I really don't think he is Japanese. I'd be looking more towards Mongolia I think... 

Probably not much to go on but it might help a wee bit.

[keith]

Been looking up possibilities for AR,the only one making sense,I think,is anno regni,maybe the 23 is a year?

[Jakjo]

- The AR in the star of David is probably the trademark of the (German?) manufacturer of the lidded box. Here is an example of a toy manufacturer's http://www.marksandlibrary.com/marks/toys-dolls-games-puzzles/mark-114830_926-germany

- Both the glass symbol and the word Piano could be interpreted as handle gently or handle with care.

- 23 is probably the number of the model

- It is a box for cigarettes and part of a smokers set. The cigarrettes then contained mostly or entirely Turkish tobacco. The Turkish man holds some sort of structured board, where you can strike your safety match.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_tobacco 

[sparks]

Thanks Jakjo, I had been wondering if the board/carpet could be a match striker, but the box seemed very large for cigarettes.

Nick

[Anne]

Jakjo, thank you, and a big welcome to the board also.

[sparks]

Looking at it again, I think that the box form is actually a bale of tobacco tied with rope, in which case the handle with care piano & wine glass would be part of the representaion of the bale.
Anyone have any idea of age late 1800's maybe?

[Jakjo]

Thank you, Anne, for welcoming me to the forum!

I fully agree, sparks.