Museum : Tool Chests - Vintage
Asher Benjamin Book in custom enclosure

This is one special tool chest, which, unfortunately, I do not own. I'm a fan of Asher Benjamin, one of the most influential of early architects/authors/builders during the early years of the U.S.A. So much of what you see in early architecture throughout New England and even the South reflect the design elements proposed in his many books. This tool chest has a custom built compartment in the lid, expressly made to hold the owners's copy of Benjamin's Builders Guide. That shows you just how important this book was to the owner of the chest. From those tools I can see, my guess is the craftsman was a skilled carpenter/joiner/builder. This chest is owned by a book seller who was kind enough to allow these images to be displayed.