RARE BLACK CARD DARNING COTTON, MORSE & KALEY COMPANY, MILFORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, LATE 19TH to EARLY 20TH CENTURY AMERICAN ANTIQUE INTERIOR PAPER LABELED 
ADVERTISING OAK HARDWOOD BOX with FINGER-JOINED CORNERS & ORNATE, DECORATIVE FRONT LID CLASP, ESTABLISHED 1840, MILFORD, NH
"We also manufacture:
Knitting Cotton, Crochet Cotton, Lenox Crochet Cord
Darning Cottons & Worsteds on Cards & on Balls"
[This late 19th to early 20th century American 
antique early mercantile advertising, Black Card Darning Cotton, Morse & Kaley Manufacturing Company, Milford, New Hampshire, spooled thread countertop store display or boxed, spooled, color thread set, textile manufacturing artifact, was once produced in the iconic, sprawling old wood framed, clapboard and brick facade mill, located alongside the Souhegan River in downtown Milford, NH. The same original manufacturing site is now referred to as the 'Milford Mill,' formerly the 'Milford Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company,' located at 2 Bridge Street (formerly 2 Maple Street) points to the former and initial textile manufacturing use of the 
Milford landmark, now a multi-unit, senior housing complex. This local Milford, New Hampshire textile manufacturing antique artifact most likely was intended to be used as a spooled thread, countertop advertising store display or sold as a boxed set of different color thread spools for the home. The interior black ink printed on creamy white paper affixed label does suffer some water damage on its right, as well as left paper margins. The staining is visible but not fatal and still doesn't diminish the artifact's scarcity or importance in establishing the former manufacturing site as an early and primary source of industrial activity and employment, giving the once agrarian southern New Hampshire community of Milford, its great leap forward into the industrial revolution and mass-manufacturing. The oak hardwood box has finger-joined corners and has lightly lacquered oak hardwood surfaces, whose reflectivity is now reduced to a dull, satin finish. Although the paper label is somewhat damaged with edge staining, the paper label is intact. The hinged oak lid of the box has stress fractures on its front right and front left corners. A decorative, ornate front lid clasp completes this early mercantile artifact. This site is known to everyone who lives or passes through Milford, as its length and location is right off the Milford Oval and the businesses of downtown. A very scarce and wonderful antique artifact.]
(Circa 1885-1915)
Late 19th to early 20th century American early mercantile advertising & wood box spooled cotton thread shipping/store display boxes

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DIMENSIONS: 
3 ¾" Height x 13" Width x 7 ½" Depth 
Weight: 1 lb. 4 oz.

 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND: 
This late 19th to early 20th century American antique early mercantile advertising, Black Card Darning Cotton, Morse & Kaley Manufacturing Company, Milford, New Hampshire, spooled thread countertop store display or boxed, spooled, color thread set, textile manufacturing artifact, was once produced in the iconic, sprawling old wood framed, clapboard and brick facade mill, located alongside the Souhegan River in downtown Milford, NH. The same original manufacturing site is now referred to as the 'Milford Mill,' formerly the 'Milford Cotton and Woolen Manufacturing Company,' located at 2 Bridge Street (formerly 2 Maple Street) points to the former and initial textile manufacturing use of the Milford landmark, now a multi-unit, senior housing complex. This local Milford, New Hampshire textile manufacturing antique artifact most likely was intended to be used as a spooled thread, countertop advertising store display or sold as a boxed set of different color thread spools for the home. The interior black ink printed on creamy white paper affixed label does suffer some water damage on its right, as well as left paper margins. The staining is visible but not fatal and still doesn't diminish the artifact's scarcity or importance in establishing the former manufacturing site as an early and primary source of industrial activity and employment, giving the once agrarian southern New Hampshire community of Milford, its great leap forward into the industrial revolution and mass-manufacturing. This site is known to everyone who lives or passes through Milford, as its length and location is right off the Milford Oval and the businesses of downtown. A very scarce and wonderful southern New Hampshire antique historical artifact. 
  
DESCRIPTION:
The oak hardwood box has finger-joined corners and lightly lacquered wood surfaces, whose reflectivity is now reduced to a dull, satin finish. Although the paper label is somewhat damaged with edge staining, the paper label is intact. The hinged oak lid of the box has stress fractures on its front right and front left corners, most likely caused from a previous drop. No attempt has been made to glue or to mitigate this original, 'as-found' condition issue. Clearly, this could be glued and clamped to rectify this situation. We've elected to leave it alone and let the artifact remain in '100% untouched' condition. A decorative, ornate front lid metal clasp completes this early mercantile artifact. 

CONDITION:
Good to Very Good overall antique condition.