overall: 13 in x 17 in x 9 in; 33.02 cm x 43.18 cm x 22.86 cm
Object Name:
Chest, Tool
chest, tool, child's
Other Terms:
Chest, Tool; Toys
Place Made:
United States: Rhode Island, Providence
Date made:
1911 - 1924
Description:
As illustrated in this child's tool chest from the early 20th century, children frequently encountered their society's gender expectations at a young age. The tool chest from R. Bliss & Co. declared carpentry to be boys' work. It came with a hinged lid and a sliding, removable top tray. Inside is a colored picture of boys building a house under a banner that reads "BLISS UNION TOOL CHESTS FOR BOYS." R. Bliss & Co., established in 1845, started as a tool company, making wooden screws and clamps for piano and cabinetmakers, before it became a leading manufacturer of toys by the turn of the 20th century.
