Antique Oak 20-Drawer Blueprint Flat File Cabinet by Hamilton, circa 1900
View Similar Items
Antique Oak 20-Drawer Blueprint Flat File Cabinet by Hamilton, circa 1900
About the Item
- Creator:Hamilton (Manufacturer)
- Dimensions:Height: 35.75 in (90.81 cm)Width: 27 in (68.58 cm)Depth: 21.5 in (54.61 cm)
- Style:Arts and Crafts (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1900
- Condition:Good vintage condition. Normal wear expected with age and use. See photos.
- Seller Location:South Bend, IN
- Reference Number:Seller: 01001stDibs: LU2745333849622
Hamilton
In an era when the safety of America’s bustling railroads absolutely depended on accurate timepieces for its conductors, watchmaker Hamilton pioneered cutting-edge, impossibly precise watches in a complex that spanned one square city block of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, during the late 19th century.
As railroad tracks were laid across the United States and steam locomotives began traversing vast distances, the American railroad system ran into a problem. Back then, time was not standardized across the country. Therefore, in 1883, the railroad companies established the four time zones as we know them today. But, despite setting these zones, train conductors were not always synchronized, leading to deadly accidents on the railroads.
Enter watchmaker Hamilton, founded in 1892. Railway workers would be required to wear a pocket watch, as the timepieces were responsible for keeping conductors on schedule, and the watchmaking industry — and early American pocket-watch manufacturers such as Hamilton, Elgin National Watch Company and the Waltham Watch Company — benefitted.
Hamilton’s pocket watches were extremely alluring to train conductors, who began buying them en masse. The East Coast company’s timepieces eventually earned the moniker “The Watch of Railroad Accuracy.”
Hamilton transitioned from pocket watches to wristwatches in 1914, as it supplied timepieces to American troops fighting in World War I. Wristwatches, naturally, were more convenient to wear and use in battle. The new style of watch was also appealing to aviators, and Hamilton aeronautical watches became all the rage among pilots, specifically those flying for the new U.S. Airmail service.
The general public’s interest in Hamilton watches grew rapidly in the 1920s. Legendary polar explorer Admiral Richard E. Byrd timed his historic flights over glaciers and chunks of sea ice with a Hamilton pocket watch in the late 1920s, and a Hamilton timepiece used by Byrd during these expeditions went on display in 2018 at the National Watch & Clock Museum.
Hamilton’s Piping Rock watch, an Art Deco–inspired design that featured elegant Roman numerals set in black for the hour markers, made its debut in 1928 and was gifted to the New York Yankees to celebrate their World Series win that year. The model was also featured in the film Shanghai Express alongside the brand’s Flintridge watch, further expanding Hamilton’s popularity. (Hamilton watches can also be seen in the films The Frogmen, Blue Hawaii, 2001: A Space Odyssey and Men in Black.)
In the second half of the 20th century, Hamilton became well known for several innovations: It developed the first-ever battery-operated electric watch, the Ventura, in 1957, as well as the first-ever digital wristwatch, the Hamilton Pulsar Time Computer, in 1970. Three years later, superspy and watch enthusiast James Bond donned a Pulsar in Live and Let Die.
Today, the company is part of the Swatch Group, and its headquarters and production facilities relocated from Pennsylvania to Switzerland in 2003.
Find vintage Hamilton watches for sale on 1stDibs.
- Antique Arts & Crafts Ebonized Oak Architect's Blueprint Flat File CabinetBy HamiltonLocated in South Bend, INA rare antique Arts & Crafts six-drawer architect's blueprint or map flat file cabinet In the manner of Hamilton Manufacturing Co. USA, Circa 1900 Oak in ebonized finish, with ori...Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Cabinets
MaterialsOak
- Antique Oak 24-Drawer Flat File Printer's Cabinet or Collector's CabinetBy HamiltonLocated in South Bend, INA rare and exceptional antique Arts & Crafts 24-drawer flat file printer's cabinet or collector's cabinet By Hamilton Manufacturing Co. USA, Circa 1900 Oak, with original iron har...Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Cabinets
MaterialsIron
- Antique Arts & Crafts Oak 12-Drawer Flat File Cabinet or Chest of DrawersBy HamiltonLocated in South Bend, INA rare antique Arts & Crafts or Late Victorian 12-drawer flat file cabinet or chest of drawers USA, Circa 1900 Solid quartersawn oak, with iron hardware. Measures: 25.5"W x 20.5"D...Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Cabinets
MaterialsIron
- Antique Arts & Crafts Oak 42-Drawer Card File Cabinet, Circa 1900By Globe WernickeLocated in South Bend, INA rare antique Arts & Crafts card file cabinet By Clarke & Baker Co. USA, Circa 1900 Solid oak, with original brass hardware. Measures: 51.25"W x 14"D x 74"H. Very good origin...Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Antique Arts & Crafts 74-Drawer Card File Cabinet or Industrial Parts CabinetLocated in South Bend, INA rare antique Arts & Crafts card file cabinet or industrial parts cabinet USA, circa 1900 Solid oak, with brass hardware and metal draw...Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- Antique Arts & Crafts Quarter Sawn Oak 31-Compartment Filing CabinetBy Globe WernickeLocated in South Bend, INA rare and exceptional Arts & Crafts 31-compartment file cabinet By The Federal Equipment Co. USA, early 20th century Quarter sawn oak, with brass hardware. Measures: 19....Category
Early 20th Century American Arts and Crafts Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Vintage Oak Blueprint / Flat File CabinetLocated in Oakville, CT12 Drawer Oak Blueprint / Flat File Cabinet Overall Dimensions: 25 1/4" x 33 1/4" x 43" high Top Dimensions: 24" x 33 1/2" Inner Drawer Dimensions: 22 1/4" x 30 1/4" x 2 Material...Category
Mid-20th Century American Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
- Antique Oak Wabash Filing Cabinet with 24 Filing DrawersLocated in Eindhoven, NLAntique oak filing cabinet with 24 filing drawers from the American firm Wabash Cabinet Company. Entirely in very good and usable condition. The drawer...Category
Antique Early 1900s American Cabinets
MaterialsOak
- Campaign Style Maple 3-Drawer Chest / Filing Cabinet, Circa 1950sLocated in Germantown, MDBeautiful vintage Campaign style maple 3-drawer chest of drawer or filing cabinet, Circa. Beautiful vintage condition. Original hardware. Measures 16" W x 17.5" D x 36.5" H W5031922.Category
Mid-20th Century Campaign Cabinets
MaterialsBrass
$1,231 Sale Price27% Off - Art Deco Vertiko Filing Cabinet / Drawer Cabinet, 1925Located in Lüdinghausen, DEDrawer cabinet restored Art Deco around 1925 Vertiko filing cabinet Features: Four large file drawers and two doors below Removable drawer bottoms subsequently made from plywood...Category
20th Century Art Deco Cabinets
MaterialsMahogany
- Art Deco Bauhaus File Cabinet / Drawer Cabinet, 1930Located in Lüdinghausen, DEFile cabinet restored Bauhaus Art Deco around 1930 drawer cabinet Features: Model with three flaps with drawers behind Original handles and label holder Beautiful patina Extra...Category
20th Century Art Deco Cabinets
MaterialsOak
- Antique Cabinet, Sweden, circa 1900Located in Chorzów, PLAn antique chest of drawers / cabinet from the end of the 19th century. Bidermeier style Dimensions: Height 152 cm / width 79 cm / depth 56 cm.Category
Antique Early 1900s Swedish Biedermeier Commodes and Chests of Drawers
MaterialsMahogany
$1,847 Sale Price20% Off