Hi Deborah,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

Farley & Loetscher Manufacturing Company was one of the great American woodworking firms of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Although many collectors think of it as a furniture maker, the company actually specialized in architectural millwork—doors, window sashes, blinds, moldings, paneling, staircases, and custom interior woodwork. They also produced office furniture, desks, library furnishings, and built-in cabinetry, especially for commercial and institutional projects.

The company was founded in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1875 by Swiss immigrant Christian Loetscher. Initially, it was a tiny millwork shop with just a couple of employees. After businessman Jesse P. Farley invested in the firm, it became Farley & Loetscher, and it was incorporated in 1881 as the Farley & Loetscher Manufacturing Company.

This is probably a salesman's sample, a miniature or demonstration versions of products that traveling salespeople used to show retailers before mass production, photography, and digital catalogs made that unnecessary. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, sales representatives often traveled by train or car carrying examples of what their factories made. Bringing a full-sized barn door, cast-iron stove, or elaborate desk wasn't practical, so manufacturers created scaled or sectional models.

A sample allowed a buyer to evaluate construction quality, joinery, materials, hardware, finish and design details.

The market for salesman's samples can be strong and - depending on the maker - can occasionally bring more money than full-size models do.

They occupy an interesting niche because they can be both historical artifacts and highly collectible antiques.

While I haven't found any other miniature chests by Farley & Loetscher having come to auction, comparable examples by competitors have sold at auction recently for between $150 and $300.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A Farley & Loetscher cedar brass bound blanket chest
first half 20th Century
marked
Height: 6 inches; width: 17 inches; depth: 9 inches
CONDITION: this appears to be in generally good age-appropriate condition with some minor imperfections commensurate to age and use
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$ 150-300*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia