Description  

This early 20th-century (1900-1930) wooden croquet set box was manufactured for Belknap Hardware & Manufacturing Company of Louisville, Kentucky, a major regional supplier of sporting goods and household equipment. The box features bold stenciled lettering reading “BELKNAP "Liberty Bell" CROQUET”, complete with the company’s distinctive Liberty Bell trademark used on branded recreational and sporting goods. Constructed of solid wood, the box retains its original form and proportions, though the hardware latch has been replaced at some point during its lifetime. Despite later hardware updates, the piece maintains strong visual character, showing authentic age, wear, and surface patina.

The underside includes a secondary stencil from the Warren County Hardware Company in Bowling Green, Kentucky, indicating this box was part of Belknap’s wholesale distribution system rather than a homemade or repurposed container. The interior is clean and consistent with other known period Belknap croquet cases, built to house mallets, stakes, and balls in a long, narrow format. Its sturdy construction, bold typography, and regional Kentucky provenance make it a desirable decorative piece as well as a collectible example of early American sporting goods merchandising.

This box is an excellent display item for collectors of Americana, sporting goods history, Louisville hardware memorabilia, or Kentucky-related artifacts. With its well-preserved stenciling and original construction details, it represents a genuine piece of early 1900s retail and recreational culture, evoking the craftsmanship and commercial reach of one of the most important hardware distributors in the American South. Measures 32 1/2 x 6 1/4 x  5 3/4 inches.

Condition

Please note all items are "as-is where-is"

Measurement:  32 1/2 x 6 1/4 x  5 3/4 inches.

Terms and Conditions

1. All items are sold where is, as is.

2. Once payment is completed for item(s) won, the ability to schedule a pick-up time will become available. Scheduling a pick-up time is required.

3. There will be a $20 fee assessed per item not picked up at that time that will be collected prior to bidding again at our auctions. Unlike retail, we do not have the option to store your item. If the item is larger than a standard suitcase (22" x 14" x 10"), we will charge $50 to the card on file per item to move the item.

4. Please plan accordingly as items not picked up are considered "abandoned". Do not bid if you cant pick up this day.

5. You are responsible for ensuring you collect all items at pickup.

6. Legacy uses "Popcorn" or "Extended" bidding. This means if a bid comes in at the last second, it is extended 3 minutes. This is like a live auctioneer saying, "going once" to ensure all bids are exhausted prior to closing.

7. We charge a 12% flat buyers premium on all items.

8. We charge KY State Tax with the exception of vehicles which is collected at the DMV.

9. You must bring help to pickup any items. We can recommend movers upon request. Also, please bring tools for items that require disassembly.

10. Please read our complete terms and conditions for additional details.