Woodruff’s File Holder - From the 1800’s. In great shape and functional.

Description

Own a piece of history.
This piece is quite the find. It’s a true antique from the late 1800’s. Woodruff File Holders were used primarily by the U.S. Government to store archived papers. The file is made of oak and pinewood with brass hardware. The file was a part of a large wooden filing cabinet and can be seen displayed in the Smithsonian Museum. There is a paper label slot on the front which would have described the papers contained within. The front of the file has the label holder and a brass pull knob, photo included. The file shows some scruff marks, but is in fantastic shape.
The backside of the file has a collapsible wooden panel used to hold the papers in place and a slide along the bottom. The label is in great condition (for its age) with titled “Woodruff’s Improved File Holder” and patent dates up to October 1, 1889. The label has all the instruction on how to use the file holder. My research shows that Woodruff's File-Holder was patented in 1868 and advertised in 1876. Woodruff's Improved File-Holder was patented in 1884-89 and advertised in 1887-99. The original and improved file-holders were similar in appearance.
The file measures 4 3/4" wide x 13" deep x 10 3/4" high. Comes complete with 100 year old dust. 😜