Object Record
Images
Additional Images [11]
Metadata
Object Name |
Box |
Donor |
Thomsen, Mary Lou |
Description |
A wooden puzzle box with puzzle-type lid. The box is rectangular and is made of dark wood that has a slightly reddish varnish. The lid is not moveable when both short ends of box have a pieces of wood in place. The small, rectangular pieces of wood appear to lock the lid into place when resting in a grooved slot. The top of the box has two decorative pieces of wood forming a disjointed letter "H." The top of lid is in two pieces with an angled cut diagonally cut down the middle. The bottom has been nailed to sides of the box with metal nails. |
Dimensions |
H-3.5 W-3 L-10 inches |
Owned By |
Thomsen, Niels Christian |
Used By |
Thomsen, Niels Christian |
Material |
Wood/metal |
Associated People |
Thomsen, Niels Christian Thomsen, Mary Lou |
Search Terms |
Thomsen, Niels Christian Thomsen, Mary Lou cooper coopering woodworking shaving grooming |
Given In Memory Of |
In Memory of Niels Christian Thomsen |
Provenance |
This object belonged to the donor's husband, Niels Christian Thomsen. The box held several grooming and shaving supplies. -------------------------------------------- Niels Christian Thomsen is the late husband of the donor. Niels Christian Thomsen's father, Christian Thomsen, was a cooper in Denmark. Niels Christian Thomsen's grandfather, Thomas Thomsen, was also a cooper. Niels Christian Thomsen was born on December 5, 1932 in Bramming, Denmark. His parents were Christian Thomsen and Bartholine (Nee Johansen) Thomsen. Niels learned coopering at a young age from his father, who made barrels to ship butter to England. In his teen years, Niels attended night school to learn the technical aspects of barrel making. Visits from his Uncle Laurits Thomsen (Lawrence Thompson) encouraged him to come to the United States. Speaking very little English, he boarded a ship in 1951 that brought him to New York City. He then took a Greyhound to Crookston, Minnesota, where Charles and Myrtle Reppein, a Danish family, had invited him to stay. Niels worked for Mr. Reppein and his business associate at Crookston Cold Storage, learning the butchering trade and English. In March 1954, Niels was drafted into the United States army and was awarded citizenship. While in the army, Niels requested he be transferred to Germany, so that he could visit Denmark on leaves, but the request was not granted. By the end of his training, the Korean War had also ended, and Niels spent six years in the reserves before being receiving an Honorable Discharge on 23 March 1961. After his discharge, Niels traveled on the S.S. United States to Denmark to visit his parents. Upon his return to the United States, Niels settled in Jackson, Minnesota. His uncle, a carpenter, owned Jackson Mill works and helped Niels secure employment as a bricklayer. He made a career of this for 36 years. His career took him to Florida, Minnesota, Iowa, Colorado and California. In the 1970s, Niels brought his cooper tools to America after the death of his parents. He took up coopering as a hobby, recreating barrels, churns, buckets and smaller items. On 14 December 1957, Niels married Mary Lou Starr. Niels and Mary Lou had two children, a stepson and a daughter. Niels passed away on 2 February 1994. |
Date Received by Museum |
07/02/2002 |
Images |
164\2002070099.JPG |
Collection |
Niels Christian Thomsen Collection |
Accession number |
2002.070 |
Object Identification Number |
2002.070.099 |