Post Office Lockbox Bank (unauthenticated)

This decorative wooden bank features repurposed architectural hardware, specifically an antique-style brass post office lockbox door and a top drop-plate. The item is constructed from a solid block of wood with a visible light-brown grain finish, measuring roughly in the range of a small desk accessory. The front door is cast brass or a similar alloy with a dark, antiqued patina and is hinged to open outward, revealing an internal cavity containing paper items. The door is equipped with two circular combination dials, with the left dial marked with letters around the perimeter including A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, and the right dial marked with letters such as R, S, T, U, V, W. A central embossed eagle emblem appears above a glazed window displaying the numbers "1897", which matches the unverified user-supplied context of "Serial #1397" and notes referencing original U.S. post office box doors. At the top of the wooden housing, a metal plate is screwed down, bearing raised text that appears to read "CREATED FROM ORIGINAL POST OFFICE LOCKBOXES". The craftsmanship combines vintage industrial salvage elements with modern woodworking. The overall condition appears clean with minor surface wear consistent with handcrafted or repurposed decor items. The identification of this piece rests upon the visible text plates and the physical hardware components, while the user-supplied attribution and exact dating remain unverified.

Based on the provided images, I have examined this decorative wooden bank featuring repurposed architectural hardware. Per user submission, the item is noted to have Serial #1397 and is attributed as being constructed from a vintage U.S. post office box door. The piece incorporates a brass-toned door with dual combination dials and a glass window displaying numbers, mounted in a solid wood block. A metal plate on top indicates it was created from vintage lockboxes. Items of this type, which combine vintage industrial salvage elements with modern woodworking to create novelty coin banks, generally appeal to collectors of postal memorabilia and decorative woodcrafts. The market for such items is relatively stable, with comparable repurposed postal banks typically selling in the $40 to $70 range depending on the intricacy of the door and the quality of the wood housing. The overall condition appears clean with minor surface wear. However, I cannot physically inspect the hardware to assess the age of the brass components or the internal combination mechanism. An in-person examination would be required to assess the age and origin of the metal door. This estimate assumes the metal components are vintage repurposed parts as the top plate suggests. If the hardware is a modern reproduction rather than salvaged vintage parts, the value would likely be lower, functioning purely as a contemporary craft piece.