Nice case - sunny1az !!!
I have the 4-section version of this myself, but in solid Mahogany (Heavy Beast) w/ 12 levers: Used it in my Cigar Shop in Calif, but only to display Cutters, Cases, Lighters etc.
(These do not humidify well by modern standards...originally they used Tin-buckets of water in the lower portion of the cases, as was the norm for humidifcation back in the 20-30's.)
I kept mine when I sold my shop last fall, and am going to use it to showcase my tobacciana-collectables at home once the remodel is done...I just couldn't part with mine either!
As for the company that made these, and held the patents on them, all I could find was: Loudon Manufacturing Co., Grand Rapids (1920-1927)
I've seen one other quarter-sawn oak version in Texas, about the same size as yours, and they were asking $2,700 for it...I would have bought it, but it didn't match the Mohagany of mine.
I had mine appraised by an collector of antique tobacciana in Northern Calif (His family has been in the tobacco business for well over 100 years....
I'm jealous of his collection), and
he seemed to think that in a 'fair economy', my 9.5ft case sould be worth about $8,500-$10,500 - No telling what either of our cases are worth in this economy!
Valuations are always about the buyer, and the buyer's interest...I had alot of interest in mine when I had a Cigar Shop, but probably would not pay the same price for it now just for using
in my own home. Fair guess in my estimate for your case: $600-$800 if I was buying an antique for my home - $1,000-$1,200 if I was trying to bring some nostalgia to my shop!
I'll upload some pics of mine if I can figure out how to do this...(The Pics are from the antique shop in Columbus Ohio where I bought it from in 2010.)
Otherwise, here's a link to them:
https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=3b528...94FC6993%21497
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