Box, laundry

Name/Title

Box, laundry

Entry/Object ID

2024.2.1a-b

Description

A brown cloth-covered cardboard box with leather straps a=the bottom b=the lid

Use

Used to send laundry from perhaps a college student to his or her home to be washed or to and from someone who does laundry for people.

Context

"Back to school supplies included laundry mailing boxes for many college-bound students in the early twentieth century. The reusable mailing containers provided a convenient way to deal with a time-consuming cleaning job. Using the mail also saved on cost because shipping grubby clothes home to mother could be cheaper than a professional cleaner. From the 1910s into the 1960s, mailing laundry was an attractive option for anyone without the time, means, or resources to do the chore themselves. It suited undergraduates, summer campers, military personnel, and others." Source: https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/laundry-box

Acquisition

Accession

2024.2

Source or Donor

VHS Library, Vermont Historical Society

Acquisition Method

Found in Collection

Dimensions

Height

6 in

Width

10 in

Length

17 in

Material

Cardboard, Canvas

Relationships

Related Places

Place

City

Barre City

County

Washington County

State/Province

Vermont

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America