Found in 1820 barn of old stagecoach stop. What is it?

[ctalmadg]

From owner..

"Help me identify this! It is hanging in my 1840 barn. The homestead was a stagecoach stop.
It has a top that opens and locks.
The inside is a mere 6 inch cavity.
It 7 ft long by 5 ft wide. The hinged top opens and has poles that keep it open
Poles on side pivots out. New York is engraved or written on inside wood member.
it has false floor on inside on ends!

 

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[ToastedWheatie]

It looks like that top extends up the full 7 feet?
Maybe a traveling stage? Like those used for snake oil salesmen?
Picture it in the back of a buckboard wagon, with curtains hung after its raised.
Maybe a portable darkroom?

 

[ARC]

Or stage backdrop.

 

[Bruce R]

There appears to be tags on it, knowing what is on the tags might help. Also seeing it opened up and from all angles would help.

 

[Reanm8er]

Nice find!

 

[RTR]

1820 "stagecoach stop" ?... I'd hit that area Heavy ...till the cows came home

 

[bradyboy]

not sure your clear what your asking, I assume its the steel bar with lever?
to me, it seems obvious its a way to secure, lock the door.
the short handle would swivel to lock?
Sorry, its my mechanical back ground
brady

 

[firemanphob]

Brady, I think he is talking about the whole apparatus. I think the lever your talking about is a post which rotates up to hold the top up. probably one on each side. wish we could see some more angles and views.

 

[releventchair]

Need much more in the way of pics...

An artist's easel?

 

[Doubter in MD]

It looks like it's still attached to the ceiling. To paraphrase Larry the cable guy, Gitter down!".

 

[huntsman53]

I was thinking a hinged, locking crate to ship window glass in via the Stagecoach. However, I do believe that some Stagecoaches had something similar attached to the rear to accommodate extra luggage. If that is what it is, then it is missing the canvas.

 

[Reanm8er]

I like what mike said! Kinda like the landau irons on an old time ragtop car. Maybe some sort of a sun shield to try and keep the coach cooler? Or maybe an enclosure to turn a freight wagon into a hearse?

 

[Reanm8er]

I expect a cottage industry developed during the Civil War of transporting bodies from the train stations.
I you couldn't afford the services of a mortuary a more economical service might have been available.
This might have been an accessory for that purpose and also might have been useful for other purposes.

 

[bowwinkles]

A stage coach like horse drawn work van that had a means to raising the top so a person on the inside could stand up and work or sell. The term used then was "Chuck Wagon".

 

[Bruce R]

I was thinking maybe something to do with blueprints, or maps.

 

[Gare]

Might be some kind of BRAKE LEVER