Early Lancaster Lid

[Pete G.]

So I was looking over things last week and realized there is a hole in my collection around the time of 1780. Early Lancaster seems to fit the bill nicely, so after several days of pouring over the books, catalogs, etc. decided on something along the lines of RCA 66. The plain side hinged and domed lid is something a bit out of the ordinary and appealed to me. Although RCA shows all kinds of pictures from different angle, it still left questions on the patchbow or one like it. I assume the rear has a small piece soldered in the lid to sort of close off the dome, but I'm not totally sure of that, and I don't know if the lid lies flush against the stock of if there is a recess that it fits into. Anyone here have any insight into that ?

[Dave B]

Looking at the pictures of #66 in  my RCA  I  was not helpful. It would make sense to me to have a recess for the lid to stay below the level of the surface. The material is very thin and if it were only on the surface it would tend to get caught on things other wise. I would do this modification if I were to undertake this type of box lid.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

In Peter Alexander's book he shows the dome lid being made in a vice with a wooden mold.  Excess brass is left in the back and then bent down to close the back of the lidNot sure if this is what you were trying to figure out or not.

Coryjoe

[rich pierce]

For sure the lid is inlet.  The edge at the patchbox is likely formed not soldered as noted above.  Here's a Bucks County style example, but the lid is thick on this one.