BALLOT/BLACKBALL BOX

Photo by David Friend Productions, San Diego, California

1880 PATENT MODEL - BALLOT BOXES American, patented April 20, 1880 by J. Welch of Delphos, Ohio, patent number 226,689. Made of mahogany and pine, 11 3/8" x 11 1/4" x 11", with a "chamber or enlargement upon its top, which is open upon one side to allow the voter to thrust his hand in, and which has an opening through its top, so that the voter can look down and select the ball..." The voter selects a black or white ball in the top chamber and drops it though a funnel at the back into a drawer below. The original United States Patent Office label is still attached. This attractive late 19th century patent model is in very good overall condition, except that it is missing the drawer that receives the balls (could easily be made by an experienced wood worker from the patent drawings on the label). Balloting using black and white balls with a ballot box like this is the origin of the term "black balling."

Price..........$950