H68.211.132

• california gold rush

Wall box. Description: two holes for hanging; one partition in compartment; pine, round nail construction and made from wood labeled on back "Quong---Penryn," Newcastle Penryn Chinese. Wall-mounted wooden flatware holder with two compartments. Made from pieces of an old crate marked "Quong Penryn,"which means the crate was originally used by a Chinese grocer or wholesaler in Penryn, a gold rush town. Contains two steel knives with pale bone handles, and five steel forks with wooden handles. From the History Information Station: This homemade holder kept everyday flatwaare near to the stove and table where it was used. Pioneers often made such household utensils out of scavenged or reused materials.

Used: Chinese ~ Newcastle