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Hello,
The only supplier of wooden store boxes for insect specimens I know of is Watkins & Doncaster. Their boxes are quite costly at ?30-40 each. Does anyone know of alternative suppliers of WOODEN (not plastic) boxes, or does anyone have any used ones that they want to sell?

I need about five, and cannot really afford the ?170 - ?200 these would cost from W&D.

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Nigel

I have three suggestions, all of which involve a bit of time on your part.

1. Do you know anyone who enjoys cabinet making as a hobby who you could present with your specification and get them to make you up boxes at little more than cost? It is the sort of thing my father would have done for me in the days when I lived a few blocks away from him.

2. Is there a workshop for the disabled near you? These are becoming fewer and fewer, but they will often teach their clients woodworking skills and sell the end product at very reasonable prices.

3. Trawl the antique shops, or more to the point, the shops purporting to be antique shops, where you can often pick up plain wooden boxes that have previously housed not only entomology collections, but cutlery, photograpic slides, all sorts of things. Also don't discount metal boxes - these sorts of shops may also have more modern aluminium or powder coated steel boxes which should be fine for your purpose. Trendy stationers cum lifestyle storage shops (eg Paperchase) may also have metal boxes. The only disadvantage of this approach is that it pot luck what turns up and involves checking the shops regularly until you eventually get what you want.

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Natursk?pet is a small swedish manufactor making wooden cabinets for collectors, but it'll probably cost you too much to have it sent to England. No prices at that page, but you got the email address at the bottom of the page.

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The prices at Vermandel in the Netherlands seem to be lower, but i don't know about the shipping costs.
I've seen more beautiful ones with harder wood but I have no complaints about V's boxes as they close well.

Check
http://www.vermandel.com/index.php?cat=1&sub=&item=45.002

Louis

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Nigel

A friend came round yesterday, bringing a Sachertorte from Vienna, very smartly packaged in a nicely made, lightweight wooden box. I don't know what calorific value would be involved in housing your collection though :p

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A Canadian supplier Is
http://www.quebec...glish.html
Although transport costs might be high his prices are low and the quality is excellent. Varnished wooden storage boxes (Schmitt Box), 18"x12"x3" is $20.90 Canadian.This is significantly less than 10 pound Sterling.

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try P. Jefferys, 37 Trafalgar Ave. Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7DJ

his boxes are heavier than W&D ones but very well made. they have always been on sale at AES expo if you can wait that long. ?25.50 last time i bought one.

if you are happy with old museum castoffs there are some for sale from BENHS. also try OUM.

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David & Tony,
Many thanks for your suggestions. I will follow these up. I did manage to get some used boxes from W&D at ?15 each. I will undoubtedly need more boxes next year though!:D