Hoechst Mystery Barrel
Can You Identify It?
ColorantsHistory.Org
A resident of Enschede, in the region Twente, the Netherlands, has asked for help to identify the origin and contents of a wooden
barrel bearing Hoechst marks and numbers.   The barrel was obtained many years ago from a textile factory.   From the start of the
18th century until about the 1960s, the Twente region was known for its booming textile industry.

Three photos are displayed below showing the barrel, its lid, and the interior.  The barrel is stenciled with lot number F556247/37 and
the lid is stenciled with F556247/39.   The numbers 37 and 39 are probably barrel numbers from packaging the batch of product.  
Does the lot number reveal the year of manufacture, the location, and the identity of the product  to anyone familiar with the Hoechst
lot numbering methodology?

The name " Venlo ", a city in Limburg the Netherlands , is stenciled on the lid.  Did Hoechst manufacture dyestuffs or chemicals in
Venlo or could Venlo be the city the shipment of barrels was consigned to?

The barrel is very well made and has a wood veneer interior that appears to be lacquered.   Did the barrel hold a powdered product
like a dyestuff or perhaps a liquid or paste-like chemical used to process textiles or leather?  These types of chemicals are known
as auxiliaries or dyeing assistants.

If you have knowledge about the mystery barrel from Hoechst, please contact ColorantsHistory.Org by clicking the link below the
photos.  Any help would be very appreciated.
Photos of Vintage Wooden Barrel and Lid with Hoechst Logo
Obtained from a Textile Factory in the Netherlands
Do You Have Information About the Origin and Contents of the Hoechst Barrel?   
Please contact ColorantsHistory.Org by clicking here.
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