Circular thermoplastic junction box

Circular thermoplastic (Bakelite) junction box, domestic grade by B.I. Callenders . Bakelite (TM); brass; Circular Bakelite box, brown, knurled rim.

Part of the Bob Gray collection of electrical objects.

Junction boxes are used to join lengths of cable. This can be for the purpose of either extending or diverting multiple lengths of wire or creating switch drops. Multi-way junction boxes like this were typically used for lighting. The junction box is made of Bakelite, chosen for its insulation properties, lightness, and ease of moulding. Junction boxes are still used today and are generally made of moulded plastic. The easily unscrewable lid suggests that it may have been made for the burgeoning DIY marker of the 1950s.