The term “blackballed” refers to the act of “voting against or preventing a candidate of applicant”. But did you ever know where exactly this term came from?

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, private societies, including many golf clubs in the US and UK, had a wooden ballot box like the one offered in this auction. When voting on whether to accept a new candidate, members would place their hand in the ballot box and secretly drop the ball on either the “Yes” side or “No” side, there being a divider inside the box between the two sides.. At the end of the voting, the drawers would be opened to see whether the new candidate was accepted or whether he was “blackballed”.

This is a rare circa 1900 wooden ballot box that measures 9 1/4" tall, 7 5/8" wide, and 4 5/8" deep. Compartment slides out. Adorned with Y and N for Yes and No.