Dunsel Box

Synonyms:
See also:	Ermine Violin
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A Dunsel Box was an item that was auctioned off to raise money to contribute to The Star Trek Fan Fund.

"Dunsel" is a is a word from Star Trek:TOS canon used by midshipmen in the 23rd century to describe a part which serves no useful purpose.

The first Dunsel Box was sold to the highest bidder via Halkan Council. The Dunsel Box contained a miscellaneous collection of items such as film clips, buttons, zines, and other small goodies. A fan was supposed to bid on the box without knowing what was in it.

The program book for 1976 SeKWester*Con mentions that the charity auction "may even have another Dunsel Box, and there are ever goodies in there!"

One use of the term by fans is the column by Sharon Ferraro called Notes from Captain Dunsel in the print zine Menagerie.