Circa 1903-1904 - The earliest non-set box that we've been able to locate is the above box that came with a 2nd Series No. 25 in it from 1903

Above is a tin blue No. 3 Circa 1906 with it's original box.

This car is 1912, same box as previous examples. Below is boxed floor train with same label type.

Circa 1918-1923 - These are all boat boxes, but make these boxes easy to date, not much has changed in 20 years. Below is a boat box from 1925 or 1926

These are all individual boxes (Separate Sale) for Wide Gauge freight cars sold in the 1920s. Note that the progression of these boxes is much like the set boxes with the 'Cloud Boxes' being earlier from 1921 to 1923. Below - these boxes have similar construction to the cloud boxes, but are plain cardboard, also from 1921-23.

Here's a complete set that was mailed out in Individual boxes. The box on the right is for a 3242 and the box on the left is the track.

Circa 1925-26 track boxes.

Box for 193 freight car.

Circa 1924 - Two boxed No. 330 semaphores made for Wanamakers.

Circa 1924 - 1927 - No. labels, boxes are now printed. 

Circa 1929 - 1930 - The scenic boxes above were used for the contents of almost all 0 gauge sets and most of the Wide gauge sets.

1929 piece box for 192 Circus Car. Note this one has the "C" added after the fact with a blue crayon. The blue crayon markings can be found on some boxes during the 1929-1930 period and is totally original.

This is a 1930 box for the 0 gauge 1122 which came in red only in the Black Diamond Set.

Circa 1928-30 - this is the box and inside liner that a 3242 came in during those years - if it looks familiar these are very similar to Lionel packaging during this period.

Circa 1930, Normally these type of boxes contained accessories, but the three boxes above contained the 1930 Olympian passenger cars.

The two boxes above are for wide gauge freight cars, the one on the left is labeled "THE IVES CORP" after the Lionel / Flyer buyout. The example to the right is labeled "THE IVES MFG. CORP" the name they used prior to the bankruptcy.

Circa 1931-1932 - Boxes for 1864 and 1865 semaphores, which were actually just Lionel numbers for the earlier IVES No. 300. Note that the old number on the box was whited out and re-stamped.

Circa 1931 - box for 610 passenger car.

Circa 1931 - 1932 - If this was Lionel you'd call this a master cartoon, No. 1770E, tender and Rheostat came in this box. 

Cataloged in 1931 only as the 1887 transformer, this box is actually a pre-1928 box for a 203 transformer with just a label with the new number covering the old number.

Total Lionel influence on this box for a No. 341 Wide Gauge observation in Peacock Blue.

We're not sure what was shipped in this box, but we do know that it was shipped after the sale to American Flyer and Lionel during the summer of 1928, most likely it was shipped after 1930. Ironically it was probably shipped from Lionel in NJ to the DM READ CO in Bridgeport Conn.  The picture below shows a box for a No. 100 wide gauge tunnel. Note the shipping contents label to the right - it also lists the D M READ CO.