Posted 10 years ago
alanat
(1 item)
I bought this trunk from someone who had started refinishing it... She had painted it pink and stripped the inside of it. I have started stripping the paint off of it in an attempt to restore it to something closer to its original state. I have been told so far that it is from 1880-1920s and is a Sears or Ward mass-produced zinc trunk. I am hoping for more info on where it came from and if that is the correct time frame. I'm hoping to replace the hardware on the front that is missing with a replica of the original hardware, so if anyone has any info for me I'd sure appreciate it! Don't currently have measurements on it, but can do that tonight if needed.
This trunk appears to be an embossed zinc covered(probably slightly before 1880 give or take a little).It has one of the many cross thatch patterns in the embossing.
If it is non magnetic that portion would be zinc . It is a Barrel(stave) top trunk. It has Heavy cast hardware There may be Patent dates stamped in take a good peak .It also has embossed binding(Diamond pattern) The latches are missing as well as a broken lock. These can be replaced. A good source for hardware Bretons Trunk.com, Or this Old Trunk .com may be able to aide in finding hardware. A wonderful trunk worth saving. welcome to the site and good luck.
If this trunk is zinc a good rubbing with fine steel wool will help shine it up. A wire brush on a power drill can be used to bring out the shine if the hardware. Chemical paint stripper takes off the paint easily. I tend to gun oil the rusty black parts as opposed to repainting -- just like the older look. Good luck and welcome to Collectors Weekly... post results please...
T-man I really wish the pictures were a little better,this could be embossed tin as opposed to Zinc.,can't tell if it is rust or surface dirt on the silver colored surface.Thus the Magnet test.I wonder if the interior has any lithographs?If so please post we love to see them.
Hello. Your trunk was made by Romadka Brothers Trunk & Bag Co. out of Milwaukee WI. They had very unique hardware and they are one of the few makers who had hardware and patents that they only used on their trunks. The silver metal (which by the way is not pure Zinc, but plated) has a pattern that was patented by AV Romadka on Nov. 9 1875, patent # 8784. The latches were also patented by AV Romadka on Dec. 23 1873, patent # 145817. You probably won't have any luck finding those latches as they are not that common and like most latches, are not reproduced. Your lock was a Nickel plated, solid brass lock. During that time period they could only plate Nickel on brass and this type of plated hardware was usually found only on more expensive trunks due to its cost. You may find a lock, but again it will most likely not be Nickel plated. I may be able to help you out with some latches and a lock, and I can be contacted through my website at hmsantiquetrunks.com. (Brettun's and This Old Trunk are not the only ones with parts) Your trunk was probably made around the mid 1880's. Great Romadka hardware (slat clamps) on a very nice trunk.
Jim
hmsantiquetrunks.com
Thanks everyone for the great info!! I will post better pictures as things progress, really wanted to find new latches and lock and I now have some good info on where to find those. I bought this trunk this summer at a garage sale for $30. The person I bought it from had painted it, stripped the inside, and as you can see where the bottom part of the lock should be, there's a piece of tin/zinc over top of it... Well, I finally figured out why. She had taken a piece of tin off the back and used it to cover where the lock on the front had been... You can see in the picture where there are "new" unmatching screws... Real bummer but I am going to take that piece back off and return it to the back of the trunk where it belongs so there isn't a hole. She also screwed 2x4 boards to it in all sorts of weird places on the inside and bottom, so I assume it was not very sturdy when she got it, so I am trying to come up with a remedy for that. I did see where someone else had lined their trunk with cedar, so I am considering doing that.
So far I have been using paint stripper, fine steel wool and a wire brush. On the silver parts on the top, they partially look rusted because I need to go over them with another coat of stripper (still some lingering pink paint), but there is some discoloration in the tin/zinc as well, as you can see on the front left of the trunk. I'm not sure how to go about fixing that part. My grandma collects old trunks, so I am very excited to have one of my own, especially one that I am refinished myself!
This trunk looks great and will look even better when you're finished cleaning it up. Can't wait to see the post of your finished product!!