Posted 10 years ago
trunkington
(2 items)
Don't know if these pics shed more light on the trunk. Its turning out to be a bit of a mystery I havent seen a trunk with 6 slats on top n front on the internet? Its my 1st trunk so dont know. Ive learned more here than the internet so really thankful for this site...
Its a shame the tins so far gone with the patterning it looks quite cool.
What part of the trunk is the first two pictures of? Also looks like lithographed tin on this trunk -- which would be highly unusual unless someone meticulously hand-pained all those stars -- which I doubt... so highly unusual...The handles look hand forged...
Their the inside of the side panels u can see the handle split pins. I thort it was unusual that on one side the top two holes are bigger than the rest? I even thort It could of been made by someone in education as a project? The full trunk is inconsistent really but just adds to its character. The stars made me think u.s? Is the sack material hinge a normal feature? Il have to craft some lid stops so it only opens so far. There is reminents of lid stop material but not even sure if it ever had any in the first place?
I've seen that type of handle and hinge set up on French trunks . That particular embossed tin pattern I have not seen before. I'm thinking some French Mallettier trying to copy an American cross slat trunk.This would only be using the S.W.A.G. principle.( Scientific Wild Ass Guessing.) Thanks for the pictures,maybe we should just call this one unique.
Thanx drill its turning out to be quite an interesting trunk n to say I just found it left out in the rain. It is in a bad way so was going to restore it. In your experience do u think that a hammered effect paint on embossed tin would create a nice effect?
Everyone honors them different ,The term restore is to bring to original ,to do otherwise is to refinish.Keep in mind I'm nuts and love challenges.I'm good with an Artists brush, I count four maybe five colors.To restore I would put them all back to as close to original as possible.I would patch the bad metal and carry the painted pattern blending it through the patch. I would do Hammered Black on the black metal. I would polish all the Brass including the Slat rivets. Sand and stain the slats.
Sand and stain the interior. When I was all done I would clear coat the whole thing with a quality varnish or shellac. That's just me. You could refinish with hammered paint. Always practice on scrap metal to get the effect your looking for before going
for it.It all depends on the time, money and effort that we wish to put into a peice and knowing our skill limitations. Much luck!
It would be nice to restore the pattern but I thort a hammered paint or just an antique look paint, my minds awash with ideas. Il be sanding n staining the slats to match the colour n style of the paint... ive been looking at the trunks you've worked on n you've done some nice work. im unable to do much to my trunk at the moment but that just gives me time to decide how im going to approach this. For now its a cool feature in the livingroom I live in a 1890s house so just blends in. Il check yours and others trunks for inspiration n ask on here before I do anything im competent enough to refinish my trunk but u guys got the knowledge.