Posted 9 years ago
Benroeletsgo
(1 item)
I bought this in a region of Wisconsin heavy in Polish, Norwegian, and Prussian German ancestry with less of French/Canadian and Irish. On the exterior are what appear to be thin leather geometrically embossed panels. The two outer clasps have a number 4 on the inside a spade like shape. The interior (I can't tell if it's been redone in part) is white wallpaper with grayish floral swirl pattern. inside the lid where I'm assuming used to be a documents and valuables pocket is very elaborate blue red and yellow patterns consisting of geometric shapes and flowers with gold leafing in spots. I would like to know it's origin, manufacturer and how to begin the restoration of this beast. She's pretty, but needs a lot of work!
Someone took this wonderful leather covered trunk and spray painted it with that silver paint -- ouch! Good news -- I had the same problem and I was able to remove the paint off the of the leather with chemical paint stripper. (Although it was not silver) other option of course is to ditch the leather all together and go for the nice wood look -- and taking leather off a trunk is easy work. The number four on the latch was the size -- they go up to 5 -- never seen a six... The tin under the paint is nice and can be repainted.. I suspect the trunk was made around 1890 or so -- nice quality trunk for its day and a grat restoration project because ---- IT WILL LOOK SO NICE WHEN DONE -- take my word on that..
ps. This is most probably North American made as the interior is typical of the time with colorful lithographs and designs. There were so many companies making trunks at the time that without a label or a maker's mark of some type it will be hard to know who made it.