Posted 9 years ago
Tim_Bond
(1 item)
I bought this trunk recently but I don't know much about it unfortunately. The leather handles are gone but overall it seems to be in great condition.
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This is what is called a "Round Top" trunk. Tin covered, of course. This is not a steamer trunk, as most people refer to any old trunk. There was only one trunk that was called a steamer. Steamer trunks were low profile and designed to slide easily into the berth of a steam ship. That's why they were called "Steamer trunks". I have a few posted here on CW.
Your trunk looks to be in pretty fair condition. It's quite typical for the leather handles to be dry rotted, and missing or broken, as well as the inside tray missing. The trays usually got discarded by a later owner. Rarely do I ever find one that has it's original handles from that period. Based on the style of lock and latches, this would be from the 1870's to probably the mid-1880's.
Hope this helps a little!
Scott
Your trunk is an American made, barrel stave top, metal covered travel trunk with a cross slat design. Barrel stave refers to the construction of the top, not the direction of the slats on the top. If you look at the inside you can see the staves that form the top in the same way a barrel is made. The cross slat design (slats going from front to back on the top) was patented in 1880, so your trunk is older than that. The slat clamps were also patented in 1880, and the latches in 1882. Overall I would put your trunk in the mid 1880's to mid 1890's.
Jim
hmsantiquetrunks.com
Thank you so much! This is actually my first Trunk acquisition. Do you know if it's a specific brand?
No, many (make that most) trunk makers made the same styles, and without a makers label there is no way to know who made it. Yours does not have a label.
Jim
hmsantiquetrunks.com