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Antique mystery trunk anyone know anything about it?

In Furniture > Trunks > Show & Tell.
Trunks1321 of 2705Russian trunkVery Ornate Trunk WC Farel Buffalo New York Patented March 1, 1887
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    Posted 9 years ago

    moviefreaq
    (1 item)

    My family has had this trunk since before I was born, and now we're trying to find out anything we can about it. we know it came from Paris (France, not Texas) due to the nameplate and it has an address and name on the plate; But without knowing the age or anything else about the trunk trying to find any info about it's manufacture is difficult to say the least.

    As you can see in the pictures the company that manufactured the trunk and it's address are:

    Malles Et Marmottes
    LENOIR
    2.Rue Du Bouloi.2
    Paris

    Malles Et Marmottes translates to Trunks and Travelers
    Lenoir is a name
    and the rest is the address in paris (still a valid address)

    in addition to that there are two other logos one on the latch hinges (pictured) and the other on each of the Brass pieces that connected the lid to the trunk base (the metal parts bolted to the wood pieces) on the front side of the trunk.

    the one on the hinge has DEPOSE on the Top and a small logo on the bottom part that reads D.FES (with the ES underlined and slightly smaller) a tiny icon under it and DEPOSE written again under that.

    On the "wood bolted" metal pieces there is a different logo (Not pictured) with the letters H B on the top a banner like icon below it and BREVETES S.G.D.G. on the bottom.

    any information that anyone can give about this trunk (age, where it's been, what it was used for, what kind of trunk it is, etc...) would be greatly appreciated.

    Feel free to ask any questions, and thank you for any help.

    Unsolved Mystery

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    Comments

    1. moviefreaq, 9 years ago
      Forgot to mention that there are metal "brackets" inside the trunk to allow one divider/ shelf to fit inside and it has little nubs on each of the corners on the sides with the handles, presumably, to let you stand the trunk up on it's side. it also has the letters A.C. stenciled into the side.
    2. antiquerose antiquerose, 9 years ago
      Sweet Trunk!! I know nothing about it but yours has lots of Super Info with it. all I can say it reminds me a bit of the one I have as the tops are ? KINDA ? the same

      http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/119721-old-trunk--green-and-brass
    3. moviefreaq, 9 years ago
      Definitely a similar build. The green and gold go well together
    4. trunkman trunkman, 9 years ago
      Lovely trunk circa 1910 -20's. I actually have a trunk with the exact same hardware and markings. I know there are a couple of contributers who know this info better than I -- so hopefully they can correct me if I err. The Brevettes SGDG is a patent mark that manufacturers needed to put on pieces to show it was French made -- but the H.B. I believe would be the makers initials. The hardware however may not be from the same makers as the trunk itself. I believe Depose is another patent mark on the lock. I do not believe either is a manufacturers name. The symbol on the lock in the middle may be a makers mark but I haven't been able to identify it. It is rare to find a sellers label on a trunk so that's a nice bonus. Hopefully someone can identify the latch and perhaps the maker through that or the H.B. initials. Nice quality French made trunk....
    5. moviefreaq, 9 years ago
      Thanks for the info. I thought the H.B. was initials but had no idea about the Brevetes being a patent mark. If anyone wants/ needs to see the other logo let me know and I will find a way to post it (or a link to it). I am still very interested in the LENOIR company/ person who made the trunk, so hopefully someone will be able to provide some insight into that.

      Thanks again for your help.
    6. trunkman trunkman, 9 years ago
      I would suspect that the Lenior tag was a small shop selling trunks and bags at the time but they may not have actually made the trunk. Curious to find out... let us know if you find any more info on the matter.
    7. Drill Drill, 9 years ago
      http://www.la-malle-en-coin.com/images/stories/illustrationhistoire/mallemanu/manufrance%201912%20pages%20537.JPG

      http://www.la-malle-en-coin.com/images/stories/illustrationhistoire/mallemanu/manufrance%202.JPG

      Here are two advertisements of similar trunks from la-mallle-en-coins web site.
      if you search on that site /trunks for sale /curved trunks you will find a wide range assortment of this style of French trunk(both restored and unrestored).The site can be translated to english.I did Some searching for terminology and found references to. The Malle et Marmottes trunk and suitcase- Safe trader in Jewelry,shopping suitcases, called at the time trade traveler-Termed "Marmots "or for professional use.
      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Paris_-_Boulevard_Richard-Lenoir_-_Plaque.jpg/800px-Paris_-_Boulevard_Richard-Lenoir_-_Plaque.jpg
      I searched for the" Lenoir" name in manufacturing- The name Richard Lenoir -(Dufresne-his partner who swore to keep the names of both men joined on Lenoir's deathbed ) Were wealthy manufactures of cotton spinning in 1799. In France names are carried down from generation to generation in manufacturing,even when the items change. Maybe this trunks name was a way to keep alive the Lenoir name?There is more info on Wikipedia, much luck and thanks for the post.
    8. moviefreaq, 9 years ago
      Thanks for the info. the bottom left trunk in the second link looks especially like the one we have. Thanks for the new sight to look into, it's a good new lead.

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