Posted 8 years ago
TurdFerguson
(19 items)
"Lucy" arrived today! Hope Trunkman can comment- Listing text read-- German All Wood Dovetailed Steamer Trunk With Lock, Key and Provenance This world traveler was left in the 1880 Victorian home my mother purchased in 1952. The trunk retains a wonderful original wood finish featuring dovetail joinery, hammered iron latch, lock with key and cut nails. From writings and other papers left by the family we determined it was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Schweizer who came from Germany in the 1800s to eventually settle in Stockbridge, Massachusetts and was later passed on to his granddaughter, Lucy. Lucy left her personal note of provenance on the underside of the lid, "Lucy Schweizer: My Grandmother's trunk Brought From Germany Many Years Ago." We have left the paper coverings intact on this trunk, outside and within. Additionally, we are including Lucy's original copy of an "In Memoriam" written in March, 1920 with the passing of Edward B. Schweizer as seen in the photographs. Dimensions are: 33" x 16" x 14 1/2" and weight of the trunk only is approximately 25 pounds.
Appears to be hand made dovetail joints. Nice piece.
I think so too- they are different sizes ans widths- Would like to kind of wood this is also. It has paper and cardboard as well as looks like tar paper on the bottom- trying to waterproof possibly? I am in the process of removing the cardboard today to actually see what the top and bottom look like. Would like to possibly get a key for the original lock which is still on, under the exterior locking hasp
I just pulled the cardboard and stuff off it and I think it is made of cedar- actually had the name 'Lucy" on the back piece of the cardboard that I took off! Also found the initials JHMD on the top of the trunk and some other script word I could not make out- I think it is from England- doing some research on the family the girls "Lucy" granddad was German but I found on line he married a woman from England- which would still make it her Grandmothers chest. Will be fun to try and get more background on it. I think the cardboard was added much later as the top has it shares of bumps gouges and scrapes. A few taps with a hammer closed up the open dovetailed joint on one side. I got more photos I will try and post later.
I would put this in the class of chests, not a travel trunk. This was for the home. A trunk like this would never stand up to the rigors of traveling. (or the baggage smashers) Also, a travel trunk would generally not have dovetail joints, while a chest would.
Hope this helps,
Jim
hmsantiquetrunks.com
Yes Jim I agree I call it a chest also- the verbiage I posted was from the sellers listing. What is your guess to type of wood? It was wrapped in tar paper to possibly make more waterproof for travel? If you look under the "H" on the top you see the big hole with nothing in it-it has about 18 of those on the top-trying to figure out why? Makes me ask if the top could have been re-purposed wood? The holes are too close to the edge and the lid basically overhangs the piece underneath so no way these holes were connected to anything on this chest, ???
Hard to know why those were put there, but I don't believe it came that way. Clearly someone has done things to the chest. The nails between the dovetails were added by someone to tighten it up, the screws on the hinges should be nails, and who knows why they covered it with paper/cardboard. People do strange things. I have one trunk that had the whole interior covered in hard plastic with about 200 staples and nails. ?????? Also, the paper underneath was a very nice original plaid lining. Some interior photos might help,
Jim
hmsantiquetrunks.com