Posted 7 years ago
sbrandau
(2 items)
Hey all I just bought this trunk from an estate sale!!! I know nothing about it....I performed a computer search on the name Geo. Soule and found he was a Lt. Col in the Confederate Army. Do you think this trunk is old enough? And can anyone tell me ANYTHING about it. The leather handle reads: J. Cummings & Sons Boston Sample trunk. Any help is appreciated!
This can get interesting with all our trunk & history buffs on CW.
I hope so!!!!!!
Although I am not a trunk expert I would say it is old enough and then maybe some. Trunks from the days when trunks were popular (turn of the century) tend to be banded. Looks like a trunk as opposed to a chest.
A real trunk expert should be here soon.
Thank you! I have no idea where to take it to get more information . I'm grateful for any help! Thanks
Very beautiful sole leather trunk maybe 1860 - 1870. Crouch and Fitzgerald made similar trunks of this style. Re-conditioning the leather is always a good idea as it helps preserve it. There are a few others here who can give you tips on how to do that - generally a good saddle soap cleaning and then a moisturizer such as mink oil but it will darken the leather somewhat. Perhaps another member could verify cleaning approach. No label on it anywhere?
Sorry missed the info you gave...not familiar with maker.
T-Mon, ck on their profile & you can go to the orig. posting.
Sbrandau, I'll give you a hectare of land, 6 goats & 3 copper bracelets for it. LOL !
blunderbuss2..........lol
OK ! I'll throw in a 3 legged water buffalo. (Bloody butterfly mines!)
The maker of your trunk is Josiah Cummings out of Boston. I have an 1860 catalog (the earliest catalog I have seen to date). Go here for some great information on Cummings,
https://books.google.com/books?id=pJxAAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA263&dq=Josiah+Cummings+trunk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjvsr2r95rVAhUqj1QKHb2iDc4Q6AEINTAE#v=onepage&q=Josiah%20Cummings%20trunk&f=false
Your trunk is a Sole Leather trunk, and is from the early 1870's. Would love to see photos of the inside. Pretty much all trunk makers produced these trunks, and they were at the top of the heap, price-wise. The name on the end is that of (most likely) the original purchaser of the trunk. Trunk sellers would paint what you wanted (usually for free) on the trunk and it would act as a luggage tag. Hope this helps,
Jim
hmsantiquetrunks.com
Thank you so much! Very interesting
Some later advertising of the company and patents-An 1881 Trade card of the company!
https://hne-rs.s3.amazonaws.com/filestore/1/3/8/4/6/4_d24e002f1518712/138464scr_4f5e8515a2023a9.jpg
Some 1890 advertising in a shoe and leather journal of the time period
https://books.google.com/books?id=2es-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA141&lpg=PA141&dq=Josiah+cummings+advertising+boston&source=bl&ots=FKYWzYibQN&sig=kMEeSOkJgzNbOAdC_u-1c-MZglY&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwimpbLj6ZzVAhWIcT4KHe-cBWMQ6AEIRDAF#v=onepage&q=Josiah%20cummings%20advertising%20boston&f=false
An 1894 Canadian trunk tray patent for ties.
https://books.google.com/books?id=uLlQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA96&lpg=PA96&dq=Josiah+cummings+trunk+patents&source=bl&ots=xEZr6xoV8e&sig=ANKbQk6SjB9-EjtE8_paJt91N_M&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiK-pi-65zVAhXFeD4KHe-iAxsQ6AEIQjAE#v=onepage&q=Josiah%20cummings%20trunk%20patents&f=false
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US488753-0.png
enjoy!