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My new trunk!

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Civil War131 of 412The Ancient Battle Souvenir Ink WellYank Sergeant photographed in Nashville
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    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!

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    Comments

    1. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 7 years ago
      This can get interesting with all our trunk & history buffs on CW.
    2. sbrandau, 7 years ago
      I hope so!!!!!!
    3. fortapache fortapache, 7 years ago
      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.
    4. sbrandau, 7 years ago
      Thank you! I have no idea where to take it to get more information . I'm grateful for any help! Thanks
    5. trunkman trunkman, 7 years ago
      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?
    6. trunkman trunkman, 7 years ago
      Sorry missed the info you gave...not familiar with maker.
    7. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 7 years ago
      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 !
    8. sbrandau, 7 years ago
      blunderbuss2..........lol
    9. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 7 years ago
      OK ! I'll throw in a 3 legged water buffalo. (Bloody butterfly mines!)
    10. hmsantiquetrunks.com hmsantiquetrunks.com, 7 years ago
      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
    11. sbrandau, 7 years ago
      Thank you so much! Very interesting
    12. Drill Drill, 7 years ago
      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!

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