Posted 7 years ago
Im4anythin…
(91 items)
I originally was buying this item for parts based on the ad photos of condition. Until I saw it in person with the size & overall condition of the body colors. I was expecting to find the usual 2 or 3 of the five sides are pooched and it dictates clearly what direction to go.
It has no handles, but does have Fish scale relief tin handle caps, #3 clasps, 36 long 29 high by 24 deep, with a gentle sweep dome top, less than partial interior, all original finish at 80-90% of it original state with vertually no dents but for the back with are rub line impressions. I was thinking of using some antique stove black to add some color to any superfical hairline rusting that maybe present. Its a great foundation to conseal that type of touch up. As you can see the only thing wrong, is the cheap tin details, one front bottom horizontal slat and for what ever (what looks to be deliberate ) the damage to the tin on the clasp areas ...don't get the reasoning behnd that at all.
A few questions for you guys. I have extra die-cast Gothic format slat clamps. Now if you I take these from a trunk top that has a slightly different angular dome grade, can you reform these or will they just snap and break at the existing bend?
Second question. Based on the overall condition of the body color and condition, would you guys dismiss that and go to the all wood body or would you retain the body just cleaned up as best as could be, to preserve it as close to original as possible.
Third what viable 1800's decade time frame do feel this would come from? As nothing is really marked but the clasps.
I dunno buddy, I love the trunk but not the mottling so much.
I'm guessing 1885 to 1900s
Below is a link for the process of Mottling different types of metals 1892 just scroll around and you can learn quite a bit.
https://books.google.com/books?id=4m81AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA231&lpg=PA231&dq=Mottled+metal+time+frame&source=bl&ots=Yb6nS6PzXP&sig=yTd2XN14upiNl614cEw882heMKQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjIyuX68_PZAhUutlkKHcFgBIUQ6AEIdTAN#v=onepage&q=Mottled%20metal%20time%20frame&f=false
Thanks Drill for the time frame comment and the reading material very much appreciated and shall go into the old personal memory bank. Do you think the the gentle top sweep of this style was more conducive to the latter end of the 19th century with the much steeper and pronounced barrel profiled shifting a time frame more to ward the 1870's - 1885 period. Or were there all variations of top styles and shapes from the get go or should I say from the transition period of strap clasps to metal clasps period.
It is important to acknowledge these plywood Veneer trunk cover patents beginning in 1882 by F. Kukkuck. Understand the changing technology of the time period.The evolution of the trunk lid. These impacted how the shape of the top was made adding to mass production. long solid boards were no longer needed to produce the desired shape. multiple thin layers pressed in glue became the norm.
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US262956-0.png
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US275499-0.png
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US275500-
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US380291-
A little history:
0.png0.pnghttps://books.google.com/books?id=KgI2AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA950&lpg=PA950&dq=St+louis+Trunk+patent+trunk+manufacturers&source=bl&ots=oIL64swm0E&sig=VppZHFV2KeRjX4MFPMKqCCI-58o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qiwYVYi6KdPrggS-94LADw&ved=0CEYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=St%20louis%20Trunk%20patent%20trunk%20manufacturers&f=false
Hope this helps a little bit!
https://books.google.com/books?id=KgI2AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA950&lpg=PA950&dq=St+louis+Trunk+patent+trunk+manufacturers&source=bl&ots=oIL64swm0E&sig=VppZHFV2KeRjX4MFPMKqCCI-58o&hl=en&sa=X&ei=qiwYVYi6KdPrggS-94LADw&ved=0CEYQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=St%20louis%20Trunk%20patent%20trunk%20manufacturers&f=false
Thanks Drill for that data. This very same process is used in the making of high end curved kitchen doors & among office furniture curved wrapped arms just capped in an oak veneer then routered rounded edge . Once stained you don't even notice that is made up of 8 or so 1/8" layers. I didn't realize that process was established that far back.
https://books.google.com/books?id=m6ZAAQAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA120&lpg=RA1-PA120&dq=F.+Kukkuck+veneer+tops&source=bl&ots=F86d90VSVL&sig=ePeBXFz8Coc4mqF65LBCXYoGlBg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjU2tCHifbZAhWCq1kKHYjuCs8Q6AEIMzAE#v=onepage&q=F.%20Kukkuck%20veneer%20tops&f=false
More history!
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https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US268694-0.png
Two more patents.Sometimes it takes a while to go through the 1700 patents to find things.
Not a fan of the mottled tin trunks, the only reason I would buy one, is if it had really nice or unusual hardware, that being said, I've yet to see one, but if I did , yes I'd cut off the tin. Yes, most of the cast hardware is of a malleable metal and can be bent, just be careful, I've had good luck bending and straightening cast hardware, you should have no problems, greendog.
The cast bending was of concern to me as I have restored many different things and have learned the hard way what can be done with what. Best to ask first seeing how you guys have been there much longer than I. Like I had said I had originally bought this for parts but it is very sound and can swap out all cheaper trim from one I have that is all die cast but structurally garbage. Thanks for the input!! greendog.
anytime.