Posted 6 years ago
Amyl1957
(1 item)
I am curious if anyone can tell me about this chest/trunk. From reading on here it looks like it may be an immigrant trunk but I am not sure. It does have the initials carved in it MW. Any ideas on the age or what it is for sure.
Normally you see these in animal hide. I have one myself and it is lined on the inside with a newspaper from 1849. I would be safe to say it is 1850 and earlier judging by the ornate quality of the handle, which is very nice. Breton village has a before and after photo of one similar calling it 1803 made in Boston. Without a label all you have left is the handle to target a finer date with and the lock.
yes this is an early immigrant trunk, although there were hide covered trunks 16, 17, and early 1800's, most immigrant trunks from early 1800's on, were simply hand made wood boxes, some with wrought iron bands and handles, how a trunk was made can tell you or give an idea of age, hand wrought rose head nails, bandings , handles, locks, I can't tell for sure but I assume the nails in your bands are rose head, ( hand made) I agree with Tom, its probably 1850's or older, but I don't believe 1700's, the top lid and tin metal work, looks to be secured with machine made nails which have been around I think sense the late 1700's I have learned that when I look at a trunk not to assume that it is all original, or as it was when it was completed, people add things, or up date things, the tin could have been added at a later time, but it is old, at least 1850's, greendog.