Posted 5 years ago
Hurrikain413
(1 item)
My wife and I are thinking about restoring or refinishing this trunk. My thought for preserving it instead is that the name and date on the front would be gone if we refinished it. I would like to hear from the community. The date is in 1864. The trunk is paper covered and in some places the paper is not in good shape. Opinions?
Personally I would refinish it, but that's just me, I say if this trunk had some type of historic connection or belonged to someone famous and could be proven, than preserve it, if not than its just a trunk, refinish it !
The patent on the front is for the paper trunk cover design only.It is by Henry Braunhold Nov. 6 1864. Unfortunately there is no picture of this particular design as many of the patent drawings for 1864 did not survive. I.E. Fires in patent buildings etc. Below is the link to the listing of this paper patented trunk cover .
https://books.google.com/books?id=iFhGAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA50&lpg=PA50&dq=Designs+for+trunk+covers+patents&source=bl&ots=cDjrajDgwD&sig=ACfU3U0EZX6an2h0LV6V1ORrK8jhHjLB7w&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj5vNftyJPoAhUiZjUKHcvSAWYQ6AEwEHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=Designs%20for%20trunk%20covers%20patents&f=false
Here is a link to an article of a trunk patented By Henry T. Lee May May 10 1864
(Not yours ) The appearance are of a very similar nature and has many characteristics of the time period. Sometimes it is interesting to see history.
https://books.google.com/books?id=vls-AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA104&lpg=PA104&dq=Henry+T.+Lee+trunk+patent&source=bl&ots=XyCnQ-MIyU&sig=ACfU3U2axfrAgAFndhoX4dgb0TWoP8rqNw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjLwcCn6KnmAhUBheAKHYxnCWYQ6AEwAXoECAsQAQ#v=onepage&q=Henry%20T.%20Lee%20trunk%20patent&f=false
I completely agree with Greendog about refinishing, Although some people do like to keep the original paper if it is in pristine or very good shape. Paper is difficult to preserve on the wood (Humidity) .Especially if your fixing other portions of the trunk. If you were to try to preserve the paper. A clear Matte finish that is specifically made for paper might do the trick.
Thanks so much for the info and sincerity. I appreciate it!