Posted 4 years ago
JuliaJay
(1 item)
Hello fellow trunk admirers,
I have had this trunk for years and have simply admired the history “it must possess”, yet have never known. I went online today only to find endless information about trunks, and the complexity to find some history on the thousands that were produced.
I’ve searched high and low to find any letters or numbers on this one, turned it upside down, but no luck.
The exterior appears to be covered in leather (which I just noticed on closer examination), but I also may be mistaken and it could just be old paper that is aging.
Measures 34in long x 21in width x 24in height.
Any insight or info anyone could provide would be hugely appreciated! Thanks!
Nice old trunk.. I see a patent date on your RARE shell handle caps of 1872. So can't be earlier than that for the age. As far as a maker, without an actual maker label you will never know who made it. Thanks for showing it its nice to see some hardware I have never seen before.
I'm in agreement as to the age. I have seen these "Sea Shell" handle caps only a few times over the years. I did search both the 1872 patent sitemap as well as the design patent sitemap searching for the handle caps. No luck as of yet. As for the types of Wide slats ,alternating with the narrower ones. The slat clamps being made of sheet metal and secured with nails. Generally speaking I have seen these types of trunks tend to come out of the northeast and New England areas (Mass., ME. ,N.H., Vt.).
With out a label it is impossible to say for sure who made it. I have seen similar trunks covered in paper, leather and many in zinc even a few wood slat trunks. J.R. Paine is but one of the makers that comes to mind when I see this style of trunk but there were dozens at that time period in the New England area. That of course is only my speculation. Thanks for the post.