Posted 2 years ago
webworm
(1 item)
My dad gifted me this trunk and my instructions are to clean it up and take care of it (because he knew I would). I am not to sand, paint, or do anything like that. I am curious to know if anyone has tips/tricks on how to clean up the copper portion of the trunk. It looks pretty nice on the front (when wet), but dries dull. The copper on the top is mostly brown and I don't know the best way to clean it. As you can see in the 3rd picture, I am making some progress getting the grime off of the wood. I believe this was a trunk my great grandparents had on my dad's mothers side. I never met them. Any tips or tricks without CHANGING anything would be appreciated. If you happen to know the brand or date of the trunk, any information is welcome.
It's not copper, it's embossed tin, if it looks like copper it has been painted, pretty common trunk, made after 1882 all the way to early 1900's, with out a makers label impossible to say by who, this style of trunk was made by hundreds of makers at the time.
Thank so much! Any tips on cleaning?
If you want to just do a light cleaning, I use Murphys oil soap and a soft brush both wood and metal, see what you got and go from there.
Maybe also try a liquid that does not need to dry all at once like oil furniture polish which is inexpensive at stored. Particularly nice shape. (a novice but I know how to present a piece). Its a beauty, mine had an original red finish to the decoration but I am no longer an owner. I don't know if you can get english tele but my fave was the makeful network in UK which had an ingenious woman who did amazing restorative work on leather. The show still working was called The Repair Shop and shows and shares ideas on any kind of repair for antiques. Lots of repeats.
It could also just be a layer of rust giving it a copper look.
I agree with Greendog, Murphy's oil soap is great for a light cleaning .This is not a high dollar trunk. Sentimental value is very different though. From the looks of the drill and wire wheel in picture 3, your not far from wanting to strip it down. If This trunk were mine I would steel wool all the tin metal, clean with tack cloth. Then I would paint all the metal. My next step would be to then sand the high spots removing the paint on only the high areas. Then I would clear coat the metal. The link below illustrates
part of this technique.Whatever you decide I think it will turn out just fine.Much luck, thanks for the post.
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/282602-stallman-and-starr-trunk?in=user