Posted 13 years ago
kaiserlives
(36 items)
It is marked Nov. 8 1864 ..Do you think it is that old ? lined with paper inside and out...How should i restore it ? leave it or strip it and clean it up ? Any advice would be great...Thanks
Old stagecoach trunk | ||
| Trunks2505 of 2704 |  |  |
That is lovely civil war era trunk you have. A case could be made for keeping it as original as you can, and trying to conserve the paper covering. Unfortunately it looks like the paper is in pretty rough shape, and I would not know how you could restore its original look other than trying to re-paper it. Perhaps another contributor could comment on the feasibility of such an undertaking(maybe there is a way to recolor the paper). I really love the look of these trunk when refinished. Taking the paper off is a relatively easy task, and the pine wood underneath looks great. I have almost an exact example of a refinished trunk similar to yours on my site if you want to check it out. Mine was covered in leather so it has a reddish hue to it -- yours will be a lighter blonde color. Your trunk is in between the two choices -- a bit of a dilemma. Try to preserve its history and originality or improve its look and ascetic quality. The question then lies in what use you intend for it and how much energy you want to devote to the task. Either way it will remain a great trunk! Make sure you show us the end result!
Thanks trunkman....Im going to take my time and figure out what do do with this !
I responded to your comment on my post and I added a picture of a trunk that I believe would resemble the finish on yours if you choose to take that route. Long live the Kaiser....
I am just finishing a similar trunk with two latches. The Nov 8, 1964 marking was on the paper and is the same for many trunks finished with that paper style. The same marking was on mine and although the paper was in rough condition, I was able to photograph the date. Mine was made by a Baltimore trunk maker who was only in business a couple of years. The trunk has refinshed very well and I have found that it is quite sturdy for the age. Great find on your part. Enjoy the process