Posted 12 years ago
collectorf…
(2 items)
We purchased this trunk about 20 years ago at an antique shop. It measures 34" wide, 19.5" deep and 22" high. Other than some of the inside paper being torn and the leather straps missing it is in good condition. What we love about this item is the embossed metal and oak straps and trim. Small casters are built into the base for rolling. Does anyone know where this trunk may have been built and when? Similar ones we found on the Internet are said to be from the late 1800's and possibly Scandinavia. Would appreciate any comments and potential value of this piece.
Thanks. Trunk-lovers from Connecticut.
Greetings trunk lovers from Connecticut! You have in your possession a lovely dome top trunk from the late 1890's to early 1900's. Style and the hardware helps to date it -- yours has latches and a lock plate from the 1890's but the slat clamps used to hold the slats are stamped metal, not cast iron, which would indicate early 1900's. This is a typical trunk of its day, made by many companies at the time. Most like yours have no label, so it makes it difficult to determine a maker. Looks like a nice oak and ivy tin pattern. This trunk has all the hallmarks of an American piece, so I am unsure of where the Scandinavian link would be -- most Scandinavian pieces (that I have seen) are hope chests that are hand painted. There are a lot of these about so the value is not high, but a quick search of your local classifieds should help you get a good idea. It is a lovely trunk in great shape -- thanks for letting us have a look at it!
Thank you, Trunkman for your comments on our trunk. We have seen your many beautiful trunks and comments on those of others. We value your knowledge on the subject.
Hi. Can you explane the third pic in your sequence? Is this the bottom with a strange perspective? It is a very pretty trunk.
Yes, it is the bottom of the trunk. Not only is it a strange perspective, it is a bad one. The camera was higher than the object making the bottom look trapezoidal rather than rectangular. Sorry. To explain further: There are tiny casters recessed in the trim; however, a previous owner added glides at the corners, perhaps to protect the casters
I might mention that one of the reasons I thought this trunk was Norwegian is that I saw a very similar one on eBay whose owner said it was brought from Norway by a great-great-grandmother. I saw a couple of others on the Internet described as Norwegian. But the age, not the origin, is the important thing.
Your trunk is beautiful. The scroll work looks very similar to the scrollwork on mine.