Posted 11 years ago
myoldkyhome
(22 items)
I believe this is probably a Civil War era dome top trunk. Would like to hear an opinion and any info from Trunkman. It appears to have been covered in paper at one time. I found some tiny pieces of paper under the wooden bands. The handles are made of wood. I have never seen that before and don't know if it's original or not? I found it in a consignment shop for $10 and couldn't resist. It does have a little damage on one side near the bottom from some kind of creatures (probably termites) a long time ago. It also has some scratches in various places but I think with some TLC it will be beautiful.
oh, it is beautiful already! I think any trunk for $10 is a real bargain. This one certainly looks special. I have never seen this type of wood handle but they sure do look original. Have fun.
Lovely piece for sure. It has an interesting front to it with the dome not folding towards the front but instead stays flat -- bit of a rare form. I would have to get a close up of the handles to see if they are original but if the rivets match the rest of the trunk then most likely they are (just look for signs of previous hardware like other holes or indentations). Makers where still adding some individual touches at this time period. They papered trunks for a good many years even after the civil war period -- this trunk looks to me more of an 1880's piece when the larger dome tops came into full swing. Happy to be corrected by others in the know. (also judging by the latches) Great quality trunk and super pick!!!!
Thanks Trunkman. I really appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share. I'm still learning. The rivets on the handles do match the rest of the trunk and I can find no evidence of any other handles. So, it appears they are original. They had to be difficult to make since they bow out in the center. Unfortunately, one was damaged by the termites. It's still mostly there but was part of a feast for the nasty devils.
Thanks again for your help!
Thanks for the compliments trunkingforfun. I was shocked it was so cheap.
You are welcome myoldkyhome -- I am still learning too!!!
love it . whould it have been covered in Leather? or tared cloth??
Ozmarty thanks for the compliment. It looks like paper but the pieces are so tiny it is somewhat difficult to tell for certain.
I have a trunk that I just got a few weeks ago that looks really close to this (lighter stain) with the same wooden handles. Mine has zero markings on it anywhere, so I have no information on age either.
Hi were u ever able to age this trunk? I have the exact same trunk and am currently trying to restore it. Same rivets and wood handles. Curious about what the inside looks like. Would be so cool if from civil war era! Someone wrote a date on an early layer of contact paper dating it back to at least 1923.
Hi etgohome, I have not been able to get a better age on this trunk. I would say that it is a little later than the Civil War era. I do think that it is no later than the 1880s. The inside of mine didn't have any original paper or fabric left and no tray. I just sanded and stained the interior also.
Nice! I saw one nearly identical to this on ebay and it was covered in embossed leather. It might still be there if you want take a look at it. I love this one.
Thanks jscott. I'll have to take a look on eBay. I have since finished restoring this one but never posted the finished product. Fixing the termite damage was a real challenge but it came out pretty well. I usually have to buy the "scary" ones to stay within my budget. Ha ha
That sounds a lot like my story!! The one's I really want are way overpriced. But, like you, I still find a treasure every now and again.
Here is the link to the one on ebay. It has a lot of similarities to yours, but is leather covered. Thought you'd like to see it. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Large-Antique-Vintage-Steamer-Travel-Trunk-Dome-Top-2-/261669592810?pt=Antiques_Furniture&hash=item3cecb91eea
Thanks jscott. I had looked on eBay but hadn't been able to find it. You're right. It does look a lot like mine. I wish mine had been covered in leather and still only cost $10!!
Yeah!! You got a real deal there! BTW, out of curiosity I asked how much the merchant would charge for shipping the trunk, and it was going to be around $300!! Way out of my budget!! But, a really pristine looking trunk though.