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Great-Grandmother's Trunk

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    Posted 10 years ago

    gayle22864
    (1 item)

    This trunk has been in my family for a few generations. The family story is that my great-grandmother rode in the back of a wagon sitting on the top of this truck as the family traveled across the country. My great-grandmother was born around 1874-75, so I think she was sitting on the trunk in the early to mid 1880's. The thing is, I don't know if her parents bought it new for the trip across the country, or if they bought it used, or if maybe they had already had it for years by the time my great-grandmother was old enough to notice it. It once had handles on the sides of leather or cloth, but they are gone. The hardware that held on the handles is still there. The latches that have the patent number on them still work. The lock in the middle doesn't. I really love this trunk and I'm glad that I am the only one in my family who was remotely interested in it. I've always been interested in when and where it might have been made. Any ideas?

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    Comments

    1. gayle22864, 10 years ago
      BTW, the lock says JUL 9-72. Does that mean it was made on July 9, 1872, or is that too easy?
    2. trunkingforfun, 10 years ago
      Yes, as you suspected, that is too easy. It does however give you the date of the patent of the latch. This tells you that the trunk was made sometime after that date. This type of latch is uncommon. You will see as you review other postings on this site you may find only three or four others with the kind you have there. Most are the tension draw bolt type. Not sure what the proper name of this type is. I would like to see a side shot. If the handle end caps are cast iron then I would say your trunk is exactly as old as you surmised, mid 1880s. What a great story! Where was your great grandmother traveling from and to? So much of the appeal of the trunks for me is the story they invoke.
    3. trunkingforfun, 10 years ago
      Check out about 12 or 13 trunks ago.
    4. trunkingforfun, 10 years ago
      also, "The Wedding Trunk" right now number 23.
    5. gayle22864, 10 years ago
      I replaced the pic of the broken lock with a pic of the side with the handle hardware. I'm not entirely sure where the family started from, but they ended up in Kansas.
    6. trunkingforfun, 10 years ago
      The handle end caps appear to be stamped metal which would place the trunk a bit later than the early 1800's, probably later 1800. This is a determiner I have learned from Trunkman on this site. My guess would be that your family pruchased this trunk specifically for their move. If you knew where they started from you would have some idea of where it was made but without a maker's label it would be unlikely to find out by which manufacturer. But, because of the uncommon latch, maybe you could narrow it down. This is a very nice trunk. Will you be refinishing it?
    7. gayle22864, 10 years ago
      I found out that they started in Indiana. Love the help you have been giving me with this! I've always wanted to find out more, because I really love it. Glad I found this site! Happy Holidays!
    8. gayle22864, 10 years ago
      Oh, and I think I won't refinish it. I love its character and history. It would seem too different if I gave it a facelift. :)
    9. trunkingforfun, 10 years ago
      There is a site called Bretton Village that has a list of manufacturers. It may lead you to makers from that area, that time frame. Yes, it is fun. Good luck.
    10. Prairietrunk, 10 years ago
      gayle22864, it was nice to come across your post as I too have an old Steamer Trunk that my son and I are starting to restore like yours. It has the same latches and overall design as yours. I was born in raised in Kansas and acquired this chest from my father whom past away a little over a year ago and age 80. He acquired the chest from his grandfather. That is all that I currently know about the chest and hope to find out more as we restore it. I can send some pictures if you like, but a couple difference that I see, 1., My chest has wooden handles that fit into the same hardware as yours. 2., I have a lid on the inner tray, 3., you have a metal strip running under the wooden strap peices in the curved lid. What a piece of history.
    11. gayle22864, 10 years ago
      Trunkingforfun- Thanks for the lead on Bretton Village. I will check it out!
      Prairietrunk- That's pretty cool that you have a similar one. I'd like to see the pics. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to restore mine, but I'd like to see one restored.
    12. northernguy, 10 years ago
      My wife has this exact trunk; the only difference is that ours is missing the front top part of the locking mechanism. We just completed refinishing the trunk, but have not at this point found out where or who made the trunk. I was wondering if you have found out anymore about your trunk? Does your trunk have a red label under the top dome, with two small children reading a book? There are also some sort of plant leaves to the left of the children's photo. I may post pictures of the trunk to this web site, but I could email pictures of our finished trunk to you, if you wish.
    13. trunkingforfun, 10 years ago
      Please post the pics of your trunk. The more the merrier.
    14. Dvinson86, 10 years ago
      Nice trunk. I have one very similar to this one.
    15. gayle22864, 10 years ago
      Mine has a picture under the top dome. There's no red label. The picture is of a woman and child. I haven't found out too much more. I took a look at Bretton Village but never nailed down the exact manufacturer.
    16. Prairietrunk, 10 years ago
      I have been working on my son's chest and you can see some pictures at http://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/117607-prairietrunk-restoration-project

      If you want a few more pictures of what the Top looks like when it is apat I can send those but I am pretty much following the how to at http://www.brettunsvillage.com/trunks/howto/howto.html.

      When Completed I will post some updated pics.

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