Posted 9 years ago
JonB
(6 items)
Hello again to the room.
It has been six months since I was bitten by the trunk bug and I see no end in sight. The house is filling up and the garage is worse. I love this previously refinished trunk which is 36 In L / 21.5 In W / 31 In tall at the apex. After researching laminated trunks I found two patents:
Friederiok Kuk-Kuck and Henery Arnd Patent No. 275,509 dated February 5, 1883
Henry Gilson Patent No. 293,005 dated October 18, 1883
I think the latches were patented in 1887 and the lock is an inset excelsior which of course has no key. I do not know anything about the rest of the hardware. I am in a pretty large city and I do not believe anyone else here is looking for trunks so I managed to picked this up for a song and hope to see more before I have to move.
I hope you all enjoy your week.
JonB, neat trunk you found... I definitely know what you mean about running out of room! Imagine becoming a "trunk junkie" about 40 years ago as I did, and I still can't pass up some trunks, so they are stacked high in the garage and attic. It's amazing that after 40 years I still see something almost every week that I had not seen before.. incredible isn't it?? It is so addictive... I had research the pressed tops also and found that Kukkuck even started a business in St. Louis making the pressed veneered trunk tops and sold them to trunk makers in many areas for the barrel top trunks. Sometimes they have the patent date stamped on the inside with a dark ink on the wood. They were of course covered with leather or metal. Was yours covered with metal?
Marvin
This is a first for me as it was covered in metal. Thanks for the history.
Incredible looking trunk JonB!! Beautiful hardware as well! Very nicely done!
Hi Jon B,
Great find and I must say that I am now (hopeful/Jealous and wanting) that there is chance for me to find the Fan embossed hardware to complete my Abe foot trunk "The Beast".That hardware is marked on the back side with an " S" with a" 1" on top and below the "S" it is marked" 423 1/2".I believe that this hardware was made by J.H. Sessions.You have proved with your post that it is still out there. I am missing some parts to make it complete,I just need to keep searching.As for the other pat. here is an image .https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US262956-0.png hope it works. The patented date is different and deals with the cut of the (Plywood Veneered) lumber and a press to make the bend.Although trunk manufacturers did not call them Dome tops,This patent is designed to create a dome,As Barrels are made of multiple boards with grain patterns running end to end. Your grain patterns run front to back,with a single piece of Veneered wood. This patent/and relief cutting method was a game changer in the speed/cost of mass produced, bending of wood. Here is a Picture of the boys who probably made the hardware.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_5x5VsUi4S6c/SXUltnvOneI/AAAAAAAABaQ/FQxe0qmrv5Q/s1600/J.H.+Sessions+%26+Son+employees,+Bristol.jpg
Much luck,isn't the trunk bug wonderful?
Let's try it again as it didn't link.https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US262956-0.png
https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pages/US262956-0.png
Drill
Thanks for the knowledge and the links. I had no idea that they would just sell the tops to other companies however once you mentioned it, it makes perfect sense. This must have been a great cost saver in material as well as labor. The picture of the workers is really cool and gives me an idea of the timeframe.
I hope you find your Sessions hardware for I cannot wait to see the beast. If I see any where I am I will let you know.
Thank you
JScott
Sugar Girl
Official Fuel
T Tom Tucker
Manikin
Fatboy
Fort Apache
I must have been sleeping at the wheel and missed this beauty. That hardware is spectacular and I had never heard of a veneered trunk until this post. What fablous information the contributors have made. knowing more of these works of art if half the fun (discovery being the first half). I have to do a cull and thin my herd this week.... sigh... Great Post!!
Thanks Jon B I'm 3/4 completed on the exterior( Haven't touched the inside yet ,but I will .I'll post some pics soon , might have to rename this one though as it is turning into a southern themed trunk. I Just finished Burning the portrait of Tecumseh Sherman and the battle Map of Atlanta into the side panel (Time,Tick,Tock,Time....)http://www.thepirateslair.com/images/vintage-nautical-desks-tables-sea-chests/steamer-trunk-factory-workers.jpg
http://www.thepirateslair.com/images/vintage-nautical-desks-tables-sea-chests/steamer-trunk-factory-workers.jpg
Hope it works I always like the pictures of the workers too,Wish I knew which company this was.
Trunkman, thanks for the post. From tall of your posts, I would really like to see what your discards look like as they must be fantastic.
Drill, I have seen this before on that site. I do not think that they worried about child labor laws to much back then.
They didn't care much about child ,labor it was cheap! My favorite thing on this whole trunk are the "rough cut "saw blade marks on the lumber.They are the largest ones I've ever seen,they finished out great.
Drill - I agree the saw blade just says history. The back also has them. Still waiting for the Beast and I hope you use two posts to include all the detail.
The Front of your trunk appears to be done( most likely the back too)with 1 large 16 inch board , stacked on top of a smaller 4 " board .Think of the size of the mill blade that made that cut.My Abe foot trunk was done with a single 21" board. Important to realize that the mill blade, that made the rough cut was about 25 inches in order to cut through that much material.Just Steel blades back in that time period,Without the Coated carbide or diamond tipped technology of todays blades.I love it.