Posted 11 years ago
Ladibug205
(1 item)
I just purchased this Trunk at an estate sale. The wood is in very poor condition but for $5 I couldn't let it just sit there. I can't find any type of writing on the Trunk. I am hoping someone can tell me something about it. I have done a good bit of searching online and the only information I can find is that someone else has a post on this site and their Trunk has the same lock on it. Thanks to all.
$5.00 You got a very good deal. Wow. Very nice.
Lovely civil war era (or just a little after) dome top trunk . There were many trunk makers at the time and most did not label their trunks so finding a maker will be unlikely. The unique part of course is the lock, which is high quality. Makers usually bought their locks from other lock companies. Looks like there may be a marking on the top of the lock -- (J) perhaps? I have seen similar locks, one on this site as you mentioned, although they are rare. I hope someone who recognizes it spots your post -- I would like to know too! Great trunk -- great buy..
Wow that lock is amazing! The handle end caps are cast. If you plan to replace the leather handles, you will want to buy the type with the slot in each end. I have a trunk similar to yours but without the fab lock. It has a hat box, glove box and parasol box in the top tray. Also a section that may have been a document compartment. Quite a deal.
Thanks to all for the advice!
hi ladibug both you and cw member otucker have the same questions -- so here is my input on this subject
we all seem to agree that this trunk was made during the civil war era -- you got a real treasure with the lock and probably some of us would kill for it -- you certainly would not want me in the room alone with that trunk and access to a fast car --
we have also all fiddled and diddled with the all allusive dolphin/eagle lock -- since this trunk is from the civil war times it is highly unlikely we will ever know who made that all illusive design -- patent number will be of no use since the us patent office was established after the war and during the war many documents were lost in a fire -- history on us patent office as follows:
http://www.the-business-of-patents.com/us-patents.html
quite frankly -- i do not think that lock is american made -- way too stylish -- who else but perhaps the french or germans would make something so lovely during that time frame -- certainly resembles none of the american locksmiths lock design i have researched (corbin, eagle, everlasting, excelsior, longlock, national, taylor or yale & towne)
with that said -- all i can provide you is some nice websites for you to come to your own determinations
http://www.legacytrunks.com/trunk_history_information.htm
http://www.brettunsvillage.com/trunks/history/trunkmakers.html
http://thepirateslair.com/nautical-antique-trunks-3.html
i also highly recommend the following book which should be at your local library or can at least be obtain via illiad
"antique trunks -- identification and price guide" by linda elderstein & paul pat morse -- isbn no: 0-87349-646-9
happy trunking kido
Epson223, sorry buy you are incorrect on a few things. First. The US patent act was established in 1836, and by that time over 10,000 patents were filed. I have hundreds of trunk patents prior to the civil war. This trunk was made after 1871 as the handle end caps were patented by Thomas Rivers in 1871. The lock is 100% American made. No doubt. FYI, the ornate part is just the lock cover, not the lock. Correct, we do not know who made the dozens of different designs of this type.
Jim
HMSantiquetrunks.com
I believe the lock is an antique Asian one, most probably from Malaysia. It represents the lion (in fact a tiger), the sea dragon, and the fish eagle, those all to be found in local myths. Given that there are two holes in the wood above the lock, I would tend to think that the lock is not the original one. In any case a very intriguing and rare lock, all adding to the mystery of this trunk.