Posted 10 years ago
everydayss…
(2 items)
Just finished restoring a Martin Maier trunk. It is a dometop with a solid brass lock with working key. The trunk is metal (tin) covered with an alligator pattern. Martin Maier opened a trunk factory in 1873, It was located in Detroit Michigan on Woodward Ave. I believe my trunk dates to around 1880. Martin Maier trunks were known for their ornate hardware....note the "M" stamped on all the end caps. He also had a patented rear hinge that didn't require the typical trunk stay to hold the lid open. Whoever had this trunk before me painted it blue and painted all the hardware gold. The blue paint was a buger to strip. I initially tried to sandblast it....the sandblaster didn't budge that paint. Ended up spending hours with paint stripper to get the job done. I used a drill with a wire wheel to buff the hardware to it's original finish then clear coated to protect the hardware. The wood slats were cleaned, sanded and clear coated, and the alligator tin areas were painted brown enamel...trim areas black. I elected to line the interior with cedar wood and made the tray out of baginga hardwood with a cedar floor. This trunk will reside in my son Carl and his wife Nancy's new restaurant, "Stone Soup Cottage", located in Cottleville, MO.
Nice to see another Maier trunk -- I have one similar on my site. Interesting to see how good the hardware come out. My MM pieces look like they are cast iron but yours look like steel. Maybe mine are steel too and just rusted to the brown hue. Fabulous work of the restoration -- well done!!!
Lot of work that & came out beautiful.
what a great work of art ... great job ..love it
Beautiful trunk! Great job of restoring it.
Thank you for your kind words myoldkyhome...much appreciated!
Sincere thanks to both blunderbuss2 and royucroftboosfromme1 for your kind comments....restoring these antique trunks is truly a labor of love...if
I did it for profit , I would starve to death! Way too many hours involved!
If like me, it is more than just a labour of love when you find something like that in the rough. Obsession is more appropriate! I have taken on too many projects that became obsessions & honestly say that I know & appreciate the beautiful detailed work you did with this. Don't thank us. We thank you for sharing!
I was happy to see your post as I have just started refinishing what looks to be an identical trunk. Mine was a gift from a neighbor, recieved from her Michigan grandmother. the trunk was sitting on a dirt floor in the shed. Wish me luck with my restoration. Yours looks beautiful.
Very nice Martin Maier, one of my favorites, however it was made 1886 or later, the MM hardware was patented in 1885, the embossed alligator tin 1885 0r 86, the metal lid lift was patented in 1886, so a little later than 1880, greendog.
Also, Martin Maier opened his trunk store in 1865 at 55 west Monroe ave. and in 1873 moved to 102 Woodward ave. greendog.