Posted 8 years ago
Buckskin
(2 items)
This Henry Likly trunk I picked up at a yard sale this last summer. It has what looks to be a canvas type covering. Leather straps are in need of replacing. Inside compartments are in good condition. I'm guessing this was made around the 1930s but someone out there may have a better idea of its age. anadennis@startmail.com
A Little info for you.I hope this helps.
Henry Likly was born on January 18th, 1836 in Perth Canada. In the spring of 1848 after his father died he and his mother moved to Rochester N.Y. He continued his education in the Rochester N.Y. public school system and upon graduation took an apprenticeship with the A.R. & T.H. Pritchard company where he learned the trade of manufacturing trunks and traveling bags.
Henry Likly was married in 1861 to Miss Helen E. Callister. They had two children, William C. Likly born March 31,1867 and Henry Likly born March 12, 1870. Henry Likly Sr. was a registered Republican, Freemason, and member of the Odd Fellows fraternity. Mr. Likly died on December 17, 1897.
The History Of The Henry Likly Trunk Company.
The Henry Likly Trunk Company was established in 1844 as A.R. & T.H. Pritchard. Upon graduating from school Henry Likly took an apprenticeship with A.R & T.H.Pritchard and mastered his trade in the trunk manufacturing industry.In January of 1868 Mr. Likly was given a partnership in the company. The company then became A.R. & T.H. Pritchard & Company, three years later it became A.R. Pritchard & Likly.When Henry Likly and his brother in-law became the sole proprietors of the business the name was changed to Henry Likly & Company. This was the name from 1870 when A.R. Pritchard retired until 1925 when it simply became "Likly's".I couldn't find much more information after that or why the name was changed to just Likly's. The company was ran by his children after his death in 1897.
In New York State the Henry Likly trunk company was the largest factory of its time. Located at 340 Lyell Ave in Rochester N.Y. the factory covered two acres of land, the building was 4 stories tall and utilized 60,000 square feet of space. During this period it was one of the best equipped manufacturing plants in the United States. The first floor was where the lumber was sawed and prepared, the second floor was the woodworking and box shop where the frames were made, the third floor was designated for trimming and finishing, and the top floor was probably reserved for the executives, sales and accounting. There products were shipped all over the U.S. and even to parts of Europe. For the local residents the Likly company also maintained a retail outlet at 96 State St in Rochester N.Y.
At its peak the company used over one million feet of lumber annually and turned out over 30,000 trunks yearly. The company produced all kinds of trunks mostly for traveling and packing but they also specialized in theatrical trunks and really fine high end trunks.
Much luck with the trunk, thanks for the post.
A few images: A brochure.
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTojUKUVulQo-VzXKY2E0muOmXB1mIVhT2ApRD0geEmyEV9DPnZcA
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