weekend find

[wendy177]

My husband and I came across this beauty while cleaning our storage above our garage this weekend. I know nothing about this find and have not even started to research just thought I would see if anyone might have some insight. I fell in love immediately!!!! I can find no makers mark or label. 3/30 in what looks like blue crayon on the  inside top that's it. she is in rough shape as you can see but not sure of value,approx. year made, and should I just clean her up(what should I use??) or have a professional restorer take a look and get a price on repair?? I do not want to do anything to damage or lower her value (if any?)

Thanks 

[sapphire]

Wendy don't you dare get rid of that (but if you do I'll send you my address )

I looked long a hard trying to find a trunk for my daughter....ended up with a cedar
chest. Either they were in too rough shape for my capabilities or priced way out of
my range.

Here's a few sites I had marked when I was looking.

http://www.thisoldtrunk.com/soldtrunks/index.html

http://www.shenandoahrestoration.com/Hints.html

http://www.brettunsvillage.com/

http://www.thepirateslair.com/2-115blondie-flattop.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_5472779_steamer-trunk-refinishing.html

http://www.trunksandtreasures.com/Trunkvalues.html

http://antiquerestorers.com/cgi-bin/bbs/furn/config.pl?read=6892

http://www.legacytrunks.com/Restoration_information/Trunk%20Restoration.htm


This is one I'd seen and fell in love with........

[waywardangler]

This trunk looks to be in pretty good shape but just needs a good cleaning and maybe some polishing of the rusty? metal corners/edges.  On American Pickers last night they bought a small humpback or camelback trunk for $100 and valued it at $200 (or $250?) which I thought was high (at least it is in my area -Midwest).  I passed on a flat top trunk for $20 at a rummage sale last week.  These trunks are quite common in the Midwest and I think every family had one.  They are great decorator pieces but the musty smell in most is tough to get rid of if one wants to use them for storage.  As to age I think most are 1890s to 1920s.  I have seen a paperback book on trunk restoration at Barnes & Noble that you may want to look at.  I would use whatever Talesof used on her Hoosier for the wood straps.  It looks great on her cabinet so it should work on your wood also.  If the decorated material is metal/tin, I would think all that needs is a good wiping with a light detergent/water mix, followed by clean water wiping, followed by immediate drying.  I have never cleaned one but that is my guess.  I do not know how to clean the inside...maybe fill it with cedar shavings and let it stand for awhile?

[wendy177]

Thanks so much  Sapphire have been jumping around digging also and found a lot of those sites , I think I will contact Brettuns village They are close to me & could make a day trip to drop it off for restoration but will contact to get an appraisal & price for the work. Also found www.trunk.com may contact them also for appraisal they seem famous for their work and are not that far from me also. the photo you posted is very much like mine,  I will not be selling this one That is the first thing hubby said "sell it, how much do you think we could get?" It is large enough to fit a body in if he mentions that again !! Thanks Wayward the decorated material I believe is leather not metal as one side has a small tear. The more I research this the more I think I will need to have this one professionally restored,Prices on line I have found for smaller trunks similar to mine(metal design) run around $650.00 and from what I have read the leather designed ones are rare, She is in pretty good shape but needs lots of TLC,  And you are right boy does it STINK Am dragging her in tonight  will wipe her off and will post better photos
again thanks to all

[MarieA]

you might want to try putting crumpled newspaper inside to absorb the odor.

[regularjoe2]

Nice little find , wendy177 !


If you're up to it , and have got some spare patience , perhaps you could do the job yourself & avoid the excessive fees that might come with restoration .....

From your images , I'd guess that you've got a less-than-common trunk .... the big thing , to me , is if the trunk is pretty solid & free from dry-rot .

If there's significant areas of dry-rot in the wood frame , that's a big set of problems , as to really restoring it & prob a job for a specialist .

If it is in solid shape & you just want to 'revitalize' your unit , it seems a fairly straightforward (& rewarding) home project .

[wendy177]

Thanks RJ2  Taking a deep breath ---- just checked it a little closer and TONS of rust  Wayward was correct all metal!! Will have hubby check it for dry-rot tonight  (Hope not) RJ2 will need advice if I decide to take this one on myself!!! Have emailed photos to 2 diffrent experts and will fill everyone in when I hear back.

[talesofthesevenseas]

What a neat thing to find in the attic! Makes me want to venture up into mine!

We used to have an identical trunk to this one up in the attic when I was growing up. It was full of "dress-up clothes" and I used to love it! There was a color printed label of a Gibson Girl on the inside of the trunk. I think the date on these is about 1880 to the early 1900's. I remember someone posted on this forum that the camel back hump was there so that no other trunks could be stacked on top of it. That way you got your trunk first when you got off the train!

The prices I've seen can vary pretty dramatically. $50 on the low end and several hundred on the high-end in retail antique stores. A lot of people restore these, but I kinda like 'em original. Even a bit rusty!  A lot of times neat history like paper labels, shipping labels and original canvas gets removed.

Here's a sampling of prices from the SF Bay Area Craigslist:

Similar in nice condition with the interior shelf $50:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/1677498506.html

Similar for $150:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/atq/1674675191.html

Similar for $75:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/atq/1674537954.html

Three with HIDEOUS restoration jobs for $300. Here's some great pix of what NOT to do, IMHO!!
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/atq/1674325051.html

Similar for $85:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/atq/1672463456.html

Similar for $100:
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/atq/1671205182.html

[waywardangler]

OK wendy, here is my new suggestion but you may not like it.  Store up your elbow grease as this is going to take a lot of time/work.  First I would take care of the wood straps with some type of finish.  Then I would tape off the wood straps and the black painted metal parts with removable painter's tape.  Then I would use 0000 steel wool and a lot of elbow grease and hand polish the tin to remove as much rust as you can.  0000 steel wool will not scratch the metal like coarser grades do.  If you are very careful you can use light oil such as gun oil with the steel wool but do not get any on the wood straps.  This will take time and muscle but you should end up with a very nice trunk.  If you take it to a refinisher, it will cost $$$ and they may power polish or chemically remove the rust (neither one I would like).  You may love the trunk but they just look at it as money.  I hand polish rusty tools with 0000 steel wool and oil and you are left with a nice smooth metal surface and patina.  When you are totally done and depending on where you are going to set this, I would lightly wipe the tin surface ONLY with a light oil or a rust preventative treated cloth used by gun owners and then follow with a dry cloth.  If it will set on carpet, I would block the bottom up so no rust stains or oil transfers to the carpet.  If you live in a dry area of the country, this should last a long time. If you are in a humid area, the tin may need to be treated periodically to keep the rust away.

[wendy177]

Thanks so much Wayward and RJ2  that is the route I think I am going to take do it myself   so all here I go, will consult hubby & we will begin our journey!! I have done quite a bit of finishing on furniture we make but nothing like this!!! Got a reply on one of my emails here it is    Hi, Wendy.
You have an American made trunk that was manufactured around 1875. It would run about $850 to do a complete restoration which is near the value of the trunk restored. If you add shipping both ways it would end up costing more than the trunk would be worth. That is strictly from a commercial point of view. We are currently taking in trunks for delivery in August.
Regards,
Pat
so from that price for restoration this will be a do it at home project will keep you posted
Tales those three trunks are hideous and nothing like that will take place here!!! No shipping labels to worry about(wish it had some) and no canvas all metal & wood!!

[talesofthesevenseas]

$850?!!!!!!! 

Holy cats!!! I think I would want to see a whole lot of trunks that actually sold for that much before spending that kind of money. I think if it were a cherished heirloom of a grandma to where price was of no object, I could see spending that kind of money. But I think you'd be putting a heck of a lot of money into it that you'd never get out of it. That's just my chintzy cheapskate two cents worth!

[sapphire]

OMG tales, that "hideous trunk" #2 looks like something they'd store Ronald McDonald in when he's not parading
around.

Wendy I hope you keep us updated on your progress. I know you'll be thrilled with the final results.......and while
you're in the midst of it just keep reminding yourself it's just like labor.....once it's all over the pain is a memory
and you can bask in the glow of new 'parenthood'

[talesofthesevenseas]

Yes, I'd love to see project photos of this one too! I bet you'll make it look beautiful.

[wendy177]

Thanks sapphire & Tales trying hard not to hyperventilate while thinking of doing it but yes sapphire  like childbirth way worth it!!! Tales I said the same thing $850.00 !!!!! I do not know who owned it just that it must have sat up there for a very long time as we purchased my parents property and dad built the house when I was 2 only owners my parents now us,so it is most likely a relatives. Sadly no one left to tell the tales. Will post photos as I go!!

[regularjoe2]

I guess I shouldn't tell you that it's possible to re-tin the metal , in situ .

Did it twice myself & boy-howdy did it turn out NICE !
Way too much work , but ......

You gotta use pure tin , though (very low melting temp , can actually hold the molten tin in your hand , for a second or two) .


I also tried a suggestion from a guy who refinished them - he'd semi-sterilize them , inside the trunk , with blacklights .
Sorta works to kill living molds/assorted fungi .... not too sure about the effects on spores, though .