Old round top project chest w handcut dovetails

[waywardangler]

I picked this up a week ago at a rummage sale and have a few questions on construction.  There are metal corner brackets on each of the four corners on the top.  Each bracket has been inlet into the corner over the dovetail.  I think these are a later addition to strengthen the corners but am not sure.  How does one tell the age of these chests/trunks by construction?  I am guessing 1880s or earlier.  There are many layers of paint with the last one being a beautiful red enamel that it is hard to tell what is what.  Each side is one 13 1/2" board tall.  The inside is pretty nice and the document box is still intact with the lock (no key).  The original lock for the chest is gone.  The chest is about 33" wide and 20" high to the top of the curve.  Width is about 17".  I do not know what the original paint color is but it is probably there somewhere (I see a yellow and a black or very dark green).  I am going to eventually strip this (probably by hand) but I am in no hurry to start this.  Cost was $3.

[hosman321]

I'm having serious deja vu, reminds me of the trunk I posted about a week ago. Except smaller. Or maybe it's not smaller. I'd say it's pretty close to the time period of mine. 1880's-90's-ish. I like it!

[regularjoe2]

I'd say you're 100% correct about the corner brackets being a later repair , wayward .

Is your cool $3.00 score made from yellow pine (can't quite tell from images only) ?

[waywardangler]

It is pine but I would have to get out my wood book to narrow it to yellow pine, regjoe.  Whoever put those corner brackets on did a nice job of inletting them.  The sharpness of the screw slots made me suspicious.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Great-looking chest! Are you going to take it down to the original wood? It would look beautiful in a clear finish I bet with the natural wood.

[waywardangler]

Tales, I am not sure...it all depends how the paint (hopefully) peels off.  I would like to get to the original paint if possible but may have to go to the wood and see what it looks like.  I hope the metal corner brackets are at least rusty instead of shiny.  I also have to look for a lock and take the remnants of the hasp off. I did take off a lock from an old tool chest but it is only the bottom key half. It looks like it may fit OK.  The really good thing about this trunk/chest is that it does not smell musty at all.  So far I have just been looking at it everyday trying to picture it when it is done.

I had a great thought for a musty smelling wood trunk...fill it up with tobacco (cured) leaves and let it be for a year.  I have an old cigar mold and the tobacco smell still permeates that wood.  It smells great to me even tho I do not smoke.  I wonder if anyone has tried that?

[ironlord1963]

Never heard of that tip before Wayward but sounds like it would work, maybe a new product line to go with regularjoes Silverpolish protector and all the other great products brought to you buy the fine folks at ASC. 

[fancypants]

Interesting idea with the 'bacco , wayward .

Maybe an open bag of 'flavored' pipe tobacco would do the trick , as long as there's not paper i/s the trunk .

[talesofthesevenseas]

*Gag!* I'm gonna speak for the female species and suggest airing the trunk in the sunshine!!!

[regularjoe2]

Hmmm ... Waywards' Whacky Tebakkey Trunk-cure ....

[waywardangler]

It sounds like we are getting a whole line of antique products so now we just need market testers, actual product, and buyers.  I think the buyers will be the toughest part of the line.

[hosman321]

You know, I was gonna post a question a few days ago but I thought it sounded so crazy. All of the antiques I have been getting on ebay lately smell of flavored tobacco. I open the package and just love the smell but I couldn't figure out why in the world they all smelled like that. I figured someone was just smokin' while they packed it lol. It's been that way with the old postcards I've been buying, too. Makes them smell wonderful. Guess I am the only one who didn't know this trick! Maybe I'll do that with my trunk...