I’m a total noob

Hey guys. I was searching for some info about some trinkets/trash I recently acquired when I stumbled upon this message board full of all of you attractive/handsome people; I simply HAD to join, teut de suite! I would like to pester the board experts for some approximate date ranges for a couple of these. I hope I haven’t already broken an unwritten rule or breached etiquette already... someone among the lower caste, please let me know I have.

Anyway, on to the garbage:

item 1 is a hanging scale of the “Steelyard” variety, used for the ultra-risqué, super-sexy task of weighing tobacco or cotton. My closest guess is that it was manufactured by PSW&Co around the end of the 19th century or beginning of the 20th.



Next up is everyone’s favorite, impossible to pinpoint item: an American-made, metal-covered travel trunk! So far, the most confident estimate I’ve heard from an expert is “After 1882, but before 1891... most likely 1888-1889”. I have no idea how that specific date was arrived at, or if it’s even accurate. What I do know is that it smells like it’s lived 1,000 lives... not bad, but very distinctly “old”, kinda like your grandpa’s attic smelled when you were a kid, times 1000.



Hopefully, everyone’s browser is still intact after that image bombardment.

Ok, that’s enough for now. I would be very appreciative to hear from the experts on this board. More items to follow, if this goes well!

Thanks!!

AP

 

The scale? The steamer trunk (early 1900's), some thoughts. I think this trunk has been altered because of a couple factors. The top and bottom corners are not protected and the end center wood rail should meet the side rail at the corner. So, IMO, this trunk is a modified version using parts from other trunks.

 

Welcome to the board!
Kudos for the nice pics, properly embedded full size in your post! Some struggle with that matters for first posts

 

Forgot to add it is better to post your questions in appropriate categories to get more visibility hence answers

 

The bottom has been removed completely. However, the top corner hardware is there, with what appears to be the same rivets that are throughout, so they are protected. I’m going to provide you some better pics of the middle slat hardware and layout, because it’s the same on the back, only with heavy scratches. If it was modified - it wasn’t done recently, because it’s got a broken hinge, broken clasp, completely rotted-out bottom (removed by me), and was recovered from a wooden crate wrapped in dry-rotted canvas that was sitting under the collapsed roof of a reconstruction-era mill that closed in the late 1950s, and has been abandoned and overgrown at least since my childhood (late 70s, early 80s). Longest sentence ever!! Because of it’s position under a broken piece of 1” plywood in the crate - it was the only thing somewhat protected from the elements that was salvageable. That’s an interesting theory - and repair or modification would have been done no later than about 1952. I’ll get better pics of those spots for better assessment. Thanks for your expertise!

 

Top and bottom corners and side corners use this type of protection. Yours is makeshift.

 

Does it have little wheels or rollers on the bottom? The steamer trunks turn of the century began to have flat tops and/or wheels go facilitate easy loading and unloading on the steamers. Yours is a camel back which would be earlier. It's missing its interior components but it has it's leather and metal parts, they often go missing or damaged. Not great condition but it could be fixed up and made desirable.

 

Robert, I understand that you’re showing the protected corners of a particular trunk, but even a beginner hobbyist/enthusiast like myself can absolutely guarantee you that they don’t all have corners like that. Do a Google image search for “hump-back trunk 1870s” and you won’t see any corners like that in most of the images. In fact, only a few do, and it’s mostly the later ones after 1891 that seem to have that feature. It seems like no two are exactly alike.

ladybub, to answer your question, it does not have any wheels or rollers. Especially now after I removed the bottom! Haha it was in terrible shape on the bottom, but I’m confident it didn’t have any wheels. I am going to replace the bottom with pine and not attempt to blend it or anything like that. I kinda want the replaced parts to be plainly visible and immediately recognized as replacements. Kinda like piecing dinosaur fossils together! This morning, we got into the crate that was smashed as flat as a pancake at the bottom of the mill ruins, and there are some more tools and two large millstones below. I’ll get some pics of this stuff as we clean it up and bring it in! Hopefully, some tool experts hang out on this site!

 

There are many trunks with various corner protection devices. The site you referenced shows many trunks with similar styles, however, since you do not appreciate my efforts and belittle my attempt to help, I will quit this thread. I wish you luck finding answers to a difficult problem.

 

Ummm, I didn’t reference any particular site. I said that a Google search of every searchable image out there immediately shows that your information is not correct. Hundreds of results all discounting your theory in unison.

Here is just one of the results. Note how zero of the trunks pictured have corner covers like yours:

https://www.hmsantiquetrunks.com/trunks-for-sale.html

You’re doing the right thing by choosing not to participate anymore. Take care!

Now, if any of the trunk-heads out there would be so kind as to contribute an actual expert opinion, that would be much appreciated! I’m adding some more pictures of the corners, and of the trunk from other angles to assist.





Thanks in advance!!

 

Your caustic attitude gave me pause in responding to your post and you do not deserve the knowledge I have acquired during my years of collecting, however, I will offer some insight. The vast majority of trunks are not attributable to a specific maker because "copy-cats" output and cost were the driving forces behind the production. Maker's marks devolved to pasting stickers inside the item except for high-end brands. Considering the style and materials used to construct your trunk, I think copy of another design, probably middle to high-end, was used as a model. The use of metal as an outer shell gained traction after 1900. More than 25 steamer trunks have passed through my hands during the last 20 years of which I retain 3 and will be selling in the near future. FWIW, many of the trunk manufacturers were based in the U.S.A. most of which produced their products using cheaper materials, less wood and minimal impact protection. By the way, the internal lining of your trunk is a clue to its origin.

 

Aw man, I thought you were leaving! Kidding, Robert. We got off on the wrong foot. Thanks for sticking around and helping me. I think we’ve got it narrowed down pretty good. Your guess was early 1900’s. Another expert guessed 1888-1889, and Jim from www.hmsantiquetrunks.com said: “It was made after 1882, and probably closer to the mid to late 1880’s. We’ve got it narrowed down to about a 15-20 year window (1886-1906), and I’m satisfied with that!

Anyone want to venture to guess about the scale?