Mystery In an Old German Steamer Trunk

As trunks go, this one is not pretty or handsome in traditional terms. However, what it lacks in the way it looks is more than made up in its mystery and intrigue.

It's a simple pine box. The two metal straps across the top and bottom are hand made...flattened and elongated patiently by a Black Smith's hammer strokes. The hinges are respectively distinct, non-transferable. All the nails are hand made...forged, square shanks with hammered heads. The lock mechanism (of the Skeleton Key variety), was probably originally fashioned in a lock smith's shop. My guess is that it was likely to have been purchased for this application and then placed and secured in the trunk by its creator.

The box's corners are secured with hand cut dove tail joints (see the picture!). The boards across the top and on the sides are held in place with hand made dowels. It has no internal shelves or evidence of there every being any...just a big pine box...and there is nothing inside or on the walls of the box to suggest otherwise. However, there are words scrolled, again in cursive, across a portion of the front inside panel (near the floor) of the box--again in German.

There are three well-faded packing labels on the sides of the trunk (one shown). They are unmistakably German in origin--Hamburg was either a destination or a point of departure on at least one trip. These tell-tale hints suggest the trunk traveled in the belly of a ocean going steamship--a "Steamer Trunk"--and I'm going to guess there were some associated railway adventures. At some point in the past the entire box, including all metal pieces and the hinges, was coated with a rust (i.e., cedar) toned stain. I'm guessing it was a pigmented shellac-type sealer.

Finally, scrolled in cursive across the top of the lid, apparently also in German, you can see as it were a possible title or statement of some kind (Can you read it?). Perhaps this is a reference to the owner, or to the nature of the box and its contents.

I originally assumed this trunk was a vintage post 1900. Given all the hand work we see, I'm going to guess we're peering into the mid-to late 1800's. The challenge for me in doing this kind of work with precious pieces like this old trunk is that of not doing too much to it! "Restoration" can mean many things to different people. In this instance the goal is that of keeping it vintage--authenticity reigns the day.

Wow, these are the joys when we get to hear "Wood Talkin."