Trunk

Object Name:

Trunk

Object ID:

1979.040

Creator:

Sweetser, Benjamin C. & SonManufacturer

Place of Origin:

Portsmouth, NH

Date:

1825-1830

Description:

Trunk. Made by Benjamin C. Sweetser & Son, Portsmouth, NH. Leather-covered rectangular box with hinged lid and decorative brass tacks. Row of brass upholstery tacks on middle of box top, left and right edges, that go from bottom front to middle of back. Lighter colored leather apron, ~1.3" wide, fastened around near bottom edge of lid with brass upholstery tacks, and covers left, front, and right sides. Small incised line around bottom edge of apron. Apron made from three pieces of leather. Roughly oval iron plate with squarish, iron loop handle in middle of lid on outside. Plate 3.5" wide x 2.24" deep. Single, slightly hollow indentation in edge of plate from back. Two rounded studs sticking up through plate, with holes in them where loop handle passes through from outside edges. After passing through studs, ends of handles turn at 90 degrees and extend ~0.5". Extensions keep handle in upright position with it extended. Otherwise, handle lays flat with the two short handle stubs sticking upward. Iron plate held in place by four iron, flathead, slotted screws. Iron lock plate, 3.2" wide x 2.4" high on front of bottom section. Painted black and held in place by four, round-head, iron tacks. Decorative brass escutcheon, held in place by two brass pins in center of plate. Extra round broken disc attached under top pin, probably for shield to protect lock keyhole. Keyhole near bottom of brass escutcheon with iron stub in top opening. Vertically-oriented rectangular hole in upper left corner of plate. Evidence of two iron stud ends extending into plate on either side of lock keyhole. Iron hinge lock hasp hangs down on lid front with extended drop shape with finger lip at bottom. Hasp mechanism held in place by three, flathead, iron slotted screws. Black paint on portions of hasp. No key for lock. Applied wooden lip on inside of box attached to front and sides of bottom section. Side wood on bottom section, 0.6" thick. Front and back pieces, 0.4" thick. Lid appears to have same material thickness on front and sides. Inside of box covered with blue paper, which covers mating surfaces, the lips, and rest of inside surfaces. Two small leather strap hinges on back edge of box near left and right sides. Iron tacks hold them in place, 0.8" wide. Possibly added at later date due to being crudely made. In same vein, three pairs of brass upholstery tacks on back outside surface, horizontally, ~3.5" apart. In each pair, one above another, top one being in lid. Some slight evidence of being associated with larger leather hinge that was part of original box. Nine modern steel tacks along top edge of base section near lower set of brass upholstery tacks. These indicate some type of modern repair. Two straps beneath lid inside box keep lid from opening too far. Both straps held in place at their ends by brass upholstery tacks. Left hand strap appears to be woven textile strap with leather ends, dull silver, metallic color. Right hand strap simple piece of thin black leather, which may or may not be synthetic. Two mismatched upholstery tacks holding its ends. Piece of rectangular, reamed felt on inside front surface base section, ~5.3" wide x 3" high, glued to backside of lock area. Plain wood on bottom of box outside surface. Leather around edges with number of steel or iron tacks holding it. Scribe lines on bottom and right sides that may have been where leather trimmed.
Two printed paper labels inside lid: "B. C. SWEETSER & SON. / OPPOSITE THE PORTSMOUTH HOTEL / CONGRESS STREET / MANUFACTURERS / OF SADDLES, BRIDLES, HARNESSES, TRUNKS / MILITARY EQUIPMENT, &c." Second label below: "H. R. STODDARD & SON, / Livery, Boarding, Sale & Exchange Stable. / FINE / DRIVING, / BUSINESS / AND / DRAUGHT HORSE. / Nos. 13 and 15 Vaughan Street, / PORTSMOUTH, N.H." Top label 2.3" high x ~3.2" wide; border of printed, decorative rosettes around its outside edge. Lower label 3" high x 4.8" wide; image of standing black horse facing left, about to take a step.

Material:

Wood
Leather
Paper
Brass
Iron
Felt
Textile
Steel

Dimensions:

H-6 W-15.4 D-7.6 inches Weight-61.75 oz

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

People:

Sweetser, Benjamin C. (1778-1834), Sweetser, Washington (1803-1851)

Subjects:

Boxes, Trunks