Trunk

Object Name:

Trunk

Object ID:

1982.003

Creator:

Brown, William (1752-1834)

Place of Origin:

Dover, NH

Date:

1838-1862

Description:

Small, leather-covered, hinged box trimmed with brass tacks. Flat top. Brass furniture pull handle at top. Overall width with escutcheons: 2.9". Handle pivots, two small, brass staples going through escutcheon plates. Leather on top extends from front edge, across top, down back partially to bottom edge where glued in place. Decorative band extending up front at right and left edges, extending across edges of lid, across top, and all way back to bottom edge, held in place with brass upholstery tacks. Strip 0.3" wide. Leather apron around bottom edge of lid, ~0.9" wide with slightly-scalloped edge with serrated decorations. Pattern repeat ~0.7". Narrow band of leather at top edge of apron, held in place by brass upholstery tacks. Band and apron extend from front surface across sides of top. Iron lock plate, 1.99" wide by 1.58" high on front surface of bottom section, held in place by four steel tacks in each corner. Vertically-oriented hole upper left corner. Keyhole with steel posts slightly below center of plate. Pivoted brass cover, swings over keyhole. Round top with steel tack. Top of cover rounded with shaft extending down to larger rounded disc with eagle with shield embossed in its surface, carrying arrows in one of its claws. Steel key for latch bar in lock. Painted black steel hasp attached to lid under leather with two brass upholstery tacks and perhaps another fastener hidden under leather. Disruptions in leather front edge of top surface where it is worn and torn. Leather torn in some areas of bottom edge. A couple leather hinges seen at back joint between top and bottom inside box. Slightly over 1" wide. Exterior dimensions evidenced by some wear to weather on back, outside surface. Pink keeper strap left side interior, possibly modern addition. Interior covered with white paper with blue dots on it. Dots ~0.5" apart. Dots ~0.1" in diameter.
Key inside. Paper label inside lid, 5.3" wide, ~4.5" high.of "DOVER TRUNK STORE. / (lined drawing of coach drawn by four horses going to right. Coach with driver and assistant with long whip and reins. Two people sitting behind driver on top of coach. One person sitting near top at rear of coach." Below text: "At D H. Wendell's/ No 3, Central ST. Dover, N. H. / May be found a good assortment of Travel and / C, TRUNKS-VALISES-Traveling / Bags and Whips, at very low prices. / ALSO-SADDLES, BRIDLES, HARNESSES, FIRE BUCK- / ETS, & C. & C. / Those wishing to purchase will please call. Re- / pairs done with neatness and dispatch on the most rea- / sonable terms." Printed, decorative border.

Material:

Wood
Leather
Brass
Paper

Dimensions:

H-4.4 W-10.1 D-5.4 inches Weight-18.8 oz

Provenance:

William Brown made trunks at the Dover Trunk Store, part of the harness and saddle shop of Daniel H. Wendell (1814-1895), which operated on Central Avenue (Merchants Row) from 1838 to 1862.

Credit Line:

New Hampshire Historical Society Purchase

Subjects:

Boxes, Trunks