Trunk

Object Name:

Trunk

Object ID:

1973.007

Creator:

Cross, Henry (1818-1869)Leatherworker

Place of Origin:

Boston, MA

Date:

circa 1850

Description:

Trunk. Made by Henry Cross (1818-1869), Boston, MA. C. 1850. Brass-studded, leather covered. Smooth leather with black or dark-brown finish. One piece of leather covers front surface of lid, top of lid, and down back, turning under bottom edge ~0.5". Unknown if ends of lid come from same piece of leather as top, where there might be seam in leather, upholstery tacks are inserted. Tacks on front, left, and right ends, on top at left and right ends, and on full back at left and right ends. Leather apron 1.2" wide around bottom edge of lid. Apron held in place with horizontal row of brass upholstery adjacent to each other. Diamond-shaped layout of brass upholstery tacks on lid top, 8.3" wide x 4" high at its corners. Diamond-shaped array of four upholstery tacks at each of four corners of diamond. Two handle stubs near center of large diamond, which are leather tube sections, ~0.4" diameter. Their outside-to-outside edge distance is 4.7". Iron lockplate on front of box, bottom section, near top edge, 2.1" square. Held in place by four steel tacks with one in each corner. Raised keyhole escutcheon mounted on iron place near bottom center of plate. Large steel stud in top of keyhole. Straight sides and slightly-rounded bottom edge to slot below it. Pivot point for keyhole cover above keyhole, 1.7" long. Rounded top to brass cover, pinched neck that flares to sharp point. Sides then taper inward to a large disc shape with small tab at bottom; disc diameter 0.75". Stamped letters on front of disc: "SECURE"; stamped figure of crown above that. Vertically-oriented rectangular hole upper left corner of plate. Age and worn asphaltum finish to lock plate. Pivoted iron hasp attached to lid, hanging down and engages lock. Top portion of hasp under leather. Slightly-outward tapering sides to portion below hinge point, clipped corners at bottom. Horizontally rolled finger tab at very bottom, 0.23" wide. Partially-chamfered edges on sides of hasp. Semi-circular section of leather on front of lid, 3.4" wide x 0.9" high. Leather thin and fastened in place with small iron brads spaced ~0.4" apart. Bottom edge of this leather section under apron leather. Four iron tacks in rectangular array holding fragments of paper on right end of box base section, width 3.2" x height 1.6". Inside of box lined with plain fine-woven cloth glued to surfaces, including mating surfaces of top and bottom sections. In some areas cloth appears off-white in color, possibly linen fiber. Leather strap in center of back edge, 1" wide x ~1.5" long, held by three brass upholstery tacks at its top and bottom edges. Strap keeps lid from opening too far. Four iron tacks hold a rectangular arrangement of light-color textile tape on inside of lid. One piece of tape stretched diagonally from upper left corner to lower right corner. Two pieces to bottom tapes. Dangling end of tape lower left corner. Brass plate on left end, 2.4" wide x 1.2" high with beveled edges. Brass upholstery tacks on bottom of box, five on front edge, five on back edge, three on left and right edges holding leather in place. Bottom leather edges all cut straight. Iron tacks holding leather between brass upholstery tacks. Decorative paper on bottom inside leather edges. Some fragments missing in center. Light-colored with blue ink pattern. Pattern repeat ~3.1". Wide white band with array of blue stems and leaves. Single narrow blue line. Light band 0.2" wide. Single blue line, light band repeat. Then wide blue line, then narrow white band. Pattern repeats opposite symmetrical way. Bottom facing rear, writing: "H STARK". Writing facing back: "H Stark" and portions of "Stark" on wood. This name scattered about. Above that at right edge, facing backwards: "Miss H Star[ ]", paper missing. Further to left, paper picks up again, possibly character there, possibly "M". Inscribed with the name in black ink: "Miss H. Stark". Inside, maker's label: "GREAT ANNUAL MILITARY & CIVIC BALL" in upper right corner of lid. Letters in blue, outline font with shadow, san serif. Picture of ball with 12 people in some detail and outlines of other people behind them in oval, fanciful floral framework around them. above them and partially on either side, fanciful stems, flowers and figures of birds, musical horns, lyre. Two chandeliers in ballroom, with lines or chains hanging down in triangular form top in horizontal line. Short, hanging chains underneath them going to central point below each one. Ladies with long dresses, short sleeves, somewhat open necks and pinched waists. Men with long hair, page boy style, dark coats with tails, some with white vests under their coats. Dark pants. Written in pen in lid at left edge, facing left: "Harriet Stark". Below this, facing left: "Dunbarton N. H." Oval, vertically label in center of lid. Wide band around edge to create oval. Buckle in it, lower left corner. Overlaps itself at bottom center. Printed on band: "HORSE CLOTHING, NETS, RUSHES, WHIPS, SPONGES, SHAMOIS, LEATHER & c." Inside oval at top: "HENRY CROSS". Below in black letters: "Saddler. / Harness & Collar / Maker / & Manufacturer of / TRUNKS VALISSES / Carpet Bags & c. / No* 3 Museum Building / Tremont Street. / BOSTON."

Material:

Tissue
Wood
Leather
Brass
Steel
Iron
Textile
Paper

Dimensions:

H-6.3 W-13.2 D-7.6 inches Weight-58.25 oz

Credit Line:

Gift of Doris F. Purvis

People:

Stark, Harriet (1790-1872), Cross, Henry (1818-1869), Purvis, Doris F. (1899-1988)

Subjects:

Boxes, Trunks