Old Steamer Trunk Renewed

Steamer Trunk Before

Steamer Trunk After

They say “every picture tells a story.” Well, if  This antique steamer trunk could tell a story, it sure would have plenty to say. We estimated this trunk dated back to around 1846, based on its condition and the materials used to create it (blunt end nails and very old leather straps). The exterior had seen better days (that’s the understatement), and the interior wasn’t much better. Needless to say we had our work cut out for us. Where do you begin on this type of enormous project? How do you start? It’s not like it comes with its own “restoration" manual.

This was the first time we had been given an opportunity to take on something as challenging as this very old, very used steamer trunk. So, where do you start? Hmmmmm.....that’s a question that took a while, but if you listen carefully, you can hear what the trunk is saying to you and what came through was, “Make me pretty again.” So we start in the beginning, which was taking it apart and labeling each and every piece, carefully, noting exactly where it came from so when the time came to put back together, we would know which piece went where. Photographing, cataloging and labeling each piece of hardware took a long time. Once this was done, we had to determine what could be salvaged and polished and what was no longer usable, in which case would have to be replaced completely.

Steamer Trunk Interior Before

Steamer Trunk Interior After

This steamer trunk took many months to complete because we got it late last year in November, 2018 and heading into winter. The holidays came and went and 2019 was upon us. Work resumed in January. Our customer was in Florida until April, so luckily this wasn’t a rush project, which was great, because a restoration of this magnitude would take months to complete.

Parts were ordered. Original and usable metal parts required wire brush cleaning, priming and painting. The original metal strapping was badly rusted, much of it was missing, therefore new metal strapping had to be constructed. Holes had to be drilled into the new strapping to accept the new nails, which were ordered and painted to match where it would appear on the trunk. The original wood slats on top of the metal strapping was no longer usable, so new mahogany slats were cut and custom built to size and proportion. This was a lovely finishing touch.

Top of Trunk Before

We saved as much hardware as we could and painted it in what we feel were original color options. New straps replaced the old, broken ones. The mostly missing canvas had to be replaced and had to be put on the newly constructed trunk before the metal and wood could be nailed in place. From that point it was a slow, tedious reconstruction of wood, metal and cloth working together to replicate a beautiful “new” trunk.

Finally, in early July, the interior was adorned with pretty new liner paper, (which was actually vinyl) in a tiny rose on cream pattern that was appropriate for the era of this trunk. This was exciting, because it meant we were close to completion. Once the paper was finished and all the exterior parts were in place, we embellished the inside top edge with our customer’s late husband’s belts. She had wanted us to use them on the trunk (if possible). Since we couldn’t position them to work on the outside, we cut them to fit the interior and they looked fantastic, adding a personal effect of a loved one as well as a unique trim element. The last installation was the trunk lid stay to keep fingers safe.

Finally, after almost eight months of head-scratching, disassembling, cataloging, ordering and making new metal and other components, then figuring out how to put it back together, this old, beaten steamer trunk was complete. It was once again beautiful and will likely last 150 years or more for future generations to enjoy.