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.

Antique Steamer Trunk Revival

Steamer Trunk After

Steamer Trunk Before

This was a long-term project of almost six months in the making. An antique steamer trunk such as this was commonly used on steamships (hence the name) by people who were traveling from abroad. People would bring their clothing and valuables from Europe to the US in a trunk such as this one. Because of the age and how it had been used, this trunk and others like it had seen better days. It was quite worn and was begging for a revival.

The first step in reviving this trunk was to remove all the exterior parts; hardware, wood slats, and handles. The interior was covered with old paper which was commonly used to line the inside. People used the materials they had, so newspapers and the like were used to line the inside. Jim had to order replacement nails to keep the look authentic. When these trunks were constructed the carpenters used long nails to attach the hardware and boards. These nails would poke through, but they had used a chunk of metal to bend the nails inward, thus making them even with the wood planks so they could be covered with paper. 

Steamer Trunk After

Steamer Trunk Before

The exterior needed a lot of work. Jim had to remove all the old fabric covering as well as the original metal which had been painted orange. Once the exterior was void of all wood and hardware, he cleaned it up so we could work on covering it with new linen weave fabric. We selected a light color that contrasted well with the polished hardware and refinished wood slats. 

Putting all the original components back on, but freshly refinished, made for a great brand new exterior. He had to replace the old handles with new leather handles as the original ones were no longer usable. We opted to paint the interior black instead of using a paper interior. Our customer loved the finished trunk and planned to use it for linens and extra bedding.

To see the other steamer trunk we worked on, click on the link below:

https://finalefurniture.blogspot.com/search?q=steamer+trunk 

Very Old Pie Safe

Pie Safe Before

Pie Safe After

This pie safe was very, very old. My customer had told me it belonged to her great-great grandmother and had originally come from West Virginia. She believes it dates back to the mid-1800’s. It is one of the oldest pieces of furniture we have restored and refinished so far. (Another one is a steamer trunk, also from the mid-1800’s which will hopefully be done this month, so stay tuned!)

This pie safe had been through many, many years and oh, the stories it could tell if it could speak! It had been around during the civil war, the great depression and had paralleled the election and death of many presidents as well as welcoming many children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to this world.

While it had “good bones,” it needed a great deal of work and of course, time. The top was bent and warped, the metal and body had been painted numerous times and was literally “caked” on, so it made sense to take this oldie apart and restore each piece separately as this allowed better access to the metal work and gave Jim a chance to straighten out and repair a few things, such as the broken bottom drawer and bent, warped top.

After removing a few layers of paint from the body, Jim painstakingly began a 7-week process of removing all the paint from the tin, which had a lovely pattern which was all but hidden beneath that paint. He chose to use a drill bit that matched the size of the holes to remove the paint which had seeped into each hole, then used a wood carving tool to remove the rest. This was a very long, tedious process, but it was the only way to do it right. Once done, he had to prime then paint the metal and let it dry completely before I could paint the body.

The customer had originally wanted the pie safe stripped and stained, but once the old paint was removed, the wood used to create this pie safe wasn’t stain-worthy, so we opted for painting it white with copper spray paint for the metal inserts which had a beautiful circular design, practically invisible under all that paint. The copper was an excellent choice, as it highlighted the beautiful paint color, Sherwin-Williams "Cotton White.” For a finishing “fun” touch, I selected polka dot knobs to replace the old wooden ones to add a touch of whimsy.

After this old beauty was done, the results were absolutely stunning, one which will go into our “Finale Hall of Fame,” for sure. Definitely a great and beautiful item of furniture which will be lovingly used for many years to come.