Leather Covered Domed Trunk

A leather on softwood, large trunk extensively decorated with brass stud work.

Aside from the decorative flowers etc that the studwork draws, it also serves to strengthen the trunk. It is mainly used to the front and top of the trunk but all the edges have a line of studs and it is even used to the bracket feet and around the long hinges to the back. The two large, iron lock plates and hasps are shaped and also add to the decoration. The carrying handles to the sides have a lozenge back plate. These attributes all suggest that this trunk is Continental.

It has had a life and, aside from running repairs, looks to have also been through a workshop at some point. The running repairs are most noticeable to the interior where the inside left shaped retaining board for the lid has a wooden bracing bar and the top edge has a small section of tin wrapped over it. These are probably to support a split and to cover a worn area. It is probable that a workshop replaced the leather fringe to the lid edge and patched the back edges by the three hinges to strengthen them. A number of patches to the leather, where it has worn on the back and one side, have also been done. A back leg has also been repaired.

The above work is noticeable on close inspection but is not distracting and has been done to make the trunk useable. The trunk is a good size and would work well in front of a bed or behind a sofa. Probably 18th Century.