Reluctant sale. This is a wonderful piece I bought from an antique store in Sydney, Australia about 20 years ago. It is a genuine original made in 1923 in Utica, New York (see the original ads in the photos). There are very few of these in Australia. It comes with a working key (see pics). The top handle is missing, however, this does not distract from the beauty of the piece. It opens on two sides: One side reveals five, deep & fully functional draws, the other side opens to a wardrobe section with a fold out ironing board. I have the original timber hangers for it in storage & will include them in the sale. I've used this steamer trunk as a piece of furniture in my lounge room and to store books, documents etc. It looks amazing upright (as intended) or on its side if you prefer to use it as a coffee table. Some history about these trunks is below.
It has some wear and tear from its earlier years in use as you would expect, however, all of this adds to the charm and patina of it (see photos).
PICK UP ONLY (Bondi area) OR ELSE YOU WOULD NEED TO ARRANGE YOUR OWN COURIER OR REMOVAL SERVICE at an additional cost to yourself. It is heavy, approx. 25-30kg. My home has easy level access with no stairs.
I love this trunk, it looks like it belongs in a period drama or something from Hogwarts. Although it was made ten years after the Titanic sank (1912), similar steamer trunks would have been used at that time. The photos don’t do it justice.
HISTORY:
Known as Wardrobe Trunks or Traveling Wardrobes, these trunks are some of the largest and heaviest ever made and are designed to stand on end for packing or open use. The right hand side of the trunk, is filled with drawers while the other half has clothes hangers, a shoe section and an ironing board. Pity the people who had to move these monsters around, most are heavy even when empty! Wardrobe trunks have become more and more popular just in the last few years. Many are restored and then used functionally in homes. Most of them were made in the 1920s and 1930s with some going back nearer the turn of the century. Note how the upper part of the left half of the one above opens up to allow better access to the hangers. The two chrome rods in the same area telescope out to give the hangers more room when the trunk is open. 1923 advertisement below ORIGINALLY SOLD AT SAKS-FIFTH AVE, LORD AND TAYLOR AND OTHER FINE STORES. These beautiful old trunks represent a much simpler time. It's that emotional connection that makes them so appealing to collectors, and will only increase the value of the piece in time. *There are not many of these trunks left. The odds of anyone having the same exact one are slim.
I have done my best to describe this piece. It is very old and will contain the usual wear marks of typical everyday use. Scratches, bumps and nicks visible. It's actually very appealing to show the wear....tells a great story of all the years this trunk has seen!