WoodenTrunk1 WoodenTrunk2 WoodenTrunk3 WoodenTrunk4

Wooden Trunk

The wooden trunk has been around for centuries. Imagine living in a time when there was no such thing as luggage. There were not any airplanes to transport you quickly from city to city. What if the only way to travel was by boat or train? How would you transport your belongings? Back then, people would transport their belongings in a wooden trunk.

Wooden trunk s were manufactured in bulk starting in the early 1600s and continued through the early 1900s. Nowadays, wooden trunks are still manufactured commercially in the designs that were the popular back then. People currently use a wooden trunk for storing blankets, linen, and memorabilia. Back in the 1600s, people used a wooden trunk for similar purposes. However, they mainly used it for traveling purposes. Wooden trunks were then called traveling chests and were big enough to fin on the back of stage coaches and in the storage cabins of trains. They measure about three feet in width and a foot and a half long and deep, perfect for clothes, shoes, and other personal items.

It is quite easy to find a wooden trunk for your home. Most of the trunks that are being manufactured today are more modern looking chests. However, antique wooden trunks are easy to find. Most antique stores and antique dealers have wooden trunks in their shops or know where to find them. Visit the local antique shops or flea markets in your area and you will be sure to find a nice selection of trunks to choose from, and most likely you will find the one wooden trunk that meets your needs perfectly.

Over time the construction and design of the wooden trunk has not changed dramatically since the early 1600s. Because it’s purpose was mainly to store items during to travel and to safeguard belongings during extended time periods when the owner was away from home. It is made different from its cousin, the wooden chest. Though similar in size to a chest, the wooden trunk has a more rugged and sturdy construction since it was used as luggage and not a decorative item.

A wooden trunk typically built with a base trunk made of sturdy pine wood. It is then covered with a protective material, mostly leather. In some cases the wooden trunk was covered with a decorative material, similar to wall paper.

Because wooden trunks were popular for their functionality, there were many manufactures of the wooden trunk. Trunk makers almost always specialized in making one type of wooden trunk. And there are many types of wooden trunks.

The Jenny Lind wooden trunk is wilding popular. It is named after a Swedish opera singer who performed for P.T Barnum. The trunk has very distinct hour glass shape when you look at it from the side.

A Saratoga wooden trunk was a very sought after and expensive trunk. It is known for its complex and rather myriad design of compartments and trays. Today, the Saratoga wooden trunk is still considered to be a premium trunk.

The most expensive wooden trunks were crafted out of pricey materials and have intricate designs and workmanship. These trunks are difficult to come by. Most have been handed down in families from generation to generation. Most of these families are reluctant to sell such valuable heirlooms that embody so much of the family’s history.

But everyone back then was not wealthy. Therefore there was, and still remains, a high demand for less expensive trunks. The Monitor Top wooden trunk and the Steamer trunk are the most popular trunks. A Monitor Top trunk is easily recognized by its rounded front and rear corners. The Steamer trunk differs slightly others trunks due to the fact that this wooden trunk is usually covered in leather or canvas. Most Steamer trunks have a flat top, designed specifically for being able to be stacked on top of one another inside the steamer cabin of a train. That is how this wooden trunk got its name.

There are also cabin trunks, which would be today’s equivalent of carry on bag. It has a flat top and inner compartments. It was used to carry items that the owner deemed to precious or valuable to stash in the steamer cabin.

Another popular wooden trunk is the wardrobe. Although most people do not consider it a trunk. Built for travel by boat, the wardrobe must be stood up on its end in ordered to be opened. It consists of drawers on one side and hangers for clothes on the other.

If you purchase an antique wooden trunk, it may need some work done to restore it to its original state. This can be done by a professional but the process is actually easy enough to do yourself. Once you have restored your wooden trunk and place it in your home, it will be a lasting treasure that you can enjoy forever.