Seacoast Blog #108
March 13, 2011  

Editor’s Note: years ago I published a Web page on antique trunks based on books by trunkmaster Pat Morse. Pat runs THE TRUNK SHOP originally owned by David Edelstein on Ceres Street in Portsmouth. For almost a decade letters continue to pour in from readers wanting to know more about their trunks. So when I spotted this Portsmouth-made trunk on eBay, I asked Pat to offer a few comments on this trunk and the antique trunk market in general. His shop is now in Barrington, NH.  Here’s what he had to say> (Continued below)

This is a great example of an early 19^th century hide covered trunk. This type of trunk is sometimes referred to as a “stagecoach” trunk. Why, I don’t know. It is made of pine and covered with deer or cowhide with the hair still on. It is decorated with hand cast brass tacks and retains most of the original hand wrought iron hardware. Notice the rose head, hand forged nails holding the handles on. The lock has been modified over the years. The oblong hole in the latch is something that was added, most likely because the key was lost and another type of locking arrangement was desired. The screws holding the lock on are not original. Rose head nails would have been used. Also, one of the leather dust trim pieces has been replaced. They also used screws to attach it instead of the original brass tacks. Those tacks are very difficult to pull out intact. The shank usually breaks off because they are very thin and brittle.  

The seller dates this trunk to ca. 1820, which is about right, give or take 5-10 years. This trunk retains the original polka dot lining. A rare occurrence, indeed. It also has the maker’s label, which increases the value of the trunk.  

These earlier trunks are rarely found with so much of the original covering still attached mainly because of several factors. One being the fact that about 200 hundred years have gone by and the trunk has most likely been in a number of dry and wet environments causing the leather to deteriorate, either getting brittle or rotting. Another thing that affects the covering is that many people are turned off by the hair and simply remove the leather and refinish the pine body underneath. Lately, we have been looking more closely at these earlier trunks that are close to original condition and leaving them alone.  

A trunk like this does have some value but it’s not at the same level as, say, a Louis Vuitton trunk. The fact is, even though this trunk is completely hand made, including hand planed boards, there were quite a few of them made and there are many still around, especially in New England where most of the trunk makers of the time worked. But, because of the condition of this trunk, it will some day come into its own and have a substantial value. They currently sell for $100-300 unrestored. Trunks in better condition, such as this one, command a premium of perhaps up to $400-600. It they are restored or refinished the prices fall in the $300-800 range. 

Nathanial March also had a shop on Daniel Street in Portsmouth, as well as the State Street address where this trunk was made.  

As with all trunks lately, the Nathanial March trunk has increased in value considerably over the last 20 years. We used to buy trunks in Mid-coast Maine for $5 each when we were first starting out in the mid to late 1970s. We even bought one Louis Vuitton trunk for $3 and another for $35. Both from dealers. My brother-in-law, David Edelstein, bought a large Louis Vuitton steamer trunk for $5 at an estate sale. It was in perfect, clean condition with all of the trays. That same trunk today sells for around $8,000.00.  

Some trunks to watch out for: Oak slat trunks. These trunks have matched oak boards about 2” wide covering the whole outside surface of the trunk. They are valued from $300-1500 in the rough. Jenny Lind trunks. These trunks have a distinctive “loaf of bread” shape when looked at from the end. They were only made for a few years and are very collectible. Louis Vuitton or Goyard trunks. Trunks by these renowned French makers are extremely valuable, many priced into the $5000-10,000 range. Salesman’s sample trunks. These miniature trunks look like a regular trunk that has been shrunk down. Don’t mistake a doll trunk for a salesman’s sample. The doll trunk would have a larger, clunky lock while the salesman’s sample would have a normal looking lock but in a very reduce size. Salesman’s sample trunks can be worth much more than their full sized counterparts. 

Contact Pat Morse at TRUNK.com