OT - Saturday yard sale purchase - Looking for thougts

[Sandman]

Hello everyone,

I'm not a garage-yard-saler but I was on my way to grab my morning Star Bucks and passed an elderly man and younger couple getting ready for the Saturday morning event (6 am) and as I passed something caught my eye. Since I finished my International Harvester fridge I thought it might be cool to find an old Steamer trunk to refinish in JD colours as a coffee table for my man room.

I turned around and stopped to have a look. It was a wood finished trunk which looked hand made covered in some kind of white junk and was pretty rough looking. The Salers wanted $75 dollars for it - I offered not much more than my coffee was going to cost and they said OK.





I got it home and my OCD kicked in and after about 8 hours of scrubbing it down with a toothbrush soap and water I began to think that this was not going to be my JD RedNeck project.







The chest came with several brass pieces inside which included 2 bigger pieces with a strange hole in the side and 2 sets of thin brass much like what you would use to measure a sparkplug gap. I fiddled around with it and soon figured out that it was a lock and key for the trunk.













I did a little research and besides the obvious I think that this is a hand carved trunk.

Anyone have any thoughts? Other than it is not going to be my JD Red Neck coffee table?

Cheers,
Robin

[onebigskittle]

Just looking at the Brass pcs they may be a locking device ,Looks similar to one on my wifes Jewelry box I picked up while in Korea.
I think you got a good deal,and the white stuff may have been mold where the trunk was stored in a damp area.

[hankenhunter]

Holy Antique Roadshow! I would get it appraised before refinishing. It looks hand carved to me, fairly old and maybe valuable. You never know, it may be a diamond in the rough. Me like!
Hank

[Kegbelly]

Nice find! A vinegar/water/soap solution might help with cleaning the white stuff off, looks like it may have mildewed in damp storage. It kind of looks oriental to me, maybe send some pics to some antiques experts and see what they say?

[vixenmaster]

It reminds me of the stuff my Pa brought back from Japan in the 40's & 50's, It also could be Chinese, its very good craftsmanship in the engravin

[mr meat]

Very nice!Great deal and find!

[dabluz]

It's a cheap wooden chest made in China. You can buy them in many stores similar to Dollarama for a few dollars. Send it to me....I will pay shipping and give you a nice 10 dollar bill. The closest Dollarama store in my region is a good 15 minutes drive.

[BeerNutz1960]

I'm no expert, but usually the Hinges, joints in wood, and type of nails are a good place to start to see if it is old. I'd say at a glance its a mass produced product made to look old. I have seen similar chests for a couple of hundred bucks at flea markets. Still nice to look at non the less.
Good Buy in my opinion..

[munch]

thats a great looking piece robin

[R.J.]

Good buy Robin > Cool looking piece !
Looks similar to the ones listed in these links ...

And they are not Dollar store priced !

http://www.mccarneysfurniture.com/produ ... t-c-1920s/

http://www.estatesaleserviceatlanta.com ... =158235776

[Nightstalker]

Holy is right! I think you found the " Ark of the Covenant". Hehehe just kidding, nice buy though..

[Hester0305]

Great looking chest it does really look unique looks like a great purchase