Large 15th Century Mediterranean Wood Trunk with Elaborate Bronze Detailing. Originally covered in burgundy velvet with three locking mechanisms and sturdy handles on either side. 

Provenance: Consignor originally paid $4800 for it, listed as from 1480 A.D., possibly used for religious purposes in Italy or Turkey. 

Condition: Commensurate with age. 

Size: 52 x 21 x 24 1/2 in. 

A trunk, also known as a travel trunk, is a large cuboid container designed to hold clothes and other personal belongings. They are most commonly used for extended periods away from home, such as for boarding school, or long trips abroad. Trunks are differentiated from chests by their more rugged construction due to their intended use as luggage, instead of the latter’s pure storage. Among the many styles of trunks there are Jenny Lind, Saratoga, monitor, steamer or cabin, barrel-staves, octagon or bevel-top, wardrobe, dome-top, barrel-top, wall trunks, and even full dresser trunks. These differing styles often only lasted for a decade or two as well, and (along with the hardware) can be extremely helpful in dating an unmarked trunk. Although trunks have been around for thousands of years, the most common styles seen and referred to today date from the late 18th Century to the early 20th Century, when they were supplanted in the market by the cost-effective and lighter suitcase. Trunks were generally constructed with a base trunk box made of local wood like pine or cedar, which was then covered with protective and decorative materials. Some of the earliest surviving trunks are covered with studded hide or leather, and later coverings include paper, canvas, plain or embossed tin, and other metals. By the end of the 1940s the explosion in world travel and the ubiquity of the more efficient suitcase meant that trunk use had become rare, and in modern times their use is extremely uncommon.

Commensurate with age. 

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