1875 Antique Chest

[EthanA]

Hey everyone 👋 I’m new to this site, but have been a treasure hunter at heart since I was a child. Today I was doing some Antique hunting and this chest was sitting in a dark corner and somehow caught my eye.
Stamped on the latch is a patent number and year. It looks to be 145 years old and still has the compartments, which I’ve personally never seen. It definitely caught my interest so I bought it. From my research, I think it may be a 1875 Saratoga Chest, but I’m not sure. I always don’t know if it’s worth anything. It’s not in the best shape but definitely unique to me. Any ideas!

 

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[Blackfoot58]

IMO, the trunk market died around 1985. They seem to be a nuisance item at auctions in these parts. It’s an “eye of the beholder” thing. I say to hang on to it and use it for storage. Perhaps one day the market for them will return. These tend to be cyclical. Best wishes.

 

[EthanA]

Hey everyone 👋 I’m new to this site, but have been a treasure hunter at heart since I was a child. Today I was doing some Antique hunting and this chest was sitting in a dark corner and somehow caught my eye.
Stamped on the latch is a patent number and year. It looks to be 145 years old and still has the compartments, which I’ve personally never seen. It definitely caught my interest so I bought it. From my research, I think it may be a 1875 Saratoga Chest, but I’m not sure. I always don’t know if it’s worth anything. It’s not in the best shape but definitely unique to me. Any ideas! View attachment 2093977

Thank you all so much! After further inspection on the outside, I found this. Not sure if it helps anything.

 

[Red-Coat]

Welcome to Tnet.

I can’t help on value, except that I would agree the market for trunks isn’t buoyant and largely confined to home décor statement pieces. Except for prestigious makers (Louis Vuitton etc) and trunks in excellent condition with all their original interior fitments. I can add a bit more though.

Someone commented on your other thread that “the patent number is not a manufacturing date” and, although that’s true, it does at least give some clue to age. US Utility patents relating to function usually expired after 20 years (14 years for design patents). The May 11, 1875 patent is for Frank W. Mix’s “Improvement in hasps for trunk locks” and he was assignor to the "Eagle Lock Company". The October 1877 patent is, I think, Charles A. Taylor’s “Trunk fixture” patent of October 23, 1877.

Eagle didn’t make trunks, but Taylor did, as owner of “C.A. Taylor Trunk Works” of 41 East Randolph Street, Chicago (and 131 W.38th Street, New York). The company made high-end quality and specialist trunks, including for circuses and the theatrical trade. However, it can’t be said your trunk is definitely from Taylor and most probably is not. The company held a number of patents for trunk parts which were widely licensed for use by other manufacturers. Most of these metal parts were made by a company called “Sessions Trunk Parts” in Connecticut and carry Taylor’s patent dates (until expiry), but not Taylor’s name.