Details, details, and more details, it’s all about the details, that is what this project awarded me. It was a challenge for patience, precision, and methodology.

The trunk was made by the Abel & Bach Trunk Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (see photo). I am not a “knower” of trunks, but my research leads me to believe this trunk was made in the late 19th century. It is said this style of trunk was designed for the “well-to-do” and was coined the name Saratoga because many vacationers used these trunks as they traveled to Saratoga Springs, New York. Saratoga was known for its spas and racetrack. In the case of the owner, Aina Lasky, she believes it was used by her great grandmother while crossing the Atlantic when emigrating from Finland to the United States; her chronology is fitting for the manufacture of this trunk.

The owners wanted a complete restoration and awarded me full discretion. For me, this was an opportunity to challenge my ability and showcase my talents. It became a work of art and a work of pride, something I will always remember. I am grateful.

The first and obvious step was to give the trunk a bath. It needed a good cleaning to remove all the contaminants. Cleaning would reveal its true identity and point me in a direction to proceed.

After the cleaning I was able to determine how each part of the chest was treated (coated). Authenticity was the aim, but faux was unavoidable.

The trunk itself is a carcass of wood wrapped in tin and lined internally with paper. 90% of the job was external. The tin’s decorative design was etched from the factory. Due to the degree of corrosion and/or oxidation all components had to be coated to preserve and protect them; all were matched to faux the original appearance.
Products used were solvent based enamels, metallics, polyurethane, and Danish oil.
The order in which to proceed was the next, very important, step. If this decision was poor, you made a hard job even harder. It became apparent good masking (tape) skills, having the right brushes, and a steady hand were essential.

Here is a list of the number of steps to complete Aina’s trunk:
1) Danish oil, wood slats
2) Silver-metallic, outside corners and motifs
3) Black-enamel, designated tin areas
4) Basecoat-enamel,,designated tin areas to receive faux “etch-print”
5) Silver-metallic, faux “etch-print with stamp
6) Gold-metallic, lock mechanism
7) Polyurethane, (clear matte) trunk interior

As you can tell by the number of steps, this job was not an overnight success. My efforts were spread out over many days due to the dry times in-between coats.

And then it was done, and Aina was happy. 🙂