Antique Austrian German Painted Pine Trunk with Lift Top circa 1875

This handsome antique Austrian German pine trunk from Austria Germany circa 1875 has a painted finish with applied and raised moulding to its front façade. The powerful dove tail joining that gives the trunk its great structural stength is quite visible at each of the four corners and adds to its visual appeal. The lid has a slender band of applied moulding around its edge and when lifted reveals a large storage space including a small cabinet with a lid on the left side. Trunks like this were always used for storage of valuable objects because they could be locked. Thos antique painted trunk retains its iron locking mechanism but has unfortunately become separated from its key. The interior box was generally used for candle storage as candles were essential and expensive necessities before commercial production occurred. The trunk has a pair of decorative front panels created from applied and raised moulding set symmetrically on either side of the metal escutcheon. Raised on four slightly tapered feet this useful example of antique storage will continue to give both pleasure and practicality in a modern setting.