What is an antique brass trunk?

An antique brass trunk is a heavy-duty travelling chest reinforced with brass straps, corners, and mounts to survive long journeys by ship or rail. These sturdy containers were essential luggage for officers and merchants during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today, these chests serve as practical coffee tables or storage boxes in homes, offering deep compartments for blankets and household items while displaying rich wood grain and patinated metalwork.

How were campaign trunks used?

Campaign trunks were designed to pack uniforms, books, and instruments for military personnel moving between distant outposts. Their modular construction allowed easy transport on pack animals or carriages. Owners relied on durable hardwood bodies and protective brass fittings to shield contents from moisture, dust, and rough handling during extended expeditions across colonies.

How do I identify camphor wood?

Camphor wood is identified by its distinct, medicinal aroma, which remains detectable decades after manufacture. The timber displays a pale reddish-brown hue with a fine, interlocking grain. Cabinetmakers favoured this specific wood for military chests because its natural oils deterred moths and protected stored textiles from tropical humidity.

Where were Zanzibar chests made?

Zanzibar chests originated along the East African coast and the island of Zanzibar through extensive trade links with India, Oman, and the Persian Gulf. Local craftsmen constructed these heavy storage boxes using imported teak and hardwood. These pieces feature dense brass studding, geometric sheet brass ornamentation, and complex locking mechanisms that reflect diverse cultural influences from maritime trade.

How do I care for a brass bound chest?

Care for a brass bound chest involves maintaining stable indoor humidity to prevent the hardwood body from shrinking or cracking. Regular dusting keeps the surface clean without stripping historical patination. Avoid harsh chemical cleaners on the brass mounts; gentle polishing preserves the aged metallic lustre accumulated over centuries of handling and travel.

Home > Antiques For Sale > Brass Trunk > Page 9

Antique Brass Trunk

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When you search for an antique brass trunk, you find robust travel chests and campaign boxes built to withstand global transit.

Interesting Mid C18th Brass-bound Solid Cedar Trunk or Coffer.

18th century

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Interesting Mid C18th Brass-bound Solid Cedar Trunk or Coffer.

From M Lees and Sons

£950

FOR SALE

chests

Regency Leather Covered Camphor Campaign Chest

19th century

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Regency Leather Covered Camphor Campaign Chest

From Hobson May Collection

£575

FOR SALE

boxes

Antique Early-20th Century Black Goyard Hat Trunk French Circa 1920'S

1900 - 1920

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Antique Early-20th Century Black Goyard Hat Trunk French Circa 1920'S

From Bushells Antiques

£1,650

FOR SALE

chests

1900 - 1920

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Antique Steamer Trunk

From Antiquus

£250

FOR SALE

chests

19th century

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Tavern Drop Dial Fusee Timepiece Clock 19th Century Oak & Mahogany

From Heydays Antiques

£695

FOR SALE

clocks

19th century

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Victorian Longcase Clock by Sam Robson

From Georgian Antiques

£6,750

FOR SALE

clocks

19th century

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Wall Clock

From Midwinter Antiques

£1,250

FOR SALE

clocks

Timepiece Drop Dial Clock - Haley & Milner - London

19th century

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Timepiece Drop Dial Clock - Haley & Milner - London

From The Antique Clock Co.

£3,950

FOR SALE

clocks

19th century

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Trunk Dial Wall Clock by Sansom 1850

From Its About Time

£2,250

FOR SALE

clocks

Wooden Dial, Chisel Bottom, English Drop-dial Fusee Wall Clcok by John Thwaites.
circa 1805.

19th century

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Wooden Dial, Chisel Bottom, English Drop-dial Fusee Wall Clcok by John Thwaites. circa 1805.

From M. C. Taylor

£5,500

FOR SALE

clocks

Several trunks carry the ghosts of global transit in their camphor scent, preserving a sharp botanical trace from nineteenth-century maritime voyages.

1900 - 1920

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Fitted Trunk Luggage

From Nethermill Antiques

£190

FOR SALE

chests

Nineteenth Century Brass Bound Hardwood Middle Eastern Box

19th century

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Nineteenth Century Brass Bound Hardwood Middle Eastern Box

From Beresford Antiques LTD

£595

FOR SALE

boxes

19th century

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Military Mahogany Blanket Chest

From Harrison Antique Furniture

£690

FOR SALE

chests

1900 - 1920

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Antique Toleware Tin Military Hat Box

From Pareglio & Ayres Antiques Interiors

£195

FOR SALE

boxes

Graduated Set 3 Antique Vellum Leather Suitcases with Extensive Travel Labels

1900 - 1920

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Graduated Set 3 Antique Vellum Leather Suitcases with Extensive Travel Labels

From Robert Bush Antiques

£675

FOR SALE

miscellaneous

Large Victorian Mahogany Leather Ottoman

19th century

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Large Victorian Mahogany Leather Ottoman

From Hingstons of Wilton

£1,950

FOR SALE

chests

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Antique Brass Trunk

Interesting Mid C18th Brass-bound Solid Cedar Trunk or Coffer.

Regency Leather Covered Camphor Campaign Chest

Antique Early-20th Century Black Goyard Hat Trunk French Circa 1920'S

Antique Steamer Trunk

Tavern Drop Dial Fusee Timepiece Clock 19th Century Oak & Mahogany

Victorian Longcase Clock by Sam Robson

Wall Clock

Timepiece Drop Dial Clock - Haley & Milner - London

Trunk Dial Wall Clock by Sansom 1850

Wooden Dial, Chisel Bottom, English Drop-dial Fusee Wall Clcok by John Thwaites. circa 1805.

Fitted Trunk Luggage

Nineteenth Century Brass Bound Hardwood Middle Eastern Box

Military Mahogany Blanket Chest

Antique Toleware Tin Military Hat Box

Graduated Set 3 Antique Vellum Leather Suitcases with Extensive Travel Labels

Large Victorian Mahogany Leather Ottoman

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