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 > Brass Trunk > Page 15

Antique Brass Trunk

305 items · page 15 of 20

← Page 15 of 20 →

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

19th century

Save

Large Canton China Trade Trunk

From Baggott & Co.

£2,650

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

Antique Apprentice Mule Chest, English, Oak, Miniature Coffer, Desktop, Georgian

18th century

Save

Antique Apprentice Mule Chest, English, Oak, Miniature Coffer, Desktop, Georgian

From London Fine Antiques

£1,495

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

18th century

Save

Antique Oak and Metal Bound Trunk

From Penderyn Antiques

£795

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

19th century

Save

Rosewood Drop-dial Wall Clock

From Masons Antiques

£695

3+ MONTHS AGO

clocks

18th century

Save

18th Century Danish Oak Dome Top Coffer

From Debenham Antiques Ltd

£2,495

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

Antique Travelling Jewellery Box, Chinese, Lacquered, Campaign Case, Victorian

19th century

Save

Antique Travelling Jewellery Box, Chinese, Lacquered, Campaign Case, Victorian

From London Fine Antiques

£895

3+ MONTHS AGO

boxes

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

1900 - 1920

Save

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

From Bushells Antiques

£1,650

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

An Original Camphorwood Trunk with Brass Fittings

19th century

Save

An Original Camphorwood Trunk with Brass Fittings

From Beech and Springs Antiques

£355

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

19th century

Save

Large Drop-dial Fusee Wall Clock

From Georgian Antiques

£1,650

3+ MONTHS AGO

clocks

19th century

Save

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

From Heydays Antiques

£695

3+ MONTHS AGO

clocks

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

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

19th century

Save

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

From M. C. Taylor

£5,500

3+ MONTHS AGO

clocks

19th century

Save

Trunk Chest

From Midwinter Antiques

£795

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

19th century

Save

Solid Satinwood Colonial Trunk

From Hansord Antiques

£880

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

19th century

Save

Nineteenth Century Oak Silver Chest

From Ropeworks Antiques

£265

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

Polished Elm Brass Mounted Gentleman's Travelling Chest

19th century

Save

Polished Elm Brass Mounted Gentleman's Travelling Chest

From David Griffith Antiques

£1,850

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

Antique Victorian Oak Campaign Silverware Trunk Travel Chest C1870

19th century

Save

Antique Victorian Oak Campaign Silverware Trunk Travel Chest C1870

From Lincoln Restorations

£1,225

3+ MONTHS AGO

chests

← 1 ... 13 14 15 16 17 ... 20 →

Antique Brass Trunk

Large Canton China Trade Trunk

Antique Apprentice Mule Chest, English, Oak, Miniature Coffer, Desktop, Georgian

Antique Oak and Metal Bound Trunk

Rosewood Drop-dial Wall Clock

18th Century Danish Oak Dome Top Coffer

Antique Travelling Jewellery Box, Chinese, Lacquered, Campaign Case, Victorian

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

An Original Camphorwood Trunk with Brass Fittings

Large Drop-dial Fusee Wall Clock

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

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

Trunk Chest

Solid Satinwood Colonial Trunk

Nineteenth Century Oak Silver Chest

Polished Elm Brass Mounted Gentleman's Travelling Chest

Antique Victorian Oak Campaign Silverware Trunk Travel Chest C1870

Add keywords to the filter

Price

Era

Movements

Material

Origin

Stock Location

Freshness

Online Payments

Categories