This old steamer trunk has been in our family since new but had not been cared for at all. I received it after my parents passed. I found it in the barn covered with several coats of house paint and in very poor condition. The trunk was used by my Grandfather as a crewman on the railroad.
The metal corners and bottom were rusted out and some of the wood was broken or rotted. I discovered it was canvas covered when I removed the paint. It also had square nails which, I found online along with new leather straps. I never found the missing half of the lock hardware so I replaced it with a new version. I kept the old hardware just in case.
I stripped the paint, disassembled most of it and restored it to as close to original as I could. The monetary value is not a concern. I just wanted it to look good again. It had little or no value as it was. I line the inside with aromatic cedar and we now store keepsakes inside.