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Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Mom's Steamer Trunk

  The big sorting project I've been mentioning... This item is at the center of it. This is my mother's steamer trunk. I believe it was purchased for her when she went to college at Temple University in 1927 or 1928. steamer trunk

If you are familiar with this kind of trunk, you won't be too impressed. I don't think this is a particularly fancy one, but it is fairy nice, and everything still works. On the left are various kinds of hangers, and a flat case at the bottom that clips in for travel, or is removable. steamer trunk

The trunk was made by the Hartmann company and has a patented "Cushion Top." Perhaps you can tell that this area is padded. This supposedly protected the hanging clothes. It folds down flat when you want to close the trunk. steamer trunk

On the other side are four drawers. The top one has a lock, and when you remove the drawer, you rotate that bar I've raised, and it locks or unlocks the other drawers. steamer trunk

Temple University is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and one of Mom's stickers is still on the outside of the trunk. I don't know too much about Mom's college years. She belonged to the sorority Alpha-Sigma-Alpha. She was on the swim team. Her major was Home Economics. steamer trunk sticker

The trunk was not being stored in a good place. Now it will be in a better location. And my goal was to fill it with things that need protection too. I found some things that will go in it. Others await another adventure in box searching to locate.

I often describe my life as one of those square flat puzzles with 16 spaces and 15 blocks that you slide around to create a picture or sequence of numbers, but you only have one open square to work with. I've now learned a new name for this- "garage Tetris." This is my world. But I've organized one tiny piece of it this week.

In other news: I took a walk with Cathy in very wet snow. The pictures aren't great. It was really sloppy, but at least we walked for an hour. I did a whole list of errands, had bell choir practice, and then an online meeting. No writing occured. But I'm whipped.

See A Veteran's Day Story

3 comments:

Ann said...

Not only is this steamer trunk a treasure but now it will be holding other treasures as well.

Lin said...

Cool! I don't have any treasures from my family. We did acquire a few things from Joe's parents, which was exciting. I was blessed to have a few of my MIL's mother's quilts, which are AMAZING. There was so much, but we only have so much room. It's nice that you saved the trunk.

Sharkbytes said...

Ann- yes! And hopefully protecting them

Lin- glad you have a few things. I have WAY too much