Trunk Maker and Manufacturer’s Labels

Please note that all of the items below are EXAMPLES. They are in NOT FOR SALE. Reproductions are available from other sources. Please note that WE DO NOT USE REPRODUCTION LABELS in our restorations.

If you have a true Victorian trunk then chances are it does not have a manufacturer’s label. Some makers did put labels in their trunks during the 19th Century and a few even in the 18th Century but labels did not abound until trunks were actually manufactured in factories. By the end of the 1800s there were literally hundreds of manufacturers around the world with the majority being centered in America and Europe. The names ranged from Aigner in Nurberg, Germany to Winship in Boston, USA.

The following photo shows a Jenny Lind manufacturer’s label from Philadelphia.

Henry Bender, Philadelphia

Louis Vuitton, Paris, London

Find one of these labels with a low serial number inside a trunk that’s in good condition and you can nearly name your own price! 

LOTS MORE history of antique trunks on our

Encyclopedia of Antique Trunks CD/Kindle eBook

Please click for details