This very rare photo shows the typical small factory here in the United States during the late 1800's. Note the multi generations of owners and workers from adolescent children shown on the top row, teenagers in the middle and bottom rows, young and middle age adults to senior age workers and factory owners. There are not that many vintage photographs of this sort showing children as factory workers before child labor laws were enacted.

It was very typical here in America at the very beginnings of the Industrial Revolution to employ children as young as 9 or 10 years old who would then just continue working for the same factory for most their entire adult life. In fact it was customary that children at an early age would pick up the trade craft of their fathers and initially go to work with them as unpaid interns or a very minimally paid apprentice just to "learn the trade".

An business owner allowing a worker's children to be employed and/or to learn a craft was considered a great benefit to the skilled worker/craftsman and was only offered to loyal top performers.

Of further note which may escape the casual review is that there are no women at all in this photograph, none! This is a further representation of the outdated victorian social structure and times here in America where "proper" women were not normally found in a workplace outside the home, and certainly not in a steamer trunk factory with male employees.

So we here at The Pirate's Lair having been given this priviledge in restoring these trunks so as to extend their usefulness and thereby offering them to our clients take great care during the restoration process, respecting the efforts and labors of the past craftsmen and workers. Hoping that we can somehow honor and extend their original accomplishments in creating beautiful trunks in the mid to late 19th Century well into the early 22nd Century! If these trunks have already survived for over 100 years, who is to say that once restored they won't some survive for another 100 years!

It is hoped that our client's by having this historical perspective as to how and by whom these trunks were originally crafted will treasure them even more so. And in acknowledgement of the people who originally crafted this steamer trunk to pass down this information as a legacy within their respective family's for generations to come as to the history behind their steamer trunk and how it came into their possession.

Of further interest to our clients would be that the typical steamer trunk factory also produced synergistic items such as basic furniture, household items which used wood, leather and metal in their production; and were also manufacturer's of fine leather tack for horses and livestock such as bridles and harnesses.

Rare 1880 to Early 1890's Photograph of Antique Trunk Factory and Workers Using Albumen Silver Print Method, Mounted to a Period Board Which Dates The Photo Note the Flatop and Two Monitor or Waterfall Trunks, Each Being Individually Unique at the Very Time of Production.

Click Photo For Larger View and More Historical Information!

The Pirate's Lair Exclusive! We all romanticize about the mystique of these antique trunks. The possible owners and travels that each steamer trunk has taken, along with the high level of detailed craftsmanship in the original production of each and every steamer trunk with that individualized character giving both intrinsic and non-intrinsic value.

However the truth of the matter is that the majority of these trunks were made towards the middle to end of the 19th century just at the dawning of the industrial revolution here in America when there were no child labor laws or protections. This rare photo clearly illustrates at least 3 generations of owners and workers, ages appearing to range from pre-teen/adolescent, teens/early adult, through middle to old age! It was a common practice that loyal and productive craftsmen would be allowed to bring their children to work with them to learn a craft, so many of the children in this photograph were more than likely sons of the men shown.

Note the adolescent factory workers on top row! Note that there are no women in the photo! This is due to the fact that at that time "proper" women did not work outside of the home, certainly not in a factory. Everybody appears to look pretty stern, having on their arms crossed and "work" faces put on. Copy of Photo On Request With Every Trunk Purchase

OPTIONAL - Trunk Wood Engraving Examples and Prices Custom Designed, Handcrafted, and Hand Lettered in Caligraphy on your Antique Chest	Click Here To Review Sample Engravings	Personalize Your 100+ Year Old Antique Trunk in Perpetuity!
Antique Trunks as a Shadow Box and Storage Chest! Customer Photographic Examples of our Antique Trunks Being used as a Military or Naval Retirement Shadow Box and Storage Chest!!	Click Here for Sample Shadow Box Photographs From Customers	Why just get a shadow box or a newly made trunk with no history! One of our 100+ Year Old Nautical Antique Trunks can be used for both a Shadow Box and Storage Chest for your Uniforms, Photograph Albums, and Memorabilia!

Rare 1880 to Early 1890's Photograph of Antique Trunk Factory and Workers Using Albumen Silver Print Method, Mounted to a Period Board Which Dates The Photo Note the Flatop and Two Monitor or Waterfall Trunks, Each Being Individually Unique at the Very Time of Production.

Click Photo For Larger View and More Historical Information!

The Pirate's Lair Exclusive! We all romanticize about the mystique of these antique trunks. The possible owners and travels that each steamer trunk has taken, along with the high level of detailed craftsmanship in the original production of each and every steamer trunk with that individualized character giving both intrinsic and non-intrinsic value.

However the truth of the matter is that the majority of these trunks were made towards the middle to end of the 19th century just at the dawning of the industrial revolution here in America when there were no child labor laws or protections. This rare photo clearly illustrates at least 3 generations of owners and workers, ages appearing to range from pre-teen/adolescent, teens/early adult, through middle to old age! It was a common practice that loyal and productive craftsmen would be allowed to bring their children to work with them to learn a craft, so many of the children in this photograph were more than likely sons of the men shown.

Note the adolescent factory workers on top row! Note that there are no women in the photo! This is due to the fact that at that time "proper" women did not work outside of the home, certainly not in a factory. Everybody appears to look pretty stern, having on their arms crossed and "work" faces put on. Copy of Photo On Request With Every Trunk Purchase

The Pirate's Lair
Division of DataCity, Inc.
78 Canterbury Drive
Stafford, Virginia 22554
Phone: 540-659-6209
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