Trunk (luggage)
A
trunk, also known as a
traveling trunk, is a large cuboid container for holding clothes and other personal belongings, typically about 1.5 m wide, and.5 m each deep and high. They were most commonly used for extended periods away from home, such as for boarding school, or long trips abroad. Most trunks are now used as either furniture such as glass-covered coffee-tables or decorative storage for everything from blankets and linens to memorabilia and military paraphernalia. Trunks are differentiated from chests by their more rugged construction due to their intended use as luggage, instead of the latter's pure storage. Among the many styles of trunks there are Jenny Linds, saratogas, monitors, steamers, barrel-staves, bevel-tops, wardrobes, dome-tops, barrel-tops, wall trunks, and even full dresser trunks. These differing styles often only lasted for a decade or two as well, and—along with the hardware—can be extremely helpful in dating an unmarked trunk.