Curved mail bag in tawny from the 1920s - 100 x 54 x 46 cm

This beautiful piece, weighing nearly 20 kg and with its original chassis, dates from the 1920s/1930s and is believed to come from Germany, Austria, or Alsace. This is evidenced by the remnants of the original label I salvaged, which reads: koffermeister carl gattke köln (trunk maker charles gattke cologne). Treatment and consolidation of the whole. Aesthetic and functional restoration: Cleaning of the interior and exterior of the trunk. Removal of the interior lining and installation of red quilted effect paper. Structural, functional, and aesthetic work: chromatic reintegration of the coated fabric. Old-fashioned design in the form of double frames and the initials f.l. Reintegrated. Creation of a top shelf with handles. Covering of the partition in the lower part with nitrolin (ostrich effect paper) in wild boar brown. Deoxidation of metal parts and application of an old-fashioned golden wax. Polishing of brass locks that do not have their key. Maintenance of leather handles with neatsfoot oil. The structure or body of this curved trunk is made of laminated poplar veneer. This wood is chosen mainly for its lightness and the flexibility of this wood species, which is supposed to withstand falls. The slats, made of beech, are bent or curved using a revolutionary process to heat the wood with steam or in a steam box, thus giving it curved shapes. The covering is made of coated fabric. It is more weather-resistant, lighter, and less fragile than the leather previously used. The hardware: the locks are made of brass. The brackets and ball brackets are made of brass-plated metal. The edges are protected from shocks by stripped metal, repainted with anti-corrosion metal paint in brown. Side handles in leather. French tricolour flag bands on each side of the trunk.