14.26 DECORATED CHINA TRADE TRUNK. Outstanding 19th century Chinese export trunk with finest construction and decoration. This large lovely trunk, measuring 40 inches long, 21 inches wide and 18 1/2 inches high, is crafted of solid aromatic camphor wood using hand dove-tailed construction. It is overlaid by pigskin and then fully brass-bound and tacked for strength, durability and beauty. The lidded chest has three substantial brass hinges and a folding brass "stay" to hold it once open. Inside the reinforced lid is the entire original maker's label reading "MADE IN CANTON CHINA. KWANG-TUNG. YUT WO" The front of the chest is equipped with a brass pull ring for opening and the original functional lock with skeleton key! Both ends of the chest retain their heavy cast brass carrying handles. This colorful chest is beautifully decorated with hand-painted Oriental vignettes depicting exotic birds and floral designs set on a red background -- red being the most collectible color of this genre of chests. The top leather covering is in tact although somewhat buckled with age. The wooden structure is solid and perfectly sound. Overall this chest is in beautifully preserved condition, evidencing wear and age consistent with a 150 year steamer trunk that has been used but not abused. 1995

Provenance: This China trade trunk came from the Farrell estate of Oakland, California. It was acquired by Mr. Farrell, a mining engineer, in Canton while on asignment in China in 1889. This same trunk accompanied the Farrell family while on tour in Europe in 1901.

This trunk is accompanied by a newspaper clipping reporting the sale of a similar trunk at auction in 2003. The trunk sold was smaller, not as decorative, minus its lock and key, and did not carry provenance.

14.30  CAMPAIGN CHEST of DRAWERS.  Genuine second half of the 19th century stacking chest of drawers as used aboard ship.   This classic 5-drawer chest is constructed with the highest standards using solid aromatic camphorwood and hand dove-tailed finger joints.  The quality of execution is carried through in the solid brass hardware.  The drawer pulls are inset folding handles in a “shield” motif.  The key escutcheons are cast brass opening to the functional keyed brass lever locks in all 5 drawers.   The top of the chest bears four heavy brass corners, while each end has hefty cast brass drop handles for carrying on and off ship.  Speaking to the quality of this chest, the middle drawer slides of both sections are secured with pinned and dowelled construction.  Finishing off the presentation are the original 4 turned bun feet on which it rests.  All 5 drawers slide in and out smoothly and lock shut securely.  The upper stack sets atop the lower aligned by two positioning dowels.  This handsome chest is constructed of figural grained wood which obviously was specially selected for it beauty.  As configured the chest stands 39 ¾ inches high, 35 ¾ inches wide and 17 ½ inches deep.  Incredibly the sides and top are fashioned from huge single planks!  What’s more the end sections are matching grain!  As such, all have expected age cracks.  These in no way affect the integrity of the chest or its desirability.  Opening any one of the drawers immediately releases the delightful aroma of camphor.  A most handsome example of genuine shipboard furniture over 120 years old.  Complete with 2 skeleton keys.     

14.35 BATTLESHIP FURNITURE. A really amazing furniture find. Our best in 35 years! Genuine officer’s stateroom chest of drawers as outfitted on the famous early American dreadnaught, battleship U.S.S. SOUTH CAROLINA (BB-26). This rare surviving example of authentic ship’s furniture is made of solid quarter sawn oak with poplar, pine and cedar secondary woods. The construction was expertly hand-made with hidden dove-tail joints, chamfered edges and solid brass fittings throughout including all 4 matching lever locks with 2 working skeleton keys. The lovely side panels are inset in the traditional manner. This classic “stacking” campaign chest is in two parts centered on two dowels between. The upper stack houses a large single cupboard with one removable shelf. The left door locks in place with a heavy brass cane bolt. The right door closes with a positive button latch and can be locked closed with the key. On the back, construction is of vertical tongue and grove cedar. The upper right hand corner is marked “9501 Fitted Aug 4th /01”. In orange grease pencil, “#2 L S. Carolina.” Then in black paint, “U.S.S. So. Carolina Ward Officers Stateroom “L”. The bottom section is also painted, “U.S.S. So. Carolina K.K. Ward Officers Stateroom “B.” There are holes in all 4 back corners where this furniture was originally secured to the ship’s bulkhead. All drawers move freely and lock closed properly. The two cabinet doors open and close smoothly with a positive fit. This handsome chest of drawers measures 51 ¾ inches high by 21 inches deep overall and is 42 inches wide. Overall condition is excellent and very sturdy. As expected this piece of genuine U.S. Navy shipboard furniture 110 years old has undergone some minor modifications as evidenced by plugged screw holes here and there. Importantly there are no cracks, splits, chips, warpage or dents. A genuine, very rare surviving relic of functional and identified shipboard furniture from America’s first dreadnought!

The battleship SOUTH CAROLINA (BB-26) was laid down on December 18, 1906 at the William Cramp & Sons Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was launched July 11, 1908 and commissioned on March 1st 1910. The ship had a length of 453 feet, a beam of 80 feet and a draft of 24 ½ feet, with a displacement of 16,000 tons.

Impressively armored and gunned, the ship carried 8-12 inch guns and 22-3 inch guns, with 8-10 inches of armor in crucial areas. Her compliment was 751 officers and men.

The SOUTH CAROLINA was the first of her class -- the first American dreadnought -- all-big gun battleship. Soon after her commissioning the battleship made voyages to Europe in late 1910 and in 1911. During 1913-14, SOUTH CAROLINA was intimately involved in the U.S interventions in Haiti and Mexico.

During the First World War SOUTH CAROLINA deployed in the Western Hemisphere. In September 1918 she escorted a troop convoy across the submarine-infested Atlantic. Following the end of World War I, she served as a troop ship, bringing over 4,000 servicemen in four voyages from France to the United States in the period February-July 1919.

In June-August 1920, SOUTH CAROLINA carried Naval Academy midshipmen on a training cruise to the Pacific, visiting ports on the U.S. west coast and Hawaii before returning to the east coast by way of the Panama Canal. She made another midshipmen's training cruise to European waters in mid-1921. USS SOUTH CAROLINA was decommissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in December 1921. She was stricken from the Navy list in November 1923 and was scrapped in accordance with the Washington naval limitations treaty.

Interestingly this chest-of-drawers found its way West and was used for a number of years in the lobby of the famous, historic old Smith River Hotel. Smith River is the most northerly town on the California coast.