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Five Chinese Immigrant Wooden Trunks
Above left are two original Chinese trunks that would have arrived from China with their owners. One is nicely fitted inside with pockets and lining and both may have been like that originally. Made from wood they were covered in pigskin and would have only been used by well-off immigrants rather than the poor coolies who often travelled with nothing other than what they stood up in. The trunks measure 66cmX45cmX37cm, which we believe was the largest amount of luggage that the average traveller from China was allowed to take on board ship as space was at a premium.
Above right are three similar trunks of varying sizes. None of these have any interior fittings nor are they pigskin covered which indicates they belonged to much less affluent owners than those on the left.