Vintage 1920s WINSHIP Wardrobe Trunk - Local Pickup only in Palm Springs, California For Sale

VINTAGE WINSHIP WARDROBE TRUNK, xxxx's
We have for sale a really fabulous old WINSHIP WARDROBE TRUNK from around xxxx-xxxx. The WINSHIP wardrobe was known as "The Trunk with Doors!" because of it's unique and different design of other wardrobe trunks of the day. These trunks sold at $37.50 for the basic model and up in the xxxxs, which would be equivalent to $494 today. The ads went on to say
"ENTIRELY DIFFERENT! Opens with swinging doors instead of heavy,
back-straing, floor-marring halves. Stands square in a corner, open or
shut, conserving floor space in stateroom or small hotel room. As con-
venient and as accessible to use as a chiffonier.. Garment and drawer
sections pack and lock independently. The WINSHIP, with its doors, has
a solid base and center partition giving unequaled strength and durability
as well as convenience and beauty."
The trunk measures 22" X 20 3/4" X 39" tall. It has 3-ply brass fittings, round edge construction and is covered in vulcanized fibre. Vulcanized fibre is a laminated plastic composed of only cellulose. The material is a tough, resilient, hornlike material that is lighter than aluminium, tougher than leather, stiffer than most thermoplastics. In xxxx Thomas Taylor obtained the United States Patent for vulcanized fibre.
It has 5 drawers. The first drawer is divided into three compartments. In total it measures 10" across X 4" deep X 20.5" long. The front compartment is 10" X 7 3/4" X 4", and the other two compartments measure 6" X 12" X 4" (on the right side) and 4" X 12" X 4" (on rhe left). The second drawer is 10" across X 5" deep X 20.5" long, the third is 10" X 7" 20.5", the fourth is 10" X 4" X 20.5" and the fifth and largest drawer is 10" across X 11 1/4" deep X 20.5" in length. The fourth and fifth drawer pull out simultaneously but the fourth drawer slides out or lifts up manually to reveal the space below. They all have their original hardware/ drawer pulls.
The wardrobe side measures 20 3/4" across X 39" high X 8" in depth. It has all eight of the original wooden hangers. There are four standard dress/shirt hangers, 2 square hangers for pants, scarves, etc., and 2 anchor shaped hangers. These anchor or "princess" hangers were used to press and hold longer garments in place during transit. It also has the original presser bar which was inserted in front of the hangers and garments, pushed back to compress the garments, and latched in place. This held the garments flat and tightly in place so they wouldn't get wrinkled and slide around. At the bottom of the wardrobe section is a cloth flap which pulled over shoes or other items and clipped into place to hold these items down. On the door of the wardrobe is a hanging fabric bag which could be removed. I'm not sure what this would have been used for. Please note there is a metal 'shoe horn' looking item hanging on the presser bar in a couple of the photos - it does not come with the trunk and was accidentally included in the photos.
The complete interior of the trunk, including both the inside and outer sides of the drawers are lined in a thin fabric with a light background and blue floral and patterned designs. It shows some wear and also browning from the acids in the wood frame and base, and some spots of rust where metal nails or rivets were used. There are a couple of cracks in the exterior vulcanized fabric (not the trunk body) on one side of the trunk. All in all, this fabulous old trunk is complete and in relatively good, used condition, considering that it is close to 90 years old. More photos upon request.
It was made by THE W. W. WINSHIP COMPANY, which was one of the very first makers of wardrobe trunks here in the US. They made their first wardrobre trunks around xxxx. With locations in Boston and then later in Utica, New York, they also made specialty cases for musical instruments, surveying equipment, and other needs. This vintage wardrobe trunk has the original metal label on the door 'THE WINSHIP EXTRA QUALITY WARDROBE TRUNK, MFD. BY W.W. WINSHIP & SONS CO., UTICA, N.Y., Circa xxxx - xxxx. Cash only please. Thank you.