I found it necessary to write this post, following some recent events…

The first one is an email received from someone asking me to restore a trunk identical to the one above… The person describes the trunk as “antique”.

Yet it is a trunk found NEW in “consignment” shops for about 50 euros…

Therefore I did some research to find where it comes from, how much it costs…

That type of trunk can be found for $ 5… Yes indeed, you read right… $ 5, for an order of 100 pcs in China.

We bought one as a sample a few months ago.

The wood is in fact compressed sawdust which weighs 2 tons; leather is PVC, bindings are glued, etc. etc.

This trunk is sold in China $ 40 i.e. around 30 euros (1’000 pcs).
In a M… du Monde shop, it is offered at around 400 euros…

The trunk is described as leather-made (composition leather out of leather powder), as equipped with a lock (yes but it is one-piece with no mechanism), with nails (yes but the nails are only glued nailheads!!).

Trunk sold in China for $ 50 for an order of 100 pcs

Found here on a flea market offered by a junk dealer as being restored by him!!!

Then below, sets of different trunks, always sold by set of 3 pcs, for about $ 5 each for an order of 100 sets.
These trunks are presently offered on the flea markets in Switzerland for around CHF 150 per piece!

To cut a long story short, I beg you… Buy nothing if necessary… but do not buy that…