- Manufactured by
- Herkert and Meisel, American, founded 1888
- Yale, Swedish, founded 1840
- Owned by
- Calloway, Cab, American, 1907 - 1994
- Date
- after 1927
- Medium
- wood, lead-based paint, iron alloy, copper and copper alloy, nickel and nickel alloy, velvet, muslin, textile materials, lacquer, elastic and leather
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (Overall - closed and laying flat): 28 9/16 × 43 1/2 × 23 5/8 in. (72.5 × 110.5 × 60 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 1 right): 4 3/4 × 22 1/16 × 12 3/8 in. (12 × 56 × 31.5 cm)
- H x W x D (Box from Drawer 1 right): 2 3/16 × 4 5/16 × 3 11/16 in. (5.5 × 11 × 9.3 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 2 right): 4 13/16 × 22 1/16 × 12 3/8 in. (12.2 × 56 × 31.5 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 3 right): 7 13/16 × 22 × 12 7/16 in. (19.8 × 55.9 × 31.6 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 4 right): 7 13/16 × 22 1/16 × 12 3/8 in. (19.9 × 56 × 31.5 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 5 right): 7 13/16 × 22 1/16 × 12 1/2 in. (19.8 × 56 × 31.7 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 6 right): 8 1/16 × 22 1/16 × 12 3/8 in. (20.4 × 56 × 31.5 cm)
- H x W x D (Wardrobe brace): 4 15/16 × 21 5/8 × 1 in. (12.5 × 55 × 2.5 cm)
- H x W x D (Wardobe cover): 35 1/16 × 21 7/8 × 7/8 in. (89.1 × 55.5 × 2.3 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 1 - hook extended): 9 5/8 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (24.5 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 1 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 2): 9 5/16 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (23.7 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 2 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 3): 9 11/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (24.6 × 48.5 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 3 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 48.5 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 4): 9 9/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (24.3 × 48.6 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 4 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 48.6 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 5): 9 7/16 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (24 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 5 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 6): 10 1/4 × 18 7/8 × 1/2 in. (26 × 47.9 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 6 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 18 7/8 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 47.9 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 7): 9 9/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (24.3 × 48.6 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 7 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 48.6 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 8): 9 3/4 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (24.8 × 48.5 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 8 - hook down): 7 13/16 × 19 1/8 × 1/2 in. (19.8 × 48.5 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 9): 9 5/8 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (24.5 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 9 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 5/16 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 49 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 10): 9 5/8 × 19 3/16 × 1/2 in. (24.5 × 48.7 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Hanger 10 - hook down): 7 11/16 × 19 3/16 × 1/2 in. (19.5 × 48.7 × 1.2 cm)
- H x W x D (Drawer 7 left): 5 1/8 × 22 1/16 × 14 3/8 in. (13 × 56 × 36.5 cm)
- Description
- A Herkert & Meisel Professional H&M Trunk used by Cab Calloway. The upright standing trunk has a white painted exterior with iron and brass fittings. It is rectangular in shape with two level, elongated top and bottom faces. Standing upright, the narrow side at the top is curved. The trunk has metal latches and dowels on either side of the centered lock and lock receiver. The bindings have ferrous studded edges and metal corner brackets. The trunk opens lengthwise down the center and folds open on three hinges, revealing two sets of interior compartments: a set of six drawers on the right and a hanging space and a drawer on the left side. The curved top of the right side has a leather handle with ferrous fittings at the center and a small, black and red, diamond shaped, metal tag riveted to one corner. The tag has a red diamond at the center with a thin, black band around it. Printed silver text of varying sizes and fonts at the center reads [PROFESSIONAL / H&M / TRUNK]. Printed small silver text in the black band reads [HERKERT / & / MEISEL / TRUNK CO. ST. LOUIS]. The curved top of the left side has painted black text that reads [CAB CALLOWAY]. The hanging compartment on the left and the front of the drawers are lined with yellowed white, faux leather finished fabric. Both compartments have nickel plated fittings, locks, and drawer pulls. The interior of the right compartment is painted white. The right compartment has a set of six stacked drawers that can be locked at the top and are held in place by two, nickel, plated flat bars attached to the front of either side of the drawer compartment that fold in, locking the drawers in place. The left compartment features a rectangular space for hanging clothes. The cover pulls off entirely, revealing a hanging clothing compartment with a sliding hanger rack with ten wooden hangers, a red velvet lined top that folds opens on three hinges, and a wooden brace that attaches to brackets on either side of the hanging compartment. There is also a single drawer below the hanging compartment.
- Drawers 1-6 (right, top to bottom): Drawers 1-6 from a Herkert & Meisel Professional H&M Trunk used by Cab Calloway. The front panels of the six stacked drawers on the right are covered with yellowed white, faux leather finished fabric and have two, drop bail pull handles with a fleur-de-lis pattern and a nickel finish. Aech drawer has nickel plated edges along the top, left, and right sides of the drawers’ front panels and metal tabs at the center of the bottom edge. The top two drawers are narrower than the bottom four. All of the drawers are wooden and either partially or completely lined with off white muslin. Drawer 1 features four interior compartments with thin dividers. On the far left is a small compartment that holds a snugly fitted wooden box and a medium sized rectangular compartment behind it. The box compartment has a finger-sized hole at the center to push out the box. To the right are two, large, equal sized, rectangular compartments. At the center top of the front panel is a Yale lock. In the bottom left and right corners are two nickel plated square tabs that line up to the top of the trunk’s two flat bars that fold in and lock the drawers in place. Adhered to the bottom of the drawer is a white paper label with green decorative frame and green text that reads [Guarantee / We guarantee this trunk against defective materials or work- / manship for a period of five years from purchase date. / Duplicate parts will be sent free of charge to any address. / Locks are not covered by guarantee. / Date_____ Sold by__________ / H.&M. TRUNK CO. / 910 Washington Ave. / ST. LOUIS, MO.]. The jewelry box from Drawer 1 is a small wooden jewelry box constructed from medium brown, lacquered wood. The sides are held together with finger joints. The latch at the front, and two hinges at the back are gold colored metal. The top and bottom are lined with red velvet. The bottom of the box has broken off. Drawer 2 features four interior compartments with thin dividers. On the left is a large square compartment, and there are three smaller rectangular compartment on the right. The compartment in the back right corner has a metal support for a small, traveling iron. Along the top edge of the front panel are two square cutouts with the tabs from Drawer 1 fit and hold drawers 2-6 as part of the drawer’s locking mechanism. Drawer 3 features a single, deep interior compartment. The compartment has two sets of white, webbing ribbon straps on the left and right attached with small nails. Drawer 4 features a single, deep interior compartment. The compartment has one complete set and one incomplete set of white, webbing ribbon straps on the left and right attached with small nails. The back right webbing strap has torn off. Drawer 5 features a single, deep interior compartment. The compartment has two sets of white, webbing ribbon straps on the left and right attached with small nails. Drawer 6 features a two, deep compartments with a thin divider. On the left is a large rectangular compartment two nickel plated bracket on the left and right sides of the compartment. The compartment on the right is rectangular and narrow. Between the two drawer pulls on the front panel is a round metal button stopper at the center. There are indentations on either side of the button stopper that corresponds with the center of the drawer pull on Drawer 7.
- The wardrobe cover (left) is a thin, rectangular panel. Its edges are covered in nickel. It has a wooden frame with the back completely covered with a single sheet of faux leather fabric. At the front top center is a yale lock. Below is a faux leather fabric pull tab. On either side of the lock are round button stoppers that corresponds with the drawer pulls on either side of Drawer 1. On the back is an elastic cord stretched across the top
- The wooden brace (left) is constructed of from a single piece of medium brown, finished wood. The brace is a horizontal bar rounded at the top and bottom center and tapering to each end. The top and bottom edges are carved, beveled, and painted white. The ends of the brace are squared. Attached to the left end is a small metal hook that is inserted into the bracket mounted inside the hanging compartment on the left. Attached to the right side is a spring loaded bolt that clips into a bracket mounted inside the hanging compartment on the right. Stamped text on the bolt reads [PATENTED]. The brace can be inserted into the compartment brackets at various depths to hold the clothing in place. The back is plain.
- Hangers 1-10 (left): Ten wooden hangers from the hanging compartment on the left. The body of the hangers are constructed from plain, unfinished, light colored wood. At the top is a horizontal bar with a triangular shaped body below, carved from a single sheet of wood. Nine of the diagonal left and right sides of the triangular body are concave, and one (Hanger 6), is convex. At the center of the body is a triangular shape cut out which allows the user to hang clothes over the bottom bar. Attached to either end of the flat wooden bar at the top of the hanger are metal hooks that rest over the metal armature of the clothing rack inside the trunk. On the back of the hanger, at the top center, is a hanger hook that folds down when hanging inside the trunk.
- Drawer 7 (left) is wooden and features a single shallow compartment. The drawer’s interior is red velvet lined with an attached faux leather finished fabric flap, also lined with red velvet. The front panel of the drawer is covered with yellowed white, faux leather finished fabric and has a single drop bail pull handle with a fleur-de-lis pattern and a nickel finish at the center. There are nickel plated edges along the top, left, and right sides of the front panel. There is a metal tab at the bottom center.
- Trunk Contents:
- Drawer 1 Contents:
- Drawer 1, Section 1a
- 4. Piece of clear tape
- 5. “Miller High Life” bottle opener
- 6. Gray brush with wooden handle
- Drawer 1, Section 1b
- 2. Wooden box (broken lid) with velvet lining
- Drawer 1, Section 2
- 11. 1 long black sock
- 12. “Regal Pale” bottle opener
- 13. US Swiss Army knife
- 14. “Bee” playing card set
- 15. White string with 3 cream colored buttons
- 16. 1 black cuff link
- 17. Yellowed plastic piece
- 18. Sponge
- 19. “Swank” brown leather case with 10 various buttons
- 20. 3 signed postcards of Cab Calloway
- Drawer 1, Section 3
- 38. Blue silk scarf
- 39. Alka-Seltzer glass jar
- 40. “Brush & Shoehorn Set” cardboard box
- 41. “American Thread Co” spool of brown thread
- 42. Plastic Strip Band-Aid from “Johnson & Johnson”
- 43. 1 large safety pin
- 44. “V& R Wholesale Nursery” receipt
- 45. “New Farm Supper Club” business card
- 46. “Erika Von Tolksdorf” business card
- 47. Holiday Inn business card
- 48. “La Rene Electrical Co, Inc.” business card
- 49. Jerry Beck business card
- 50. Del M. Sawyer business card
- 51. Nuiessle Travel Service, Inc 1967 mini calendar
- 52. La Paella Restaurant business card
- 53. Zweifel Motors Inc. business card
- 54. Edward F. McGuire business card
- 55. John L. Loomis, M.D. business card
- 56. Monsieur Dray restaurant guest receipt
- 57. The Silver Pheasant Inn business card
- 58. Receipt, Metro Off-Rack
- 59. M. Fred Rosenblatt business card
- 60. Gaslight club, Inc. Business card
- 61. De Lisi A gentleman’s world business card
- 62. Swain’s & Errico’s “Odd Couple” business card
- 63. Antillian Tourist Attractions N.V. business card
- 64. Robert B. Blackwell business card
- 65. Lino Castelli business card
- 66. Merrill Racing Stable business card
- 67. James G. Guthro business card
- 68. Sal A. Cammaleri business card
- 69. Joseph F. Cascarella business card
- 70. Lt. John D. Chamberlin business card
- 71. Ed Shrum business card
- 72. Detroit Free Press business card
- 73. Judge Orest V. Maresca business card
- 74. Vince DeGregory Jr. business card
- Drawer 2 Contents:
- Drawer 2, Section 1
- 20. Gray socks (1 pair)
- 21. Blue socks (1 pair)
- 22. Black socks (1 pair)
- 23. Brown socks (1 pair)
- 24. Clean white handkerchief
- 25. Black/brown socks (1 pair)
- 26. Black socks (1 pair)
- 27. White bowtie
- 28. Black collar
- 29. Black bowtie
- 30. Pink, floral pin cushion
- 31.Ziploc bag containing:
- a. Gray bowtie
- b. White bowtie
- c. 2 black bowties
- 32. “Johnson & Johnson” Band-Aid (Qty: 11)
- 33. Pencils, various (Qty: 5)
- 34. “Hyro Parking” ticket
- 35. Dry cleaning paper tab
- 36. Bottle openers; 2 same, 1 different (Qty: 3)
- 37. 1 Pin with green head
- 38. Melody Music Cooperation business card
- Drawer 2, Section 2
- 5. “Turf Customs Cleaners” swatch
- 6. Black brush with broken handle (Detached)
- 7. “Bankers Trust” sewing kit
- 8. “Pabst Blue Ribbon” bottle opener
- Drawer 2, Section 3
- 2. Pack of “Mystik tape”
- *metal frame (component) embedded at the bottom of the drawer
- Drawer 2 , Section 4
- 3. Black socks (2 pairs)
- 4. Piece of clear wrapping
- Drawer 3 Contents:
- 1. Clear bag containing 1 orange washcloth
- 2. 1 orange wash cloth
- 3. Black sock (1 pair)
- 4. “Helen Neuschaefer” bar of wrapped soap
- 5. 1 Johnson & Johnson band aid
- 6. 1 gray cummerbund
- 7. 1 white cummerbund
- Drawer 4 Contents:
- 1. Pink floral pin cushion
- 2. Red paper tag
- Drawer 5 Contents:
- 1. Pink floral pin cushions (Qty: 2)
- 2. 1 clear plastic bag
- 3. 1 clear plastic bag containing 1 green bar of soap
- 4. 1 pink handkerchief
- 5. 1 bundle/pack of pencils (qty: 12)
- 6. 1 Pabst blue ribbon award “Courier All American Band”
- Left Hanging Compartment contents include:
- 1. Black suit
- 2. Gray suit
- 3. Wooden hangers (Qty: 7)
- 4. Ties, various (Qty: 7)
- Place made
- Saint Louis, Missouri, United States, North and Central America
- Place used
- United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- The Cabell “Cab” Calloway III Collection
- Classification
- Accessories and Personal Effects
- Type
- trunks (containers)
- Topic
- Band (Music)
- Clothing and dress
- Conductors (Musicians)
- Costume
- Entertainers
- Jazz (Music)
- Singers (Musicians)
- Travel
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam
- Object number
- A2015.273.1.1
- Restrictions & Rights
- No known copyright restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




