My mom n dad brought me an old trunk they had in attic, she thinks her Grandpa brought it over from Germany, it is covered in metal with wood strips, leather Handles, hat compartment and other paper covered tray inside
I wonder what it might sell for, says 1880 on the metal, nothing else to identify it

Called a "Steamer trunk". Value depends on make and condition. Search for "antique steamer trunk" on eBay to get some kind of an idea what trunks comparable to your's are selling for.

I looked at a few, 500-2000$

I see an awful lot of them at garage sales and antique shops around our area. Most are selling from around $35.00 to $200.00 depending upon condition, etc. They are pretty cool. I got into trouble one time with my girlfriend when she was looking at one at a sale. I said: "What do you need one of them for....you already have an old chest."

Condition is everything and if it still has the inserts that most of them originally came with

They are cool though we have a couple here that we store things in

Oh my! I bet you watch your words better now lol, kinda hard to get loving when they are not happy lol

They are still made to this day, though in strictly high end custom form.
They came in a variety of styles. Flat top, barrel top, nesting sets, folding that made its own chest of drawers or other furniture style.

Popular with College kids, store crap and use as a table.

I watch antique trends pretty close and they change from time to time. The steamer trunks used to be "hot" but now they are not. As someone said already, everything depends on type, condition, etc.

Yours sounds like a family item that ought to stay in the family.

Moosetrot

The round tops were made so that when stowed on a ship they had to be placed on top of the rest of the luggage, therefor not crushed by voyage end.

https://youtu.be/6ljOj6GVcnQ

Mike

I wasn't around in the 1880's.

But in the 1960's and 70's the US Army provided me with a few foot lockers.

What's the big deal?

Not exactly the same thing

I got one like you have described also. I will take a picture and post it here in this evening.

It's pretty cool looking inside, the paper liner has art on it, I think a old time looking family and young girl

Not the best pictures I have it in the work shed kind of dark. Any way this one come through Ellis Island so it is old and has a rounded top. Does yours look like this one Tactical 20?

Vertual the same! My Handel's are more damaged, broke but looks same color and wood, the two pieces on top front corner say 1880?

I will have to see if it has any dates on this one. The shed I have it in is my trap shed/work shed and for storage. The trunk is full of horns. LOL

I remember seeing the one my dad's dad had in our house when I was young. It was not as fancy but nice and quite large. He immigrated to the USA from Norway when he was 7 in 1877 with his mom and dad and two sisters. My dad's oldest sister got the trunk when he passed on in 1958. I don't know about most other nationalities but for many Norwegian immigrants the trunks were made as party gifts by family and friends and thus were very cherished items, many of which would be considered priceless.

Bryce

I bet considering the wages back then they were expensive too