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 "Hank" The Artisan, Hamilton F. "Hank" Ragan, is the owner of Ragan Trunks Limited and possibly the last trunk camelback maker in America. Hank puts his patience, time and love into the creation of each and every trunk. Hamilton Ragan began building trunks after his son brought him an antique trunk to rebuild. After it fell apart when he was trying to fix it, he decided he could do better by starting from scratch. By spending time at the library, Ragan learned everything he could about making camelback trunks, which wasn't much. He taught himself to build the box of the trunk, and how to bend and fit together the wooden slats that come to create the distinctive Camelback lid, that give trunks their name. This hump was originally designed to help shed off water as their owners crossed the plains and mountains of America. Not only did he learn this forgotten art, he also improved on what he found. By creating a more solidly built trunk, he produces one that is built to last several generations at the very least. Steeped in the tradition of the old west, these camelback trunks are created by hand-crafting and trimming Oak, Cherry and Pine one piece at a time. To mimic a camel's back, slats must be meticulously steamed and hand tapered to form the trunk top. This lost technique of trunk making is continued by Hank in his rural Fort Collins, Colorado work shop. Each trunk is a hand fashioned replica of our legendary past. Ancestors traveled from Europe and across the United States with all their worldly possession in trunks. Now recreated by this Christian craftsman, anyone can have their own "Trunk That Won The West". This amazing dedication resulted into three incredible and distinct models, the Conestoga Camelback. the Buckboard Camelback and The Sears Camelback. Whichever may appeal to you and the new Sears model. |
