STATE REPORT OF YOUR LOUIS VUITTON STRIPED TRUNK

Description: Striped mail trunk, woven canvas

 PICTURES BEFORE RESTORATION

PICTURES AFTER RESTORATION

 Its materials are:
Poplar shaft, covered with its woven canvas, years 1876-1888
The structure is reinforced with beech slats
The angles are in metal, the jewelry (lock, nails, etc.) is in solid brass.

Condition report: Drips have damaged the canvas and the metal parts
The brasses are dirty
Remains of glue and labels are present on the sides
The canvas is perforated
The interior is very damaged, but the original label is present
Key provided: yes

Stages of its restoration
Inspection of the wooden structure (in poplar) to validate its solidity
Cleaning of jewelery (lock, handles, brackets, nails, etc.)
Cleaning of metal angles and edges
Cleaning beech slats
Several cleanings of the scratched canvas were necessary, with regluing of certain parts
Repair of the canvas on the lid
Re-coating of the canvas
Interior cleaning: barrel and lid
Removal of the original label
Placement of striped paper made to order
Placement of the brace with the original drawing

History of this type of trunk
The story of the model: The steamer trunk
When the bourgeois family went on a trip, they did a Paris-Bordeaux in 18 days, for one trip!
To prepare for this long trip, which lasted months, the house staff prepared the couple's and children's belongings.
On average, a family, composed for example of parents and two children, left with about fifty trunks.
The main trunks that went to the room of Mr or Mrs, were encrypted with the initials of Mr or Mrs.
The following were numbered, to go to the room of the maid, and thus allow the staff to know in which trunk were stored what business.
A small notebook made it possible to list this precious information.
The trunks were prepared by the house staff and taken away by the Courier = name of the "carrier" at the time.
Hence the name of "courier" trunks. Its typical dimensions are approximately a length of 80cm, height 45-50cm and a depth of 45-50cm.

At Louis Vuitton, the steamer trunk is available in plain gray, brown or red striped, yellow or dark checkerboard
Woven, stenciled or printed monogram, in natural leather and in Vuittonite colors
The "Classic" steamer trunk exists from 70 to 110 cm
Nowadays, as new, Vuitton still offers them from 90 cm to 110 cm.
It exists in a male version (height approx. 50 cm) and in a female version (approx. 65 cm) Their finishes vary between steel, lozinated or leather angles;

Louis Vuitton made the beige and brown striped canvas in 1876. It was in 1888 that he went to checkerboard.