Antiques Roadshow

Sebastian clarke

Sebastian Clarke, Rago Auctions.

Sebastian

Welcome to Roadshow.

Cara

Thank you.

Sebastian

So tell me about this object.

Cara

Well, it's something I've had since 1966. It was part of an estate of a woman that my parents worked for. She was in her 80s and this was from probably early 1900s. That's about all I know about it, but they were very prominent people. It's traveled a lot. I don't know how much it traveled with them, but it's traveled a lot with my parents. It's been across the ocean six times, so it's truly a steamer trunk.

Sebastian

And do you know who made it?

Cara

Louis Vuitton. Yes.

Sebastian

That's correct.

Cara

Absolutely.

Sebastian

So this is a wonderful example of a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk, as you had said. Louis Vuitton, as we all know today, is one of the most iconic designers, one of the most popular and most recognized brands in the world.

Cara

Right.

Sebastian

He started business in 1854 in Paris, and his sole business was trunks, transportation, luggage, that sort of thing. In 1858, he introduced his first flat-top trunk, which at the time was really unusual, because most of the trunks, as we see today, are domed, so a flat-top trunk was really almost groundbreaking, and it was in a gray canvas that he called Trianon. Then later on in the 1870s, he introduced a striped canvas trunk. He wanted to keep going and changing designs so people wouldn't copy him, which is ironic now because Louis Vuitton is copied all the time.

Cara

Yes.

Sebastian

This pattern design, this check design was introduced in 1888, and it really is a wonderful example of his design and his work. And what's interesting is they've actually reissued the check design today, and it's now more popular than the Louis Vuitton monogram.

Cara

Oh, good.

Sebastian

So the LV monogram that we know today, that trunk was introduced after his death in 1896. So this one we know comes from the late 19th century after 1888. And I'm just going to open it up for you and we can take a look inside. Starting at the top, you have this wonderful ribbon, this latticework ribbon, and you would be able to stick cards and notes and any little bits of information, travel paperwork, within here. There is some fraying, which is totally fine.

Cara

And staining, yes.

Sebastian

And staining and water damage. And what's most obvious here is that we have this fabulous large label here, and it says, "Louis Vuitton," and then the numbers down here, which is 34233. That's the serial number. With a little bit more homework, we could almost certainly date it to the year it was issued.

Cara

Oh, nice.

Sebastian

Inside also there used to be trays, and you can see that because of the different degrees of shadows. You've got these clear marks that move down through the interior.

Cara

I've never noticed that before.

Sebastian

And then also, you have this little ridge where the base tray would sit. So this would have had a stacking section on the interior. I'm going to close it up now, so watch your fingers. A couple of other things to point out on the exterior. You have these strap loops here. There's one right here.

Cara

Yes.

Sebastian

And there's also one down here as well, and each of them actually say, "Louis Vuitton, Paris," which is fabulous. Then it's also got "London" in there as well. He slowly opened stores in London and then also across the world. On the sides, we also have stenciled numbers, which is generally just sort of the inventory number of the family that owned it. And below it, you also have initials, which were scrubbed. So someone took those off at some point. When we look at this, the condition is well-used and loved, but it's actually in really remarkably good condition,

given that these trunks-- Cara

The age.

Sebastian

You know in its lifetime, it's traveled six times across the ocean.

Cara

Right.

Sebastian

It's probably traveled countless more times than that. And they do come up for auction really quite often, so we're able to track down prices of how much these have sold for. Have you ever had it appraised? Any sense of value?

Cara

No.

Sebastian

So if I were to see this come up for auction today, I would feel very comfortable in saying that it would sell for around about $10,000.

Cara

Very good.

Sebastian

If we were to insure it, you would need to place the insurance value of $20,000 or more on it. It's a real joy to see. You're missing the trays. That's not the end of the world. They're extremely popular in today's marketplace.

Cara

Well, great. Lovely. Thank you. You made my weekend. Lovely.

Sebastian

No, it's a wonderful example. Thank you for bringing it in.

Cara

My pleasure. Pleasure to meet you, too.

Sebastian

Oh, well, thanks. Now tell me, are there any questions that you have about the piece?

Cara

No, no. You've answered everything.

Sebastian

Then I did my job. Good. Thank you very much.

Cara

Where would I look up, do homework on the number?

Sebastian

So the best place to start, like everything, is the Internet. There are a number of wonderful sort of archival websites that you could go with, and you could certainly go down that road. We just didn't quite have the opportunity to fully pursue that. I don't think ultimately it would enhance the value hugely, though, because we know when the pattern was introduced.

Cara

Right.

Sebastian

And we know when they introduced the new pattern afterwards.

Cara

Okay, very good.

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Sebastian

So tell me, how did this come into your possession?

Cara

My parents were working for an elderly lady in northern Virginia, and when she passed away, the family told my parents to basically take whatever they would like to have. So the trunk was the number-one item, and a few knickknacks and things just to remember her by. I know it's been from Louis Vuitton to the owner to us. There's been no in-between. It's come straight to us from the original owner.

Sebastian

Well, your parents had great taste. They chose well.

Cara

Yes, they did. Okay. They just look at me barely.

Sebastian

Ah, there we go. For condition, don't do anything to it. Keep it in a dry, dark environment and not in exposed sunlight. There's nothing, really, that you should do to clean it. A dry cloth is just fine.

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Cara

I use it to store all my bed linens.

Sebastian

For God's sake, don't put mothballs in there.

Cara

No, but it smells like mothballs.

Sebastian

Oh, that's nothing.

Cara

We have never, ever used mothballs.

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Sebastian

Step back one sec. I think I can let go of the lid, too.

Cara

Yeah.

Sebastian

Yeah. That smells fine. It's when it becomes that really like, ach, pungent smell.

Cara

I hate mothballs.

Sebastian

Yeah.

Cara

But I notice when I pull

00:22:17

Cara

that they have--

Sebastian

A little bit of a smell?

Cara

But, as I say, my parents never used mothballs. I never.

So these are-- Sebastian

The mothball could have been in the same room as it and made it smell like that, so there's some--

Cara

No. I can't use mothballs because I have asthma.

Sebastian

Ah. Well, someone before probably did at some point.

Cara

So don't use mothballs, and just wipe it with a cloth.

Sebastian

Yeah.

Cara

Very good.

Sebastian

The luxury market now is so hot that anything as iconic as Louis Vuitton and especially a trunk like this, there's really high demand for it.

Cara

Good.

Sebastian

Well, I'd say have you had fun today, but you've only been here for about an hour.

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Sebastian

Sure.

Cara

We have to go stand in line now with some other objects.

Sebastian

Well, you'll get taken care of. We all good?

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Cara

Something come between us.

Sebastian

Yes.

Cara

So you've got a long day ahead of you.

Sebastian

We'll be taping for about 12-13 hours today. But we love what we do, and we wouldn't be able to do it without viewers like you.

Cara

It's a fun show to watch.

Sebastian

Well, good.

Cara

That it?