Louis Vuitton Monogram Wardrobe Trunk, circa 1918, Double Hanging Interior with Period Wooden Hangers, 113 cm

A portable closet from the great age of ocean travel. Standing about 113 cm high, this circa 1918 Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk opens vertically into two hanging chambers that still hold period wooden hangers, rails, straps and lower compartments, beneath a Monogram exterior darkened by more than a century of genuine use.

The Piece

Wardrobe trunks turned luggage into furniture: instead of unpacking into a hotel wardrobe, the traveler opened the case and reached the clothes directly. This example divides into two tall internal chambers rather than the horizontal trays of a steamer trunk. Inside are twin wardrobe compartments, hanging rails with period wooden hangers, leather retaining straps, belted sections and horizontal bars, lower storage compartments and internal partitioning, fitted brass and metal hardware, textile-lined walls and leather grab handles, all within a rigid wood-framed construction that let garments travel suspended rather than folded.

The trunk is represented as dating to circa 1918, just after the First World War, as ocean-liner travel expanded again and affluent travelers commissioned specialized cases for garments, shoes, hats, toiletries, documents and jewelry. The wardrobe trunk was among the most ambitious of these forms. Original fittings are often separated from such trunks over decades of ownership, so a substantially complete interior like this one gives far greater presence than a stripped shell: the trunk still explains how it was used.

The exterior carries historic Monogram, with LV initials and flower motifs across the dark brown field, framed by aged structural edging and period brass hardware that has toned to a muted, oxidized finish. The surface is not uniform, nor should it be; oxidation, rubbing, storage and handling have built a layered finish that reproduction cannot imitate. Today a trunk of this scale works as a freestanding cabinet or archive display: opened, it shows its interior engineering; closed, it becomes a monumental Monogram volume.

Details

• Maker: Louis Vuitton
• Model: Wardrobe trunk, double hanging interior
• Era: Circa 1918
• Origin: France
• Material: Historic Monogram canvas over wood-framed hardsided construction; leather / structural edging; brass and metal hardware; textile-lined interior
• Color: Brown / tan / aged brass
• Measurements: Height 113 cm (44.5 in) · Width 55 cm (21.7 in) · Depth 65 cm (25.6 in)
• Included: Period wooden hangers and interior fittings; no key
• Lock: Original lock; opens and closes; key not included

Condition

• Antique condition with honest travel patina. No major structural collapse is apparent; the trunk keeps a strong vertical silhouette and a coherent cabinet structure.
• Exterior: rubbing, scratches, surface dirt, leather cracking, darkened brass, loss or lifting of old labels, edge wear and general travel patina.
• Interior: lining toned to warm ochre and tan, with surface discoloration, minor staining, abrasion, dust traces, oxidation around the hardware, a historic scent and wear to the leather straps.
• The trunk opens and closes; no key is included. The lock should be operated gently and never forced; a specialist locksmith may be able to make a key while preserving the original lock body.
• Restrained conservation is recommended: gentle dry cleaning, hardware stabilization and humidity-controlled storage, avoiding repainting, aggressive brass polishing, heavy leather recoloring or unnecessary replacement of the original lining.

Comparable Wardrobe Trunks

Comparable early twentieth-century Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunks documented by Christie's commonly range from around 110 cm to well over 140 cm in height and combine double hanging sections, drawers, pull-out boxes, shoe compartments, removable trays, hangers and garment rails. One early Monogram example measured approximately 110 × 55 × 65 cm, remarkably close to this trunk's scale, with hangers, dividers and lower drawers; an extra-tall circa 1910 trunk reached approximately 138 cm, with fitted drawers and boxes on one side and hanging rails on the other. A circa 1920s Monogram wardrobe trunk sold in 2025 with 11 hangers and six drawers, a reminder of how closely surviving fittings are recorded.

Authenticity & Care

Antique Louis Vuitton dating rests on locks, labels, serials, addresses, canvas type and construction, so the date is presented as circa 1918 unless archival Louis Vuitton documentation confirms an exact year; the construction is consistent with early twentieth-century wardrobe trunks. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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