Louis Vuitton Monogram Cabin Trunk, 1920s, Hand-Painted Japanese Flag, Leather Trim & Period Labels, 81 cm

French Monogram canvas, aged leather and the red disc of the Japanese flag share one surface here. The painted flag has weathered together with the canvas around it, so it reads less as decoration than as evidence of the trunk's own journeys: a geographical memory carried for nearly a century.

The Piece

This antique Louis Vuitton Monogram trunk dates to approximately the 1920s, the great era of transcontinental rail and ocean travel, and is distinguished by an unusually well-preserved exterior and a hand-painted Japanese flag across the front panel. The flag was applied directly to the trunk and has aged naturally with the surrounding surface, giving the piece a specific cultural and travel identity.

Against the dark brown ground, the LV initials and floral motifs of the Monogram canvas remain strongly visible, with no heavy repainting across the field. The rectangular body is built on a wooden internal structure reinforced with leather edging, metal corners, perimeter hardware, riveted construction, protective trim, a substantial top carrying handle and locking and closure hardware. Period labels and applied markings join the flag as traces of the trunk's working life.

At about 81 cm wide and only 22 cm deep, the trunk has an elegant broad-fronted profile that keeps the Monogram, the travel markings and the flag fully visible without the footprint of a wardrobe trunk. It suits a low console, a coffee-table centerpiece with a protective top, or eye-level display that puts the flag first, and for a collection devoted to the meeting of French luxury and Japanese cultural history it is an especially telling piece.

Details

• Maker: Louis Vuitton
• Model: Antique Monogram trunk
• Era: Circa 1920s
• Material: Monogram coated canvas; wooden structural body; leather trim and reinforcement; metal hardware; textile interior
• Color: Brown Monogram; red and white painted flag
• Measurements: Width 81 cm (31.9 in) · Height 48 cm (18.9 in) · Depth 22 cm (8.7 in)
• Decoration: Hand-painted Japanese flag on the front panel; period labels and applied markings
• Key: Not included

Condition

• Antique condition with significant age-related character; the trunk remains visually coherent and presents very strongly for its age.
• General wear from age and use, surface scratches, scuffs and abrasions, small losses and localized staining.
• Leather aging; oxidation and patina to the metal fittings, corner guards and closure components.
• Wear to the labels and the painted decoration; the period interior structure is retained and usable for storage, with wear consistent with the exterior.
• Minor age-related imperfections not visible in photographs may be present.
• No key is included.

Authenticity & Care

Monogram canvas, period construction, leather reinforcement, hardware and rivet typology and age-consistent wear across canvas, labels and the painted flag are consistent with a Louis Vuitton trunk of the 1920s. 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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