Louis Vuitton Monogram Wardrobe Trunk, Circa 1918, France, Travel Cabinet with Fitted Drawers & Period Hangers

Made as the First World War drew to a close, this tall Monogram trunk was meant to be opened on arrival and lived out of, with hangers on one side and a bank of drawers on the other. Old hotel and transit labels on its canvas record the places it reached during its working life.

The Piece

This Louis Vuitton Monogram wardrobe trunk dates to approximately 1918, at the end of the First World War and within the great period of ocean liners, grand hotels and long-distance rail travel. Closed, it presents as a tall rectangular trunk; opened, it becomes something closer to a miniature dressing room. One side is configured for hanging garments with period wooden hangers and supporting hardware, while the other holds a vertical bank of fitted drawers for smaller garments, accessories and personal effects.

The surviving interior includes the hangers, the hanging compartment, multiple drawers with leather pulls, internal support rails, textile-lined cabinet surfaces and a structured wood framework. Such a trunk was meant to be used directly at its destination rather than emptied into hotel furniture, at a time when serious travel could last weeks or months.

Outside, the Monogram canvas has darkened to a richer tone, its LV initials, quatrefoils and floral motifs clear beneath the patina. Warm brown leather protects the structural edges and divides the canvas into architectural sections, and substantial locks, latches, hinges, rivets and protective fittings speak of repeated physical travel. Surviving hotel and transit labels add a further layer, preserving the social history of the trunk alongside its manufacturing history.

At about 113 cm high, it serves today as a fashion archive cabinet, a dressing-room focal point or an interior sculpture. Open, it shows the ingenuity of its design; closed, it becomes a monumental block of Monogram canvas and antique hardware.

Details

• Maker: Louis Vuitton
• Model: Wardrobe trunk with hanging section and fitted drawers
• Era: Circa 1918
• Origin: France
• Material: Monogram canvas; brown leather edging; wood framework; metal locks, latches, hinges and rivets; textile-lined interior
• Color: Brown Monogram
• Measurements: Height approx. 113 cm (44.5 in) · Width 55 cm (21.7 in) · Depth 65 cm (25.6 in)
• Included: Period wooden hangers
• Markings: Historic hotel and transit labels

Condition

• Antique condition with extensive age-related character; structurally presentable, with its principal fitted interior elements retained.
• Surface wear, scratches and scuffs, staining and wear to the canvas edges.
• Leather aging and cracking; oxidation and patina to the metal fittings.
• Aging to the interior surfaces and marks to the drawers and hangers; historic labels and remnants; minor deformation consistent with long use.
• Conservation should favor stability and preservation over cosmetic perfection.

Authenticity & Care

Monogram canvas, wood framework, leather reinforcement, hardware and lock typology and the combined hanging-and-drawer interior are consistent with a Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk of around 1918; the surviving labels add travel provenance. 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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