Whether you’re looking for vintage luggage for your next holiday or stylish storage at home, our selection is a voyage of discovery
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Fashioned from wood or metal, covered in canvas or leather, a sturdy trunk has been the practical long-haul solution for goods and chattels for hundreds of years. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Chinese imports such as tea and silk were carried in sweet- smelling (and insect-repelling) camphor wood chests. The glamorous heyday of train and ocean travel in the late 19th and early 20th centuries turned the steamer trunk into a luxury item, making it as much of a fashion statement as the haute couture contents within, with makers like Louis Vuitton and Moynat leading the way.
OLD 1920s plywood hat box, £ 550, Debenham Antiques. 01728 860707; antiquefurniture.tv
OLD French 1920s steamer trunk, £ 495, Molly & Maud’s Place. 01423 313060; mollyandmaudsplace.co.uk
NEW Metal storage trunks, from £ 89, Idyll Home. 01270 812717; idyllhome.co.uk
NEW Faux snakeskin storage boxes, £ 79 for two, Brissi. 01225 319058; brissi.com
OLD Louis Vuitton leather case, c1935, £ 6,500, Bentleys. 020 7730 6832; bentleyslondon.com
OLD Chinese camphor trunk, 1860, £1,300, Spencer Swaffer. 01903 882132; spencerswaffer.com
OLD Dressing box hallmarked 1864, £ 8,500, Hampton Antiques. 01604 863979; hamptonantiques.co.uk
OLD Leather double hat bucket, c1905, £1,950, Bentleys. 020 7730 6832; bentleyslondon.com
NEW ‘Cayman’ elm trunk, £ 399, Swoon Editions. 020 3389 7550; swooneditions.com
NEW ‘Alpine’ trunk coffee table, £ 420, Alexander & Pearl. 020 8508 0411; alexanderandpearl.co.uk
OLD
Chinese trunk, £795, Orchid. 01264 811111; orchidfurniture.co.uk