A Louis Vuitton leather wardrobe trunk, France, circa 1910
A Louis Vuitton leather wardrobe trunk, France, circa 1910
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One of the most popular and sought after Louis Vuitton trunks is the the gentleman’s wardrobe finished in cowhide leather, dating to the early part of the 20th century. These coverings were custom orders with Louis Vuitton, made from a single sheet of the finest leather available. Whilst leather covered trunks are already rare, this one could very well be a one-off. Fitted out as a gown trunk or a suit trunk its hinges on the front and the back allow the trunk to open 180 degrees without having to move the main structure of the trunk. It is truly a work of art in trunk form. The brass-ware is riveted with copper pins showing a wonderful contrast of “yellow and pink gold“, wood slats to side and bottom so it can rest upright or horizontal, this trunk oozes elegance and quality whether displayed open or closed, a wonderful piece of interior design and conversation piece for any room, both modern or traditional.
The trunk has a very traceable history, the first owner electing to have not only his initials embossed at either end of the trunk but also his name. His name was Joseph-Marie-Philippe Lévêque de Vilmorin (21 May 1872 – 29 June 1917), generally known as Philippe de Vilmorin, a noted French botanist and plant collector, and a member of the celebrated Vilmorin family of horticulturists. In 1903 Vilmorin began the Arboretum de Pézanin, an arboretum located in Dompierre-les-Ormes, Saône-et-Loire, Bourgogne, France. He also collected plants in Egypt and Sudan that now form part of the herbarium of the National Botanic Garden of Belgium. He took a keen interest in flower gardening, and was responsible for three important publications of the firm: Les Fleurs de Pleine Terre, Le Manuel de Floriculture, and the Hortus Vilmorinianus. One of Philippe de Vilmorin's great services to genetics was the organization of the Fourth International Conference on Genetics, held in Paris, September 18–23, 1911. During World War I, as a reserve officer in the French Army, Vilmorin was for a time attached to the Anglo-Indian Army in France as an interpreter, and later was a French Purchasing Agent in London. Thankfully the trunk still has some remnants of travel stickers which tell a small part of the story of its travels.
Condition: excellent, some staining to top panel when lying down horizontally but structurally sound, the leather rich and supple.
Dimensions: 50 wide, 57 deep, 115 high