Antique of the Week: Louis Vuitton Wardrobe Trunks

As everyone in Kensington knows, Antique Row is one of the community’s points of pride. Howard Avenue and its side streets are lined with shops specializing in antique furniture, rugs, vintage toys, used books and more. This large presence in the community sparked our feature, Antique of the Week, where we will showcase a different item or curiosity each week to bring attention to pieces from the past.

This week, we’re featuring vintage Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunks circa 1950, available at . 

Hollis & Knight is currently selling three vintage Louis Vuitton trunks. They can be used either for storing gowns or to be converted as tables. The wardrobe trunks are on sale from $25,000 to $28,000 a piece. The dimensions are 44 inches, 45 inches and 54 inches tall.

The Louis Vuitton name represents high quality craftsmanship for over a 100 years. Louis Vuitton descended from a long line of working class laborers. He grew up in Anchay, France, where his father was a farmer and his mother a milliner. He lost his mother when he was only 10. His father quickly remarried, and Vuitton’s stepmother was so mean that when he was just 13, he left for Paris — by foot. Over the course of two years, he walked about 300 miles to Paris while landing odd jobs along the way.

In 1851, after Napoleon III staged a coup d’etat, the empress of France hired Vuitton to be her personal box maker and packer. A few years later, Vuitton opened his own box making and packing store. 

After the Franco-Prussian War, Vuitton opened a shop at a luxurious Paris location, attracting a more aristocratic clientele. In 1872, he introduced the beige and red stripe design, his trademark. A Hollis & Knight representative said that Vuitton continued to hand pack each trunk, similar to his days as an apprentice.

After Louis Vuitton died, his son, Georges, took over the business and introduced the LV monogram. A Hollis & Knight representative said that the monogram represents the Japanese influence during the aesthetic movement, known for its references to nature.

Hollis & Knight is located at 4229 Howard Ave. It is open on Thursdays through Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays. You can reach the store at 202-333-6959.