Monday, February 10, 2020

well, wow. After over a decade of admiring old cars trunks, I only just now learn that some could be trunk beds? Huh! Louis Vuitton, Explorator’s Camp bed, 1891, the wide base (given by the trunk) prevents the bed feet from sinking into sandy soil or soft turf

Louis Vuitton's 1891 bed trunk in Damier canvas from the exhibition, Louis Vuitton - Marc Jacobs, on view through September 16 at Les Arts Décoratifs.


Louis Vuitton (1821 - 1892) the founder of the dynasty and the ‘Maison’. After his apprenticeship as Marshal "layetier-packer-trunk maker" he was noticed for his talent and became the exclusive packager of the Empress Eugenie – this marked the start of the Maison Louis Vuitton Malletier founded in 1854.





Young Gaston L. Vuitton (sitting on a Bed trunk) front bottom, closest to camera

Louis’ successor, George (1857 - 1936), expands the Company’s brand fame through communication activities and regular participation in world expositions.

In 1896, in tribute to his father, Georges Vuitton creates a canvas design with alternating LV initials, diamond spikes, stars and four-lobed flowers. The monogram canvas patent is registered in 1905.

At the same time, he designed an inviolable lock, challenged by Houdini, whose key can open the same set of trunks.

From the third generation, only Gaston-Louis Vuitton survives to take over the head of the Louis Vuitton Malletier Company in 1936.

He creates new models. From the end of the nineteenth century and as a dedicated collector, he sets-up a personal museum, bringing together old trunk some of which are still present in the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Louis Vuitton donation, 1986).

 He designs in 1959 a new coated fabric, lighter and more portable.

In 1977, the family business is led by Odile Vuitton, Gaston-Louis's daughter, and her husband.

Since 1987, Louis Vuitton is part of French conglomerate LVMH - Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, the world's luxury group headed by Bernard Arnault.



In 1905 the French explorer of Italian origin, Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza made a first exploratory mission from 1875 to 1878 to the Congo.

 During his second mission 1880-1882, the diplomat sign a peace treaty with the king of Congo in France.

For his third mission in 1905, Pierre de Brazza Savorgnan investigated abuses committed against Congolese. Before his departure, he commissioned a series of trunks, of which two were bed-trunks, adapted to his size.  https://www.malle2luxe.com/trunk-louis-vuitton/


 https://www.design-is-fine.org/post/117193374074/louis-vuitton-explorators-camp-bed-1891
https://stylecourt.blogspot.com/2012/06/nap-time.html
http://www.zootmagazine.com/2010/10/15/13-oct-27-feb-louis-vuitton100-legendary-trunks-at-carnavalet-museum-paris/
https://robertofabris.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/mi-presta-una-branda/
https://mg.co.za/article/2014-08-08-the-art-of-telling-our-history/
http://www.ladymelbourne.com.au/2018/02/louis-vuitton-time-capsule-exhibition/

I guess you'd never have thought I'd feature Loius Vuitton luggage. But... they are trunks, and I've spotted them on cars, though you probably don't remember the feature on the Bugatti at the Mullin Museum http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2011/12/1927-renault-40cv-tourer-with-real.html



So, though that was 9 years ago, I finally did get around to following up on it.

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