19th Century Louis Vuitton trunk sells for £30,000

Vintage luggage made by Louis Vuitton was a fitting addition to this year’s aptly named ‘Travel in Style’ ski sale at Christie’s South Kensington.

The stand-out lot, and the most expensive item of the sale, was a 2ft 4in x 3ft 4in striped canvas high trunk from the late 19th century. Its £4000-6000 estimate proved to be very conservative as multiple bids from the phones and the room took it to £30,000.  The trunk is an early model covered in the dark and light beige version of Louis Vuitton's striped canvas which was introduced first in 1876. It is quite rare that one comes up for auction especially in such excellent condition.

The simple reason it did so well was because a number of people wanted it. Although believed to be a record price for a Louis Vuitton trunk at auction, there have been others that have also brought substantial sums of late. In August 2012 an early 20th century wardrobe trunk found in an attic in Camden, Maine, sold at James D. Julia for $30,000 (£20,000).