This 18th-century coach chest is clad in leather on the outside and bordered with studded brass. The interior is lined with hand-painted wallpaper, forming speckled patterns. Originally, this type of luggage was the work of the guild of trunk makers, a separate trade from the saddle makers, emerging during the 14th century.

Coach Travel Chest in Leather and Wood – 18th Century – Île de France – [ME124]

18ᵗʰ century, Île de France, Metal, Period furniture, Small furniture, Stagecoach travel trunk, The treasure corner, Travel trunk, Trunk, Wood species

The vanity one carries with them in the 18th century is made from leather, brass, and wood. These natural materials were assembled by the guild of trunk makers, with no recourse to plastics which of course did not yet exist. Let’s rediscover the charm of yesteryear’s luggage with this delicate coach travel chest in leather, brass, and wood, a surviving witness of the Renaissance’s golden days in France.