LVing the Market

I did a good thing this week, evidently a very good thing.  I helped a friend in need.  In return, I accepted delivery this morning at the Rancho Santa Fe market a vintage Louis Vuitton hard case~If you love classic construction, timeless materials, travel, romance and anything French, you will be folle for vintage Vuitton. Maybe you already are?  New or old, it’s hard to beat.  Vuitton famously said “show me your luggage and I will tell you who you are.”  It’s easy to imagine who might have travelled by sea with this piece; someone of privilege, someone from New York also, according to the monogram~

This piece is especially lovely because it has the wood slats on top, same as the large steamer trunks, an indication of age.  I would love to have a steamer trunk or even a Vuitton steamer bag, but I do now have this one, the handle is broken off, but that does not worry me~

I had word it was a vintage Vuitton arriving, so this morning I brought my own vintage hard-sided case to the market, one of two I bought in NYC oh so long ago.  I imagined traveling with them by car, as I would never ever check them by plane and would not even trust a bellhop with them.  The handle is worn and crackled, but holds very comfortably in the hand~

I clean the hardware every few years; my piece has this for a hinge~

The “new” old one has this, evidently older, also evidenced by the simplicity of the LV monogram and the number on the lock in the opening pic.

I assembled a selection of produce this morning in Rancho Santa Fe; carrots, purple onions, golden beets, collard greens, radishes, mint & broccolini from Sage, cantaloupe, baby cucumber and cauliflower from Kawano, beautifully sweet ranier cherries and apricots from Smit, hydroponic lettuces from B Street and awesome local blueberries from Valdivia~

And YES, of course, I put it all into my “old” Vuitton hard-sided case~my finest daily basket yet!

I took a few pics in the sun, then decided it was better in the shade; I flipped the “new” old Vuitton on its end, which works well as it lacks the handle anyway; can I tell you how many people stopped for a photo? 

I do not know if I should keep this piece or revert to it’s former and generous owner.  I will spend some time cleaning this beauty up; nourishing the materials while keeping the patina.  Might for the start clean up the hardware.  Might get Vuitton to make a key; it takes several months but they keep excellent records and can have a key made for any piece as long as you have the number of the piece.

Do you love or own vintage Vuitton?  Tell me….