An Antiques Roadshow guest was left completely stunned after learning the true value of a battered Louis Vuitton trunk that was bought for £12.
The vintage piece of luggage was purchased as a gift from a junk shop in St Margaret’s for the pocket money price in 1984.
The buyer of the trunk then gave it to his daughter as she was moving into a flat.
The daughter, who is just giving her first name Melissa, stored sheets and linen in the trunk for years before realising its true value.
Standing on the grounds of Ham House in Richmond-upon-Thames, expert Mark Hill examined the mature fashion piece during an episode of the BBC Show that was first broadcast in 2021.
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Melissa explained to Mark exactly how the piece by the French fashion brand got into her possession.
She said: “Well it was bought by my father for me as a present to put in my first flat, he went to St Margaret’s to a little junk antique shop and he came back with that for £12.”
Commenting on its weathered appearance, Mark said: “Well it’s certainly been through the wars, hasn’t it?”
“It’s had a life”, Melissa replied.
Mark went on: “In many ways for me trunks like this talk about the history of travel in some aspects as well so we might have had this sort of domed trunk of the 18th Century which was put on maybe a carriage or a coach.”
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He then went on say: “One of Louis Vuitton’s great innovations was the flat top trunk which could be stacked in the new railway carriages.
“Then came the aeroplane and these cases were heavy, and large, and kind of killed it for this sort of piece of luggage.”
Melissa continued to explain how the trunk is kept covered up in her home to ensure her foster cats do not scratch the distinctive brown and gold pattern that was still visible.
Dating the trunk to the 1920s or 30s, Mark advised the owner to get in touch with the company to clarify when the it was orginally sold.
Pointing to the lock of the trunk, Mark explained that records held by the fashion brand could be traced using the number on the lock of the trunk.
He added: “They might have even recorded who it was sold to or what it was for.”
Preparing the guest for the current valuation of the remarkable Louis Vuitton trunk, Mark declared it was worth a huge £3,000.
With a grin, Melissa responded: “Wow, that’s rather nice. It’s going back where it was though while we’ve got the cat.”
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