WORKSHOP - MALLE2LUXE PARIS

PERPETUATES A KNOW-HOW OF YESTERYEAR

The malle2luxe workshop is two distinct activities and unique expertise.  

  • Restoration workshop for museums. 
    Our workshops are the international benchmark in restoration work on old luxury Louis Vuitton and Goyard trunk. We are the official restaurateur of the world's largest trunk collector, and that's no coincidence.
  • Manufacture of leather case with wood structure. 
    Made-to-measure case , for the jewelers of Place Vendôme.

All conservation and manufacturing services carried out in Paris. Made in France, Made in Paris


HERITAGE ARTISANS - EXCELLENCE KNOW-HOW


La transmission d'un savoir-faire unique gainerie
La transmission d'un savoir-faire unique

 

We are  the only ones who have state diplomas in traditional techniques . This knowledge is the guarantee of a restoration carried out in the rules of the art. Trades cannot be improvised, many claim to be a carpenter without even having followed a professional training, we have followed 6 years of training in carpentry . Certain trades no longer exist in professional apprenticeship such as leather sheathing, which was taught to us by Gilbert Rotival , 85 years old Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF), the transmission of a unique know-how.

Leather goods were taught to us by former Hermès craftsmen. Brass work in the prestigious Ecole Boulle in Paris. Our thirst for learning is limitless to offer the most beautiful collector trunk restorations.

During a restoration, time does not count, only the  result matters, to  satisfy our   most demanding customers . No subcontracting, all collection and second-hand trunks are restored by us  The expertise of  the craft  to the  French in Paris.

  

Gabriel Gilbert

CAP maroquinerie
CAP - Maroquinerie
BP Menuiserie
BP - Menuiserie
CAP Polissage
CAP - Polissage
CAP Menuiserie
CAP - Menuiserie agencement
Baccalauréat Génie mécanique
Baccalauréat - Génie mécanique
CAP - Chaudronerie
CAP - Chaudronerie
CAP Art et technique de la Bijouterie-Joaillerie
CAP - Bijouterie Joaillerie
BEP Electrotechnique
BEP - Electrotechnique
Conducteur travaux - Menuiserie
Conducteur travaux - Menuiserie
Agent de maitrise Menuiserie
Agent de maitrise - Menuiserie


RESTORATION OF OLD TRUNK


It happens that the marks of time damage our dear trunks, some parts can be broken during their travels. And years later, we keep doing the same things to bring his objects back to life.  Expert in collector's trunks, they no longer hold any secrets for us.  Our goal is to restore the original appearance of the trunk before its last trip.

 

Toile enduite  Restauration nettoyage

Coated canvas

Catering cleaning

Bois  Fabrication et traitement Louis Vuitton

Wood

Manufacturing and processing

 

Cuir Sellier et restauration Louis Vuitton malle

Leather

Saddler and restoration

 

Laiton  Reparation et polissage malle louis vuitton

Brass

Repair and polishing

Intérieur  Tapisserie et capiton malle louis vuitton

Interior

Tapestry and upholstery

 


The work of the trunk restorer requires a perfect mastery of a wide range of skills. Our specialties come from the heritage of French know-how and are essential for an accomplished result. Giving a future to the past , we pay great attention to restoring Louis Vuitton, Goyard and Moynat trunks and suitcases . By remaining most faithful to the original, both in the materials used and in the implementation. 


5 - CONSERVATION OF ANTIQUES AND WORKS OF ART5 - CONSERVATION OF ANTIQUES AND WORKS OF ART

SHOULD YOU RESTORE YOUR OLD LOUIS VUITTON TRUNK? FOR OR AGAINST?


Louis Vuitton 1885 zinc explorer cabin trunk
Louis Vuitton 1885 zinc explorer cabin trunk

It's a conversation that we have several times a week with novices or amateurs on the importance of restoring a trunk or not. Here are some ways to become fully aware of a subject rarely discussed. This expert article will help you see more clearly. When talking about "restoration" collection trunk Louis Vuitton, Goyard , Moynat , Hermes many believe to be redone to nine ! You have to know how to qualify.

  

The verb to  restore  means:  

Restore to its old state or to its original form. 

Repair, renovate, restore to good condition (a work of art, a monument) while respecting the primitive state, the style. 

Cleaning of brass and zinc on a Louis Vuitton 1889 trunk
Cleaning of brass and zinc on a Louis Vuitton 1889 trunk

The act of preserving, keeping intact or in the same state. 

The word restore therefore also designates: 

  • Light work
    Like a simple dusting or polishing of
  • brass.
  • Heavy work
    Replacement of wood ,
  • replacement of destroyed brass part or repair of old restoration.

IS A LOUIS VUITTON TRUNK WORTH MORE IF IT IS RESTORED?

trunk aéro Louis Vuitton 1914
trunk aéro Louis Vuitton 1914

The answer is of course  YES  but under certain conditions. The main ones being:  

That the canvas

  •  is original unvarnished, neither waxed nor repainted
  • That the brasses are not brushed (or polished brushed)
  • That the leathers are in perfect condition.
  • That the restoration is carried out perfectly, respecting the rules of the art, inside as outside.  

Otherwise it will have the opposite effect. A bad restoration is detrimental to the value of a trunk . 

  

Now if the question is:

SHOULD A COLLECTION TRUNK BE RESTORED IN ORDER TO RESELL IT BETTER?

Moynat cabin trunk - Louis Vuitton cabin trunk - Goyard wardrobe trunk
Moynat cabin trunk - Louis Vuitton cabin trunk - Goyard wardrobe trunk

 

The answer is  NO , except for very rare models . The price of a restoration is very important and it will be easier to sell the trunk cheaper as it is than more expensive, taking into account the price of the restoration.

WHY RESTORE AN OLD TRUNK?

DILAPIDATED OBJECTS

restore trunk Louis Vuitton for museum

Even if these objects are old, even if they have a certain charm to look like  a ruin , like the end of a good period, a bygone time. The more the object is degraded the more mysterious it becomes, and the imagination takes precedence over reality.

For a collector, a museum , a heritage institution it is inconceivable to own a precious, luxury object, damaged by an inadequate restoration, dirty and dilapidated and therefore not in conformity with the origin!

RESTORE TO CONSERVE HERITAGE

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL in its own juice
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL in its own juice

The wreckage of an old car leaves one dreaming. But any collector likes clean, healthy cars where the chrome is not stuck by rust rather than a wrecked car in its own juice. In a collective imagination, restoration is harmful. While if it is well conducted it allows to sublimate the objects of the past. And against all popular belief, restoration is essential for conservation by stopping degradation. Catering is a taboo subject. As if the unrestored object is pristine and pure, as if dust and dirt are more pure and genuine.

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL - 1955
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL - 1955

While dust degrades the pigments and oxidation further degrades the conservation of the object. As if the act of restoring it damaged his identity. Catering is a taboo subject. As if the unrestored object is pristine and pure, as if dust and dirt are more pure and genuine. While dust degrades the pigments and oxidation further degrades the conservation of the object. As if the act of restoring it damaged his identity. In museums each object has been restored to its original state.

We are not trying to have a replica more beautiful than the origin, or a new object brought up to date with the finishes or colors fashionable today.

Rolex 1675 GMT vers 1972
Rolex 1675 GMT - 1972

For example, the  brushed finish  today is much more fashionable than the  gloss , but it will not do justice to these objects and their history, than to distort them and follow the fashion to be appreciated by a wider audience. public. The restoration consists in recovering the aesthetics of the object in the state in which it would have been if it had been kept in ideal conditions (away from dust, humidity ...) and leaving a heritage for future generations.

RESTORATION OF WORKS IN MUSEUMS

PRESERVING THE HERITAGE

Restoration of all Tutankhamun masks (-1345 to -1327 BC). Discovered in 1922.

The most beautiful objects in the world have all been restored, whatever their era: 

  • Restoration of all Tutankhamun masks (-1345 to -1327 BC). Discovered in 1922.

Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Restoration of the statue of The Winged Victory of Samothrace - circa 190 BC.  Louvre Museum
  • Restoration of the statue of The Winged Victory of Samothrace - circa 190 BC.  

Louvre Museum 

Restoration of the painting of The Virgin, the infant Jesus of Saint Anne by Leonard de Vinci (1452 to 1512). Painted in 1501.
  • Restoration of the painting of The Virgin, the infant Jesus of Saint Anne by Leonard de Vinci (1452 to 1512). Painted in 1501.  

Louvre Museum

Restoration of a silver jug ​​enhanced with gold (China, circa 1680-1685) Which was offered to Louis XIV in 1686   before and after its restoration sponsorship of the LVMH group.   Castle of Versailles
  • Restoration of a silver jug enhanced with gold (China, circa 1680-1685) 

Which was offered to Louis XIV in 1686

  

before and after its restoration sponsorship of the LVMH group. 

  

Castle of Versailles

perfect restore Louis Vuitton trunk

We restore our luxury Goyard, Moynat and Louis Vuitton trunks for museums and collectors in the same perspective, not to denature, to clean up weathering to preserve and transmit the history of French know-how to future generations:

  • Rediscover the shiny brass finishes of yesteryear without brushing.
  • Clean to regain the shine of the canvaswithout repainting it .
Malle Louis Vuitton aluminium 1892 Louis Vuitton FULL aluminum explorer trunk .

 

Louis Vuitton FULL aluminum explorer trunk . Discover the incredible work of conservation in our workshops of this mail trunk  from 1892 which is one of the most expensive in the world.

Louis Vuitton Zinc and brass mail trunk from 1889.

 

Louis Vuitton Zinc and brass mail trunk from 1889. Cleaning and restoration in our workshops. 


Conclusion chapter 5:

Place Vendôme Paris black and white photo around 1930
Place Vendôme Paris black and white photo around 1930

The fantasy of the object in perfect condition that has not undergone any restoration is indeed a legend. The restored trunks in perfect condition are more sought after and therefore negotiate better than those in their "juice". The myth which implies that a trunk in "its own juice" is rarer and more sought after by collectors is maintained by many dealers. For economic reasons alone, they do not restore their trunks and offer trunks in their "juice" by making the customer believe that they are more valuable because no one has touched them. Other merchants entrust the work to "handymen" who botch the work and destroy the heritage. Likewise, brasses are poorly restored out of ignorance of techniques and not for the sake of retaining some charm to aold trunk .

  

Catering is a profession in its own right, subtle, requiring training, knowledge and extremely specific skills that cannot be improvised. 

  • What would the brushed Tutankhamun mask have looked like? 
  • The victory of Samothrace shortbread? 
  • The virgin, the infant Jesus of Saint Anne by Leonardo da Vinci repainted? 
old photo paris with a modern photo
  • Malle2Luxe is committed for many years to the conservation, restoration and sale of collection of trunks within the rules of art and knowledge of  the craft  to the  French.
  • Our requirement is to  find the original appearance of the trunk before its last trip. Like a window on history.

CUSTOM-MADE CASE MANUFACTURING


In addition to our activity of restoration and conservation of antiques, we carry out tailor-made: 

  • Jewelery boxes for fine  jewelry
  • Trunks and suitcase arrangements, box Rolex
  • Boxes , trays
  • Little leather shop
ecrin sur mesure made in france bijoux cuir et bois

ecrin a bague sur mesure en cuir joaillerie fabriqué en france
Valise pour montre sur mesure magnifique Louis Vuitton rolex
Aménagement de boite rolex


 

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