PART II: PURCHASING GUIDE FOR A LOUIS VUITTON LUXURY CASE

As you may have discovered in the first part , catering is essential and essential when you go to buy your trunk. The rest of this article  denounces  certain indelicate practices . We help you avoid the pitfalls!  It is a question of  fighting against the destruction  of the heritage which affects the world of the  restoration of old trunk  Louis Vuitton, Goyard, Moynat. In order to help you, our expertise in the world of the old travel trunk and our experience in the catering sector, will be invaluable to you.

Today, three principles govern the work of restoring collector's trunks: 

• The restoration must respect the  choice of materials  in accordance with the years of manufacture of the baggage.

• The restoration must be carried out  using traditional techniques which are  sometimes slower, but more reliable, those which best respect the object.
• The restoration must be  reversible

As you will understand in the course of this article, not all restorations are of the same value, whether they are preventive or curative. The respect of the  finishes  which are the result of the know-how of the trunk maker are the key to a beautiful restoration.

The trunk interiors are covered with cotton and linen canvas, a very fine weave, very tight, satin finish. At the time, the interiors were glued with rabbit skin glue or fish glue, this explains the rise of glue which forms brown spots, in case of humidity. The quilting is not made from the same fabric as the one covering the barrel.

The trunks being airtight, the interiors are very often damaged, because they retain all the humidity. A good restoration is a restoration that conforms to the existing one, an informed eye should not be "shocked" and say "this trunk has been redone, because the interior has nothing to do with the whole".

The most common poor restoration mistakes are:

This technique is common on worthless trunks. It's more boring when the trunk is a Louis Vuitton, a Goyard, a Moynat. Very far from the existing, this a discount on a luxury trunk, because it will be necessary to completely redo the interior.

Example of two restorations made in our peer workshops: 

• Automobile trunk from 1900 restored on behalf of Maison Moynat , the interior patina has been preserved, so as not to erase its history.

• Louis Vuitton exterior leather suitcase Beige canvas interior, a classic. Restored identically. The materials are identical, the techniques used also.  

It is two restorations are consistent with the origin. 

The quilting was intended to protect the contents of the trunk. It is a very important element in a trunk interior. The secret of a beautiful quilting is the volume, straight ribbons and diamonds, all of the same size. The nails connecting the ribbons have rounded solid brass heads. The original used ribbons are of various weaving patterns and various colors. However, they are all 100% natural cotton, with matte reflections.

The tapes of polyester from the oil industry do not have their place in a collection of trunk restoration.

Their bright reflections are very easily recognizable and very  tasteless.

Pad accumulating a number of errors: 

• Lack of volume making it quite flat. 
• Selected materials: shiny polyester ribbons, coarse canvas, nails holding the inappropriate ribbons. 
•  Lines not forming diamonds. 
• Gold steel nails (not solid brass) 
• Ribbons protruding around the edges. 

We had to redo it in our workshops to find the original state.

On this orange Vuittonite trunk where the interior is restored in our workshops respecting: 

• Original materials 
• the expertise of the trunk maker 
• period aesthetics. 

In terms of polishing we see anything and everything!  

Definition :  Polishing  is the action of polishing: treatment to make a surface smooth and shiny. Aiming to achieve a beautiful appearance, beautiful shine, high quality surface finish.  

We will show you how to recognize a good polish of brass. It is clear that  95% of polishing on second-hand trunks sold  by antique dealers, or second-hand dealers are of very poor quality. On a simple photo it is very difficult to see if the polishing is carried out according to the rules of the art , or if it is massacred with a brush. Because you have to see the reflections from several angles and play with the light.

However, some details will help you quickly spot bad polishes. Keep in mind that luxury trunks are small series products made with the greatest attention, by exceptional craftsmen, concerned with details and quality, just like collectibles:

Even if these objects are old, even if there is a certain charm in having an  object in  ruin , it is inconceivable for a collector to own a precious, luxury object, scratched by an inadequate restoration, not in conformity with the origin. ! Example of polishing on a very oxidized brass because it has never been cleaned. Perfectly successful surface polishing, performed in our Ateli ers. A  good polish  is a golden yellow brass  , shiny mirror polished, with beautiful reflections

Example of factory polishing, during trunk manufacturing in the Louis Vuitton workshops in Asnières.

The following techniques are detrimental  for a collector's trunk:

For the sake of economy and time, and often out of ignorance, many restaurateurs and merchants use non-traditional techniques to revive brasses. These techniques unfortunately cause damage to these surfaces.

Louis Vuitton's brasses have always been brilliant. The initiative to make trunk tuning , brushing them, making them red or other ... is not in accordance with the origin.

The use of wire brush, nylon, brass. These brushes intended for stripping old paints on metal are highly detrimental to the brass of your trunks. Indeed, the use of brush to revive the brasses, can:

• On the one hand, damage the canvas adjoining the part to be polished. 
• On the other hand deforms the piece, by breaking the edges which make the fineness of the object and by rounding the entire shape of the object (we call this: "potato effect"). 
• It reduces the depth of the engravings because the brush "attacks the material" by removing it. 
• But above all the brush will deeply scratch the brass by forming furrows in the material (as if plowed). It will be very hard to re-plan the damaged surfaces as a result of this damage.

The material removed will no longer be able to be added, it is a real prejudice, a discount for a collector's trunk! The marks left by a wire brush polishing are recognizable by the blurred reflections. Originally the luxury trunks have shiny polished brass. The novice initiative to brush brasses is more akin to tunning than restoration. And you can't really call it polishing.

There will be the shiny side but we will lose the smooth side essential for a shiny or mirror polish. The brush removes 0.2 to 0.8 millimeters  of material depending on the brushes used. The real know-how of the polisher  is to sublimate by removing as little material as possible, just removing the oxidation is in hundredths of a millimeter (0.01 millimeter).  

Example of the marks left by a metal brush polishing.

Example of brushing brasses. Resumption of surfaces in our workshop.

As a result, the brass parts are not deformed, the edges and engravings remain perfectly legible ... The brasses will regain their shine as on the first day even after 100 years of oxidation!

Some small impacts due to these many trips remain present because we remove the minimum of material. We are not trying to make them disappear, they are part of the soul of Louis Vuitton luggage. The trunk returns to its original condition before its last trip. Example of a quality polishing done in our Malle2luxe workshops. On the contrary, adding scratches made by the brush adds nothing to the history of the trunk and makes it lose value.

Example of a lock whose surfaces have been massacred with a brush: 

• Distorted surfaces  
• Deep scratches 
• Nail engravings erased 
• Oxidation residue in corners and around nails 
• The adjoining canvas is damaged and stained by the brush. 

It's a real loss for the trunk  

Tip - Stain in the corners of the lock: 

Avoid this kind of restoration which says a lot about the seller's amateurism. It is important that the polishing is carried out over the entire surface, even in the recesses. 

• Utilisation de produit d'entretien :

Les produits ménager type "miroir magic" sont souvent utilisés.

La formule grasse de ces produits, tache les cuirs et laisse un dépôt blanchâtre sur les toiles, ces dégâts sont irréversibles sur les toiles.

• Utilisation d'acide :

Les produits pour nettoyer le laiton à base d'acide chlorhydrique rongent et laissent souvent des traces irréversibles sur la toile ou le cuir.

Brass is an alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc. The chemical reaction of the acid on the brass eats away at the zinc, bringing out the copper in the composition of the brass. The result is a brass with a non-uniform reflection. Even after polishing, it will therefore be very difficult to remove these traces and find the golden yellow color of the polished brass.  

 Example of a Louis Vuitton automobile trunk, the brasses of which are treated with acid. After restoration and polishing of the brasses in our workshops.

Important  : The better the polished surface, the easier it will be to maintain your brass and keep their shine and shine. Brushed brass cannot keep the same appearance.

The oxidation of the brass of the trunks is inevitable , they will inevitably turn brown it is in its nature. There is no solution that lasts and will keep the brass in your trunks shiny. Except of course the gilding. The gold would protect the brass from oxidation, but each piece would have to be disassembled, immersed in baths and the brass would lose its shades of color, then becoming uniform, as if frozen.

Because there is no miracle, the one and only solution to keep a shiny brass is to clean it regularly with a soft cloth and a suitable maintenance cream. Each of our trunks is sold with a tube of cream for the maintenance of brass

Professional brass maintenance kit :  Available on the shop

We recommend maintenance cleaning every 5 to 8 months depending on the humidity levels of the ambient air. In a living room with dry air, the oxidation will take longer than the brasses of a luggage exposed to the humidity of a bathroom.

False good plan - protection:

• The wax or oil is ineffective, they will just tarnish brass breaking the shiny effect and will be complicated to remove.
• The varnish will slow down the oxidation but will also be very difficult to remove without damaging the brass.

D'origin all trunks  travel (luxury or popular,  curved  or flat) are  covered to protect the contents from dust, insect and moisture. The old trunks are covered with:

• canvas 
• leather 
• fabrics 
• parchment 
• paper 
• embossed cardboard 
• metal 
• vulcanized fiber 
• ... etc

There is therefore no rounded or flat trunk in raw wood.

Many trunks have been denatured by removing the original canvas to leave the wood visible. There are even forums that explain how to cut canvas and sand wood. So beware.

The outer fabrics are fragile and precious. Contrary to what one can read in certain "amateur" books of trunk. They are therefore not restored with a blow of karcher . Restoring a canvas is like a painting, it requires patience and thoroughness. It is important to never apply any product to the canvas, such as varnish, oil or wax. These products will shine instantly, but in the long run it's an irreversible disaster. A good restoration consists in restoring the canvas, while remaining faithful to its history, while preserving the patina taken over the years.

A new generation of merchants prints canvas

Even worse than the repainted canvas, Louis Vuitton faux checkered canvas and faux Goyardine canvas printed on plastic tarpaulin. We have also seen fake canvas printed directly on paper which is then varnished ... a plague.

On coated fabrics, the application of an insulating product such as wax or worse, varnish of any kind (glycerol, polyester, polyurethane, water, resin ...) is a disaster. These products trap grime and make restoration or cleaning impossible. The varnished trunks are therefore condemned, and cannot sometimes be restored.

Example with this magnificent Goyard trunk condemned by poor restoration.

This is a discount of -50% to -70% and making the trunk very hard to sell. Worse than the varnish, the " repainting " which is also called re-tinted, re-pigmented, re-colored, re-coated ... In short, the canvas has been repainted! One of the most devastating irreversible techniques on the collectibles market. Just like the repainting of the dial of old Rolex, Omega, Breguet, Patek Philippe watches. It is to kill the soul of the baggage, by removing all patina from it.  

Beware of repainted canvases,  none is spared:

• Trianon
• Uni "Vuittonite"
• Rayées Vuitton
• Damier Vuitton
• Damier Moynat
• Monogram LV
• Monogram Moynat
• Goyardine

Example of repainted canvas that lose all collection value:

• Repainted monogram canvas that can deceive many buyers 
• Monogram canvas; The background is cracked but the logo appears like new
• Red checkered canvas never existed fully repainted.

We estimate that  60% of the plain trunks  sold by merchants are   partially or totally repainted , hence the importance of being extremely vigilant. The vuittonite coated canvas, existing in multiple colors. This original canvas grain "chagrin" reminiscent of the grain of leather. Paint can reduce the grain of the canvas. It is easy to see the repaint by "black light" lamp.  

Example of orange vuittonite coated canvas 

original unpainted.

Example of a partially repainted striped Louis Vuitton trunk. 

The paintings striped  Beige / Red is rare. The red stripes have been repainted over the original beiges. The original is dark beige / red and not light beige / red.

Tip :

The striped canvas is a woven canvas, so it cannot be coated, if coated it means that it has been repainted. 

Example of an original striped canvas trunk, a beautiful collector's item.

Another example of a  L. Vuitton mail trunk , the canvas of which was torn off and the wood painted red. There is some stencilled LV canvas left on the top of the cover.

Another condemned cabin trunk , the trunks whose canvas is "pitted" by humidity. This kind of trunk is often "repainted". On the collector's value, a damaged canvas, it is a discount of 80%. Example of a Louis Vuitton "stitched" canvas.

Leather is a noble material. It is also a natural, living, very fragile and delicate material. It does not tolerate humidity and many trunks and suitcases are damaged. Trunks with leather edges are the most popular. They still have to be in perfect condition. Cracks, lack of leather, cracks,  There is no other alternative than to replace the leather.

A strong discount is then to be expected on these trunks to be restored. A "fuzzy" black leather with a marbling effect is a clear sign, it is "advanced rotting" leather that needs to be changed. Some leather trunks are too damaged.

For example, for this trunk, it will be necessary to replace all of the leather, which is a heavy and expensive restoration, sometimes more expensive than the price of the restored luggage. These trunks are condemned.

Some unscrupulous restorers mix acrylic silicone with leather powder to create a paw and fill in holes and lack of leather. A misery cache is of course DIY. So be careful to inspect the leathers of the trunk you want.

The replacement of a leather element is an important restoration because they are fixed by hundreds of nails that will have to be removed. It will be necessary to cover these elements with leather and rivet everything as originally. The choice of leather, like hot stamping, is essential in order to be faithful to the origin and to patina it to obtain the perfect color. This is the only solution to preserve and pass on its heritage.

 Example of a partial repair of the leathers on this Vuitton wardrobe trunk.

Leather has always been used for its extraordinary mechanical properties. But the characteristics of it can be altered over the years. It is common for the handles to be torn off, broken.

"Cheap" handle in sheepskin (sheep leather)

It is a very "soft" low-end leather, easily recognizable by its poor quality stitching (machine stitching) and the non-existence of the marking border like the originals. With a low-end finish.

Various examples of poor restoration of leather handles.

Many times we have seen seams said to be "saddle stitch" but which are obviously not. These points are reserved for the neophyte. Here are some examples:

A: Back stitch  

B: Double front stitch  

C: Unnamed 

These seams are not seams, at best hand-made lacing done outside the rules of the art and without comparison with the saddle stitch. 

At vuitton, goyard and moynat the handles are in vegetable tanned cowhide leather, decorative hot stamping. Thick handles.

Example of a beautiful handle restoration for a Louis Vuitton trunk made in our malle2luxe workshops.

Saddle stitch stitch by stitch, always handmade, solid brass saddles (not brass-plated steel). 

Example of a beautiful restoration of a Goyard Suitcase handle made in our workshops.

Restored Louis Vuitton sheathed handle, color adjusted to the luggage. Discover this restoration ...

Another example of a fine restoration of a Vuitton cabin trunk handle. In vegetable tanned cowhide leather, very thick and very hard handle, it will not deform or break when you carry your luggage. of patinated and aged handles to match the original colors of the trunk. The decorative borders are respected. It is the same leather that was originally used. we have kept the original Vuitton signed fasteners

Example of a Goyard leather box restored in our workshops on behalf of Maison Goyard Paris (Heritage department). The leather tongue has been redone, patinated identically so as not to denote with the rest.

Lozine:  Material obtained by stratification of cotton and cellulose fibers, after passing through a bath of zinc chloride and sulfuric acid. The fluid is extracted by pressing, which makes it possible to bind the various fibers together  without adding any binder.  Thanks to this process, lozine has extremely high mechanical strength, flexibility and stability, combined with low weight. Perfectly insulating, lozine guarantees perfect sealing of the luggage. Modern Louis Vutton Lozine.

Example of Lozine unrestored trunk Louis Vuitton old Louis Vuitton. They exist in several colors according to the series  and according to the times, with different markings. Certain first black series are original unmarked.

Not to be confused with flexoid - Oil resistant jointing.

Sold by some as lozine this product used in the automotive industry for its resistance to impregnation of engine oils. Paper fibers impregnated with a gelatinous binder and plasticizer, low cost around 9 euros / M2

This modern low-end product has no place in the restoration of old collector's trunk.

Examples of "generic" piece  of modern industrial or artisanal manufacture, are ideal for making your decorative trunk. But these  spare parts,  adaptable without any patina, are more or less faithful copies, reproduced without agreement with the brands, they are not authentic and the quality is different from the original one. These copies  are  detrimental  to the value of your  collector's trunk .

In the long list of possible discounts is the replacement of original parts signed by the manufacturer. 

Example on this Louis Vuitton trunk, or the clasps have been replaced by a generic spare.

As in the field of restoration of furniture and antiques. The restoration must be done with  traditional techniques,  sometimes slower, but more reliable, because they respect the object better. For example, the use of visible or hidden screws is excluded. This is incompatible with the know-how of traditional trunk makers.

These techniques considerably devalue the value of the trunk.

During a restoration the use of resin glue and other modern chemical product is to be avoided. The materials and products used must be in accordance with the year of the baggage to be restored. 

Wood paste  fills holes, cracks but will not strengthen the barrel or wooden slats. Only a structural restoration, the aim of which is to replace the damaged wood, is a lasting restoration. We therefore never use wood filler on the restorations of our trunks.

And finally to finish, "the  Pompon " is to combine bad taste &  customization, called "trunk tuning" the discounts are the non respect:

• Original design 
• Colours 
• Materials 

Do not confuse customization, and "authentic theme trunk" produced by its manufacturer. Example, this picnic trunk from the 1910s made by Louis Vuitton and of great collector's value.

This Alzer Louis Vuitton suitcase which has been fitted with wooden slats to look like a trunk . This modification completely devalues the suitcase. 

In this Louis Vuitton Mahogany automobile box, the interior was personalized. Pure fictional product, the interior being non-removable and irreversible, it therefore loses all collection value.

Another example of a "theme trunk", manufactured by Louis Vuitton. Interior has been redone in our workshops. Arrangement in accordance with the original, design, color, finish, made with materials of the same nature (leather, coated canvas, wood, nails). This Louis Vuitton wardrobe trunk keeps its collection rating.

Called Frankenstein, this trunk is an assembly of real parts from different periods (lock, handles, clasps), with new PVC canvas. No collection value. There is no Louis Vuitton trunk with a leather border and a steel corner.

Atypical model, domed like the old Louis Vuitton trunks but unfortunately there has never been a domed trunk with an LV canvas. 

In addition, this is a PVC canvas. It seems that it has been rebuilt, in part, with the elements of an authentic Alzer Louis Vuitton suitcase. In this specific case the model is imaginary, although all the pieces are authentic, has no collector's value.

Another example of a customized trunk, hotel labels, are most of the time real hotel labels stuck to conceal defects, sometimes they are downright false (printed with a printer). More and more used by merchants. The labels are rare and never in good condition, because printed in silkscreen on low-end paper, the color tarnished and the paper does not support humidity (reversible glue like postage stamps). There is hardly ever any on the front of the trunk (face on the lock side), nor on the back. They are mainly found on the sides and sometimes on the top in small numbers, but very very rarely.

We note that 70% of the labels are added, to facilitate the sale, by hiding defects, or just to invent a story for it.

Aviator's trunks in copper, stainless steel, brass, zinc or modern replica are very popular with decorators for a "loft / industrial" atmosphere. These are contemporary trunks that are less than 10 years old. Riding on the fashion of the collection and travel trunk, they have no patina, no history. It is by no means a collector's trunk. For these reasons these trunks therefore have only a very low value between 200 and 500 euros.

Budding artists replace interior or exterior canvases with very bad taste. 

Louis Vuitton trunk interior, personalized with striped cloth. Nothing to do with the original interior.

The personalization of the canvas by colored bands has been used since the appearance of the first Louis Vuitton, Goyard and Moynat luggage. This allowed its owners to quickly locate their luggage on carts, cars, stagecoaches, cruise ships, station platforms ...

Likewise, personalization with initials, logo, coat of arms and crown does not make the luggage lose value. They don't earn any either, unless they prove belonging to a known person, or nobility.

On the other hand, when they are redone and not original, they are a real loss.  

We estimate that 70% of the bands called "stables"  these decorative bands are counterfeit. 

We estimate that 98% of crowns or coats of arms are counterfeit. Bad, malicious trunk restorers paint false initials, hotel labels, bands, coats of arms or royal crowns ... The sole purpose of these decorations is to deceive the buyer to create a story in the trunk and make it more "authentic" and attractive. Beware of beautiful stories ...

Example of a painting on a modern trunk, independently of the artistic side, this one greatly depreciates this magnificent Epi Louis Vuitton suitcase ... 

In the immediate future, this suitcase is depreciated but perhaps in the future it will increase in value on the art painting market.

If the personalization of modern trunk can be elegant, modern personalization on old collector's trunks to modernize it and make it more attractive for sale is to be banned!

Example of a suitcase with 4 Goyard shoes, restored in our handle and interior workshops.