A Louis Vuitton steamer trunk is set to provide one of the highlights of an upcoming ocean liner artefacts auction.
The early, pre-monogrammed model from the late 1800s features an unusual vertical form with wheels on the bottom.
 The trunk came complete with slide out writing desk |
With five interior drawers, two covered compartments, and a slide out writing desk, the trunk is a veritable office on the high seas and has a high estimate of $25,000 ahead of the October 21 auction in Massachusetts.
The sale will also feature several items of less refined, but no less important function. These include a ceremonial life ring from the RMS Mauretania, expected to make up to $7,000, as well as a life jacket from the SS Normandie, a French ocean liner in the 1930s, which has a $4,000 high valuation.
A piece of wood from the Titanic, retrieved by the rescue ship Minia, is expected to make up to $5,000 at the auction, although such is the clamour for Titanic artefacts it could well exceed this figure.
There is also a spike from Christopher Columbus' ship Santiago, which sank in Jamaica in 1504 during his fourth and final voyage to the Americas. Recovered from the wreck in 1968, it has a $4,000 estimate.
 Found in the 60s, the spike once resided in Columbus' ship Santiago |
The auction house's maritime memorabilia expert, Gary Robinson, commented: "It is rare to find such a variety of important items in one offering. The breadth and depth of the ocean liner collection is virtually unparalleled in the maritime field."
We will bring you full results from the sale here at Paul Fraser Collectibles, so make sure you check back later in the month.
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