This pair of trunks were previously the property of Eleanor Close-Barzin (née Eleanor Post Hutton, Eleanor Hutton Rand), the American socialite, philanthropist and heiress to the General Foods Corporation fortune, who died in 2006. She was the widow of Leon Eugene Barzin, the famous conductor, and the daughter of Marjorie Merriweather Post. During her life Marjorie, often called America’s richest woman, successfully expanded her father’s cereal business into the General Foods Corporation.
Both trunks were bought new from Louis Vuitton by Eleanor, in 1929.
The first of the pair is a wardrobe trunk that has a 50/50 internal layout of hanging space on both sides and felt lined lift out shoeboxes. It has polished brass exterior fittings, leather handles and lozine trim. This trunk has the original painted identification stripe and initials, ECB.
Dimensions: 113cm/ 44½ inches (height) x 55cm/ 21⅝ inches (width) x 66cm/ 26 inches (depth).
The second of the pair has a 50/50 internal layout of drawers on one side and hanging space on the other. It has polished brass exterior fittings, leather handles and lozine trim. This trunk has the original painted identification stripe and initials, LB.
Dimensions: 113cm/ 44½ inches (height) x 55cm/ 21⅝ inches (width) x 66cm/ 26 inches (depth).
Both of these trunks have been restored by Louis Vuitton in Paris who replaced the worn out leather exterior carry handles with newly made examples to match the originals.
