A traveler might be lost without luggage, and luggage might be lost
without a label. These reproductions of vintage luggage labels date from
an era before supersonic jets, e-tickets, and suitcases that fit into
the overhead bin. Stylish declarations of social status, they recall an
age when travel promised luxury, adventure, and excitement.
This treasury of antique luggage labels contains 53 colorful stickers
from the heyday of the genre, which flourished from 1910 to 1940, until
World War II brought tourism to a virtual halt. The privilege of travel
belonged chiefly to the wealthy in the first half of the twentieth
century, and these elegant stickers recall the grand hotels of Rome,
Cairo, London, Amsterdam, Zürich, and other cities, in addition to
carriers from around the globe, including Air France and Matson
Steamship Line.
Today these labels document a bygone age, and their reflections of a
more gracious era in travel as well as their visual appeal make them
highly prized by collectors. They're also a great way to add a touch of
well-traveled sophistication to any arts and crafts project.