I am one of those people who carry around a lot of excess baggage, literally and figuratively. I’ve never been the type, even in my somewhat carefree younger days, to throw all of my worldly possessions in the back seat of a VW Beetle and take off on a new life adventure. My adventures have required a large U-Haul moving van and a couple of strong friends.
But like everyone these days, I’ve learned to travel much lighter–it’s just a reality of modern living, what with excess baggage charges, security issues, and the general hassle of travelling. So it seems appropriate to look at the art of luggage in advertising and in life. Click on any image for a larger version.
Sometimes I yearn for the more innocent days of rail and ship travel when multiple suitcases and even large trunks were perfectly normal travel companions. In those days you could count on everyone handling your bags with some care, and a matching set of luggage was a sign of sophistication and wealth. People, especially the wealthy, carried around a lot more clothing back then. Can you imagine taking a separate bag these days for a hat?
Bags were made of all sorts of material, from fine leather to plastic and fabric. Most bags were hard shelled and usually carried by someone other than the owner.
These days luggage is judged less by how it looks and more by how hearty it is. Even the most sophisticated traveler is subject to the demands of modern baggage handling, which is far from gentle.
One of the things I like most about luggage is that it crosses all economic and social boundaries. Everyone, at one time or another, has to pack up their belongings and go somewhere.
If you’re lucky, that somewhere is an exciting or interesting trip or maybe a relaxing vacation. But for some, packing their bags is an unwelcome and unavoidable process accompanied by unwanted relocation or travel.
Go to page 2 for more ads and for photos of vintage luggage and its owners.
This article was last modified on May 17, 2023
This article was first published on December 3, 2010
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