Show & Tell Friday: An Antique Suitcase

Welcome to Show and Tell Friday. To read more stories, please visit Kelli at There's No Place Like Home.



Today I'd like to show you an antique suitcase that was given to me a few years ago. No one is exactly sure who the suitcase belonged to, but they know it was someone in my husband, Verne's, family. Some say it was his Great Grandma Love's. Some say it may have been her mother, Grandma Reynold's. And some think that it may have been his grandmother's sister, Aunt Grace's. No matter whom it belonged to in the past, I am happy to have it today.

We live 500 miles from most of our family.
Two years ago, Verne's mom and Aunt Debbie came for a visit. Debbie was carrying this suitcase, and I was silently envying it. Being an antique lover, I thought of the many possibilities
for it if it were my own.

Debbie saw me looking at it, and later told Verne's mom that she was a little embarrassed because I probably thought she was very strange to be carrying this old suitcase around. Verne's mom said that she thought I was probably just admiring it.



As they went to leave a few days later, I commented to Deb that I loved her suitcase. I had no idea that she had been embarrassed. I asked her where she got it. This is where the confusion about who it belonged to came in.

A few months later, we drove back to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. Debbie walked in carrying the suitcase, and said that it should be mine, since I loved it and she felt awkward carrying it. I was thrilled!

The leather on the outside is a little rough, and is loose in places. The inside has one stain, but it is otherwise in very good condition, and has no odor despite its age.







It is a Samsonite. There are ribbons inside to keep your clothing from shifting, and there is a divider that snaps between the top and the bottom.











I even have the original key for it!













The suitcase is proudly displayed in my living room, on top of the entertainment center. I love the way it looks there. I'm glad to have a piece of history from my husband's family!