Vintage Suitcases

We love vintage suitcases at Scaramanga. They are the height of vintage style and class, beautifully constructed, and each one is strikingly unique and full of history and character. Our suitcases are anywhere between 20 to 100 years old and through their design, they capture the time period in which they were built.

We have sourced a variety of sizes of old suitcases, some are small, elegant leather cases perfect for weekend trips away and others are large, robust Edwardian steamer suitcases, that definitely wouldn’t pass for hand luggage on Ryanair. Despite their original use as travel suitcases, our outlook on all of our retro finds, is that these cases can be repurposed as coffee tables, used as underbed storage, become shelves on the wall of a retro bar or even collected for our vintage suitcase connoisseurs.

Want to know more about our Vintage Steamer Suitcases?

Vintage steamer suitcases were once the height of class. They were made for the wealthiest of people and designed in a way that enhanced storage no matter how awkward or heavy they were for servants to carry. These suitcases would contain gorgeous, extravagant dresses, sleek suits and the finest accessories to travel all over the world. These vintage suitcases were built to last using the finest quality of canvas or leather and accompanied perfectly with polished metal work.

These days, suitcases have evolved and become more practical and transportable with wheels, a handle, and sometimes even straps, meaning these vintage steamer suitcases have taken a back seat when it comes to travelling. The great thing is, due to how robust and striking our suitcases are, they can be repurposed giving them a new lease of life and a new home.

Within our collection, one of our favourite vintage steamer cases comes in a dark grey, almost black, leather and would have been used on steamer boats and steamer trains. This case is a classic example of a travel case from the 20th century with its robust structure, curved edges, wooden staves and metal work. Better yet, the inside of this dark case is a bold and bright teal blue. This steamer case would make an excellent coffee table in your living room, its inside compartments mean you could organise your favourite memories or store your cosy winter blankets.

Want to know more about our Leather Suitcases?

At Scaramanga, we’ve got a fantastic selection of vintage leather suitcases in a variety of styles and colours. One of our best is our old leather suitcase, which boasts excellent condition for its age with a beautiful light brown leather. This piece is extremely elegant, with rounded edges, a handle and it is compact with a convenient built-in side compartment to store your passport or money. This suitcase would make the perfect travel bag for a weekend away or as a work bag to take on business trips.

Our Revelation leather suitcase is equally striking and practical. It was made in the 1950s, and has a long-latch mechanism, this was an innovative design implement at the time. It allowed people to pack various content volumes, depending on how much they needed, which would adjust how wide the case was without being awkward to carry. The perfect option for those of us who love to over pack on only a short trip away.

We love the history within our collection at Scaramanga. Our vintage doctors’ case, a small, black suitcase, was once used by doctors on their daily home visits. The case is robust, mobile and compact and would have held all their tools, medicines and bandages within the striking green material on its inside. Nowadays, you could use this vintage treasure as a makeup or cosmetic box, it could be used to store games or photographs, whatever suits your needs. One of the most unique retro suitcases we have is by North West Tannery. It’s a rare, brown suede suitcase from the 1940s and was once used as cabin luggage for long-haul trips from India to Britain. There is a luggage label on the side of it, stating the case travelled on the RMS Circassia, which is a motorboat first launched in 1937 that travelled between Liverpool, Bombay, Karachi, Aden and Limassol. This case has been preserved brilliantly and would have been the height of class back in its day. You could repurpose this case in your home and a small coffee table or sideboard or better yet, use it as a memory chest to hold some of your favourite mementos and photographs.

Want to know more about our Metal Suitcases?

We’ve got a great range of metal vintage suitcases on offer at Scaramanga. Our metal suitcases are rustic, striking and the height of vintage style. One of our metal suitcases is over 50 years old, with a dark brown patina to it and impressive original wooden banding. We love its distressed surface as it means the case has been well used, but better yet, that our customers can buy pre-used and pre-loved suitcases and give them a new purpose, whilst adding a beautiful vintage aesthetic to their home.

Some of our most striking metal cases have brightly coloured insides, which contrast beautifully to the outer layer. Our grey, metal mid-century travel case will add a dose of vintage charm to your home. The outside has been painted a lovely bluey-grey and the inside, a brilliant and bold red. We estimate that this case was made in the 1950s and would have lived a good life travelling about the place, based on its aesthetically pleasing scuffs and marks. This piece would look great not only in a home, but it would make an excellent vintage prop. We sell an impressive range of antique padlocks that would pair brilliantly with this retro case.

As you can see, we’ve got a great selection of old suitcases to pick from, each would add a spot of authentic vintage aesthetic to any home. Have a look at our whole selection here.