A Steamer Trunk for my 45th Bday!

So today is my birthday, marking my 45 years on this earth. What a glorious thing! I have family and friends who I love beyond measure, and I have my health. I am so blessed. I've never understood people who dread birthdays, or say they're "not having any more birthdays". 'Scuse me, but to not have anymore birthdays you have to be dead. Seriously, folks, let's just not go there. And so on a happy-happy note, I am going to share one of my birthday presents with you that I hope will delight you as much as it does me. 

When I saw this suitcase, I was immediately drawn to it. I love the wear, the stickers from all the different countries. What would I do with it? Not sure, but it was cool. Well, looky what I got from my moma and pop for my birthday!  

Just revel in these travel stickers and imagine traveling during the 30's and 40's. There are railway stickers on here also, denoting that this was one of three bags for the passenger. Oh, to travel by ship and by train in that day and age...

The date is 1937 (the year of my first car!) and the label reads-"From a covered pier at New York to a covered pier at Havre" -(a major port in Normandy, France). Sigh, so romantic!

 Scotland

 England

 Netherlands

 And two for Italy, top and bottom. And there are plenty more...

 This case went all over the world.

When I first saw it, the case was locked and without a key. Just a lovely thing to look at and admire. But my pop got the lock open and you will gasp when you see what was inside....

It's a small steamer trunk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One side has drawers that snap closed to hold all your garments together. 

A lady used the case; there were hairpins in the drawers!

On the other side are wooden hangers for good clothes.

And a movable wooden bar so that you can move it in close enough to keep your clothes from flopping about and wrinkling.
 Underneath is a little fold-down door. I think to put a pair of shoes behind. Isn't it grand??

I have a huge steamer trunk that I bought when I was a teenager. It is about 4 feet tall and would probably take four men (honestly, I'm not exaggerating) to carry when filled. But this little sweetheart is one that a lady could pack and go somewhere by herself, then open the case to have her toiletries and outfits all ready for her great adventure.

It was wonderful when this was just a case that had traveled the world. But now that I know what it contains inside, I can't stop thinking about the woman who had it before me. I can just envision her, in hat and heels, standing on a platform as a train pulls in. She hands her suitcase to the porter, and steps onto the ledge of the train. Casablanca, Constantinople, Brazil... where do you imagine her going next, Dear Reader?