French fashion designer and businessman (1821–1892) who had been appointed as trunk-maker to Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III, and founded the Louis Vuitton brand of luxury leather goods now owned by LVMH. ALS in French, signed “L. Vuitton,” one page both sides, 8.5 x 10.5, July 28, 1873. Handwritten letter to William Few Chrystie, explaining that a payment of 402 francs for invoiced items had not yet been received and explaining (translated): "I have provided you with 9 secondhand trunks in order to reduce the cost of new packaging for you.“ He also makes reference to "Maison Christofle," the luxury tableware company, and the facilitation of a payment to them. In very good to fine condition, with some chipping to the edges, not affecting any handwriting.
Accompanied by a small archive of about 25 other receipts and letters sent to Chrystie by various purveyors of luxury goods and objets d’art, including a secretarial letter on Louis Vuitton letterhead, dated August 8, 1873, acknowledging receipt of two checks amounting to 387.50 francs. Other receipts are from wine merchants, carpet warehouses, bootmakers, tailors, galleries, and the like.
William Few Chrystie was the grandson of U.S. Constitution signer William Few. In 1858, inspired by H.J. Cave & Sons of London, Vuitton introduced his revolutionary rectangular canvas trunks at a time when the market had only rounded-top leather trunks. The demand for Vuitton's durable, lightweight designs spurred his expansion into a larger workshop in Asnières-sur-Seine. The original pattern of the shellac embedded canvas was named 'Damier.'
Vuitton also designed the world's first pick-proof lock. All lock patterns were safely kept at Vuitton's workrooms and registered with the owner's name in case another key was needed. In 1871, as a result of the Franco-Prussian War, demand fell sharply, and Vuitton's workshop was in shambles. Many of his tools were stolen and his staff were gone. Vuitton rebuilt immediately, erecting a new shop at 1 Rue Scribe, next to a prestigious jockey club in the heart of Paris. In 1872, Vuitton introduced an iconic new line, featuring beige monogrammed designs with a red stripe—this would remain a signature of his brand long after he died. Vuitton's autograph is extremely rare in any form—this is just the second we have offered.
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