1 Identify the materials used in a piece of luggage’s construction. Vintage suitcases, “holdalls,” and trunks might have been made from fabric, paper, cardboard, leather, animal skins, vinyl or wood. Even the hardware holding the piece together—nails, screws, thread, glue, and so on—can vary. Different materials require different care. Leather or plastic suitcases, for example, should be stored in a large cotton pillowcase to avoid scratching. And cardboard luggage, lightweight and inexpensive, requires special care when cleaning to avoid exposing uncoated paper.
2 Do not remove stickers. Address labels, travel stickers, and other great ephemera may decorate the piece, but it’s usually best not to remove them. Instead, conservator Donia Conn suggests gently wiping stickers with a dry-cleaning sponge such as the Wall-Brite Smoke/Soot Eraser. Avoid rubbing too hard; this…
