TREASURE HUNT

There was a time when the traditional high school graduation gift for a young woman was a set of luggage.

It marked her send-off, both stylish and practical, into the wide world. Suitcases, hat box and small “train” case for overnight items accompanied her as she completed her education, and later on her honeymoon.

When I was a young girl, I was fascinated by the matched set of robin’s egg-blue “Samsonite” suitcases, my grandmother’s luggage, stored in our attic. They had white trim and were lined with pale satin.

I especially loved the cosmetics case with its little containers and mirror in the top.

I could trace the routes she had taken crisscrossing the country by reading the little stickers of cities, national parks and tourist destinations that were papered on the exterior. The suitcases hinted at a life, and adventures, I could only imagine.

Today, a worn, well-used set of luggage, or individual suitcases, brings back the sense of travel as a pleasurable, even leisurely, activity. A time when traveling by train was convenient and reliable; when flying meant full service; no security checkpoints, no random searching and certainly no contact with a handheld wand that screams out warnings of belt buckles and under-wire bras.

True, we’ve gotten faster. It’s possible to fly cross-country for a meeting and still sleep in your own bed that night. Freeways connect the dots on the map. Today’s luggage is soft, efficient and disposable, easily replaced when styles change or the next best thing comes along. But we’ve lost something along the way.

Perhaps that’s why vintage suitcases are popular accessories these days. They can be stacked and used as tables next to the sofa or bed, or placed on the top of an armoire for display.

They are easy to find and even though prices have risen with their popularity, old luggage pieces are still relatively cheap. If you see one and it’s marked too high, unless it is a true antique, or something unusual, don’t be afraid to pass on it. Chances are excellent that you’ll find another.

I still pick up old suitcases now and then, when I get a good deal, and use them to store my growing collection of vintage linens. My daughter uses one for her doll clothing and accessories.

Even though they are no longer used to hold the belongings of travelers, vintage suitcases and luggage can still take us back to a time when things moved a little slower.