Years in the making... Colonel's construction of the No. 3 Travel Trunk
Colonel has been tinkering with the No. 3 Travel Trunk intermittently for roughly three years, but his focus intensified over the past few months. “It has come a really long way from my original idea and has taken quite a bit of trial and error” says Colonel.
A trip to his workshop revealed that Colonel has made about half-a-dozen prototypes so far. Old and new blueprints and designs were scattered across the table and fleeting ideas could be found scribbled on notepads.
Colonel's Process
It is common for designers and craftsmen in various trades to begin new projects “at the drawing board”. Colonel, however, works a little differently.
“I don’t draw up plans before I start working. I’m a hands-on designer and like to see the product to really get a feel for it’s potential” says Colonel.
Each prototype of the No. 3 Travel Trunk looks uniquely different. Colonel experimented with various methods of trimming the edges, supporting the corners, and placement of brass fixtures, buckles, straps, and exterior wooden slats.
To guarantee the trunk’s perfect fit within the carry-on baggage sizing box at the airport, Colonel crafted a duplicate. He relied on this replica to verify its compatibility after each modification he made throughout the process.
"Everything I create is inspired by a vintage idea"
Question for Colonel: Was there anything you were certain the trunk had to incorporate right from the start?
“If nothing else, the Trunk had to have wooden slats to resemble an old trunk.”
– Colonel
The Col. Littleton product line has included Travel Duffel Bags for a few decades but Colonel felt that we were missing something essential to have a complete “vintage-inspired” travel collection.
After mulling it over for quite some time, Colonel decided to dive headfirst into the construction of the No. 3 Travel Trunk. Something you must know about Colonel is that he is a perfectionist, so the process of making this totally unique travel trunk was no easy feat. Colonel says there are 150+ rivets required, and that’s just the beginning.
After countless hours of dedication, meticulous adjustments and laborious steps, Colonel finally brought the No. 3 Travel Trunk to life.
The Finished Product
“Wow, what is that? Where did you get it?” That’s the kind of reaction you’ll get every time you glide through the airport with the Col. Littleton Rolling Leather Travel Trunk.” -Colonel
The main body of the trunk is made with our rich, full-grain Tobacco Brown American Buffalo, accented with cherry wooden slats secured by brass rivets. It is trimmed in American Steerhide and features an American Calfskin lining with solid brass hardware throughout.
The push-button roller handle extends to 39”, and there’s also a leather carry handle. There are three buckle closure straps as well as two interior straps which hold contents securely. Unfasten the buckle closures and remove the top to unveil plenty of packing space for a long weekend.
Free personalization is available with your first and last name and date on a solid brass tag. Colonel is also including a complimentary brass luggage tag with four lines of personalization (name, address, and phone number).
How Colonel Packs His Trunk
Curious about what fits in the No. 3 Travel Trunk? Watch the video below as Colonel demonstrates how he packs for his weekend getaways.
