English trunk

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The English trunk, also called the Railway Basket, is a light wicker suitcase created in England around 1839 by H.J. Cave. It was designed to make luggage easier to carry on trains and could hold clothes, linens, bedding, and picnic items. The trunk looked like an English chest and had a wicker frame covered with leather, then sometimes waterproof canvas. It required skilled basket-makers and leather workers. Weighing about 2 kg, it was much lighter than wooden luggage. Over time, wicker and canvas replaced leather, and the trunk became common for rail travel. By the early 1900s, fewer trains and the invention of fiberboard suitcases reduced its use.