BELMAL, Private Museum collection of Travel Trunks and Restoration (Belgium)


Contact email: info@belmal.be		Français Nederlands
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	BELMAL, the denomination of which stems from "Belles Malles" (French for beautiful travel trunks), and "Belges et Malles" - "Belgen en Malen" (Belgians and travel trunks), is a private collection of steamer trunks and related travel equipment. Based in Belgium, Europe, the BelMal collection features a small museum that houses a selection of luggage with a unique history, a true historical heritage, as well as trunk manufacturers' related objects and tools. A series of other travel chests, luggage, and related bags or cases, and extensive documentation, is also part of the BelMal Archive. The idea of creating a museum type of collection sparked when JP Bal, founder of BelMal, located a 19th century trunk that had belonged to George Lansing Raymond, a Princeton University professor who travelled to Europe in the year 1890. The trunk was found in Belgium in 2007. The museum project was the first of its type in Europe, as it integrates the specialised institute courses in the history of travel equipment, and restoration workshops. The passion of the collection's founder is fuelled by the presence of a particular Louis Vuitton mail trunk. Since 1967 it had its very own space in the house where Mr. Bal spent his childhood. More than forty years later, the lovely brown leather 'LV' trunk now mixes in with other "great travelling trunks" in the museum collection. Operating under the tutelage of a non-profit organisation, BelMal also offers restoring services, ranging from minor repairs to major renovation of antique trunks and vintage luggage. The special focus is on trunks dating from the early 19th century to the first half of the 20th century (or approx. 1825 to 1950). Therein are included the so called steamer or transoceanic trunks. Other pieces of baggage, such as hat trunks, large bags, toolboxes, car trunks, and early-type of suitcases, made by various manufacturers worldwide, are also being restored. The international brands and malletier names of the trunks that are part of the Collection and BelMal Archive, include Oshkosh, Friedrich, Delhopital, Rascher, Taymans, Aux Etats Unis, Duval, Barnum, Gulliver, Folding Trunk Company, Grands Magasins du Louvre, Hamilton's, William Bal, Old England, Hartmann, Moritz Maedler, Belber, Hammel, Victor, Palica, Hawley's, Grand Bazar de Paris, Shwayder, and of course Moynat, Goyard Ainé, and Louis Vuitton trunks of France. An area of special focus is obviously that of the Belgian travelling trunk manufacturers, for example the Delvaux, Denonne, Delsart, Taymans, Truyen-Bertou, and Ange Faucq brands. Examples of collection trunks are found in the virtual visit section: Folding Trunk and Louis Vuitton Other steamer trunks, travel equipment, and materials are described in the supplementary sections of our website. Further updates, enhancements, and website extensions, all aiming at an expanded exhibition of the Collection and Archive online, will take place in 2012. > References, authority, TV tribute, movie prizes, clips, bibliography > Restorer's Profile. Contact: For further information about the collection, the documentation archive, the restoration services please contact the BelMal management, at info@belmal.be or call on +32 86 49 94 94 (in Belgium dial 086 49 94 94). Visits: Public access to the collection, archives, and workshop is only possible on special appointment. \| home \| restoration \| archives \| virtual visit \| expertise \| manufacture \| institute \|
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© Copyright 2012, Bridgegate o.b.o. BELMAL Museum and Trunks Restoration and ITES Institute for Travel Equipment and Luggage History Studies. All rights strictly reserved for all countries. Reproduction of any content of this website is prohibited \| Legal info \| Page updated on 1 January 2012


Contact email: info@belmal.be		Français Nederlands
	\| home \| restoration \| archives \| virtual visit \| expertise \| manufacture \| institute \|
	BELMAL, the denomination of which stems from "Belles Malles" (French for beautiful travel trunks), and "Belges et Malles" - "Belgen en Malen" (Belgians and travel trunks), is a private collection of steamer trunks and related travel equipment. Based in Belgium, Europe, the BelMal collection features a small museum that houses a selection of luggage with a unique history, a true historical heritage, as well as trunk manufacturers' related objects and tools. A series of other travel chests, luggage, and related bags or cases, and extensive documentation, is also part of the BelMal Archive. The idea of creating a museum type of collection sparked when JP Bal, founder of BelMal, located a 19th century trunk that had belonged to George Lansing Raymond, a Princeton University professor who travelled to Europe in the year 1890. The trunk was found in Belgium in 2007. The museum project was the first of its type in Europe, as it integrates the specialised institute courses in the history of travel equipment, and restoration workshops. The passion of the collection's founder is fuelled by the presence of a particular Louis Vuitton mail trunk. Since 1967 it had its very own space in the house where Mr. Bal spent his childhood. More than forty years later, the lovely brown leather 'LV' trunk now mixes in with other "great travelling trunks" in the museum collection. Operating under the tutelage of a non-profit organisation, BelMal also offers restoring services, ranging from minor repairs to major renovation of antique trunks and vintage luggage. The special focus is on trunks dating from the early 19th century to the first half of the 20th century (or approx. 1825 to 1950). Therein are included the so called steamer or transoceanic trunks. Other pieces of baggage, such as hat trunks, large bags, toolboxes, car trunks, and early-type of suitcases, made by various manufacturers worldwide, are also being restored. The international brands and malletier names of the trunks that are part of the Collection and BelMal Archive, include Oshkosh, Friedrich, Delhopital, Rascher, Taymans, Aux Etats Unis, Duval, Barnum, Gulliver, Folding Trunk Company, Grands Magasins du Louvre, Hamilton's, William Bal, Old England, Hartmann, Moritz Maedler, Belber, Hammel, Victor, Palica, Hawley's, Grand Bazar de Paris, Shwayder, and of course Moynat, Goyard Ainé, and Louis Vuitton trunks of France. An area of special focus is obviously that of the Belgian travelling trunk manufacturers, for example the Delvaux, Denonne, Delsart, Taymans, Truyen-Bertou, and Ange Faucq brands. Examples of collection trunks are found in the virtual visit section: Folding Trunk and Louis Vuitton Other steamer trunks, travel equipment, and materials are described in the supplementary sections of our website. Further updates, enhancements, and website extensions, all aiming at an expanded exhibition of the Collection and Archive online, will take place in 2012. > References, authority, TV tribute, movie prizes, clips, bibliography > Restorer's Profile. Contact: For further information about the collection, the documentation archive, the restoration services please contact the BelMal management, at info@belmal.be or call on +32 86 49 94 94 (in Belgium dial 086 49 94 94). Visits: Public access to the collection, archives, and workshop is only possible on special appointment. \| home \| restoration \| archives \| virtual visit \| expertise \| manufacture \| institute \|
	.
© Copyright 2012, Bridgegate o.b.o. BELMAL Museum and Trunks Restoration and ITES Institute for Travel Equipment and Luggage History Studies. All rights strictly reserved for all countries. Reproduction of any content of this website is prohibited \| Legal info \| Page updated on 1 January 2012