Vintage Disney suitcase! How old?

[sailorstitch]

Sat I stopped in an antique mall just out of town. Much to my delight I found a vintage Disney suitcase for $29.

After I got home I checked Ebay to see how I did. One just like mine sold for $26 + $6.75 shipping. So I did ok.

What I'd really like to know is how old is the suitcase? Late '40s? '50s? '60s?

sailorstitch

 

[Jessica527]

I am going to say the 50's, this is based on donalds appearance. Also his nephews debuted in 1938, but in color became a big hit in 1948-1953. Hope this helps!

 

[rtrethewey]

I would agree. The style of the item, particularly the hardware on the clasp and handle, really looks like the 1950's to me and I'm probably one of the few people around here old enough to remember those years. Anyway, we can be sure it's post 1942 because that was the year Bambi was released. There's really only a short window of time during the 1940's when this could have been made because so little Disney consumer merchandise was made during the War Years. And to cement things a bit further, it seems to me that by the mid-1960's, most such things for children were made entirely out of plastic of one kind or another. In any case, I don't think it matters too much exactly when it was made. This is an eye-of-the-beholder item. It either speaks to you or it doesn't. I hope you enjoy it. Good luck!

 

[flyinglizard]

I don't know the manufacturer or the exact years of production, but I do know these cases were sold 1949-1950 because I had one as a kid. Mine had Pluto on a small train. I may still have it in unpacked boxes somewhere or it may have been lost in moves.

There were a couple licensees from around that time that may have produced it but thats my "quick" answer.

 

[sailorstitch]

Thanks everyone! So it could be late '40s (post WWII) but more likely '50s. That's close enough for me. I wouldn't be surprised if they were produced for several years.

Flyinglizard, if you can find yours I'd love to see a picture of it.

sailorstitch

 

[flyinglizard]

No, not ", could be", was! I got mine 49-50 although I don't really remember it. You're right, could have been licensed for a few years after that, and even remained and was sold in stores after the license ran out.

Yeah, I'd really like to find mine but it hasn't been a priority for an awful lot of years!

 

[Tori 2001]

Yep, based on the characters I would think early '50s.

As a side note, my daughter has a near small leather Chip & Dale suitcase with a shoulder strap. I've never seen another one - it came from Magic Kingdom Adventureland 15 years ago when she was 5. Wonderful piece of quality merchandise - makes you sad over a lot of the cheaply-made things that are sold everywhere now. Each land used to have many unique items, as did each resort. Getting to be pretty much the same goods everywhere now, which is going to detract a lot from collectibility in the future.