Can't think of the name for this piece of luggage....

Vanity case?

I knew it as a vanity case.

Just looked on ebay to check--they still make them, but they don't look quite the same as the one your gran had! I always wanted one. And no, I'm not as old as your gran!

PastMidnight said:

I keep wanting to say 'toilet case', but have no idea. Anyone know what I'm talking about?

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Perhaps a toiletry case? Which is for all of your toiletries, or in English, those things you keep in the bathroom to make yourself nicer such a toothbrush and all those other goodies.

I've also heard these referred to as a 'train case'

Renee

My grandmother had a set of luggage and she gave me the exact piece that you described. She called it "vanity case" and so did I.

I vote for 'train case,' I remember my Grandmother carrying those, as well.

vanity or train - though I think train cases tend to be metal.

I had one, in New Zealand in the late fifties. I was in my early teens and thought I looked just the bee's knees. We called them 'train cases' and I use to clip it on the back of my bike with my lunch in it when I went to my Saturday job. Feels like a century ago. (What's that you say? A half century? Is that all?)

Hmmm. I have heard of round luggage being called a "hat box" or "hat box style luggage." I think that can mean the larger round pieces, though. I vote for vanity case, then.

Ah, my grandma had one of those! ::Nostalgia::

My vote is for vanity case. I remember seeing them listed that way in the Sears catalog when I was a kid. I think my mom had one, too. Opened with shelves in it, like a tackle box, and had frilled, satin pockets around the perimeter, inside. And a mirror glued to the inside of the lid.

Yes, Vanity Case.

My grandmother was from Tennessee, and she called it a "train case." That may be a southern thing, or it might be a generational thing. When my grandmother was young, train travel was common. FYI -- this piece was like a carry on bag is today. When you were on a train, especially a sleeping car, you carried your makeup and toiletries in this case(and perhaps a nightgown), so you could look well-groomed when you arrived the next day.

Hat boxes tend to be round, while train cases are oval in shape.

http://www.vintageluggage.net/ has lovely photos of old-fashioned luggage. Might be worth checking out for further research. Maybe hide your credit cards before heading to the site -- the bags are truly lovely.

My first thought was hat box but vanity or train case seems to make more sense.

This is going to bother me because I'm pretty sure my mom used a different name..something very luggage-like.
Maybe it was just 'cosmetic case'..but it seems there was a more formal name.

My mother called it a 'train case'. This was in small town Canada in the '60's and I'd never seen a live train. But there was a 'train case' in the set of luggage she'd taken across Canada in the '50's. Rectangular, with rounded corners and a padded satin lining. With little interior pockets and fabric covered elastic strips for holding oddments.

My mother had a 'train case'. She was born in Atlanta, if that helps at all, and has lived in the South all of her life. Her old one was peculiarly similar to a construction helmet. Hard and very orange.

We called them "cosmetic cases". They also had mirrors on the inside of the lids so you could freshen your lipstick & powder your nose. I think some of them had little battery operated lights in them. Does anyone out there remember lights (besides me)?

I grew up in Oklahoma & California during the 60s.

Judy

threedogpeople said:

I think some of them had little battery operated lights in them. Does anyone out there remember lights (besides me)?

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Yes-my step-mom had a one with a light. And I think maybe she did call it a vanity case -not cosmetic case as I said earlier.
This was in Wyoming.

This brings back happy memories!

As others said, it is called a vanity case or a train case. I like 'train case' better

If I saw 'train case' I wouldn't have a clue -'vanity case' at least helps identify what it is.