I.A. or J.L. Stendal died and I bought one of their suitcases.

I went to an estate sale on Saturday and purchased the coolest piece of luggage, um, ever. It's a cream leather Skyway bag, 18"x18"x11", and though it is OLD, it's in great shape. I love it more than I should love a material possession.

When I brought my new treasure home, I opened it and found some travel left-overs. I find that I am one of the only people who checks every pocket of a suitcase before storing it.

The bag is monogrammed with the initials I.A.S., but the identity on the inside of the bag is
John L. Stendal 2336 NE 39th, Portland, OR AV1-0462

I also found, 2 pencils, 2 matchbooks from the Plaza when the phone number for the hotel was still being written as 212 - PLaza 9-3000, 2 chips good for one free drink at Club Cal-Neva, 2 Golden Horseshoe Inn - Williamsburg pins, 2 ten cent blue chip stamps, 1 matchbook from Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour in Portland, and 1 little can of saddle soap, which I used to clean up the leather a little bit.

No real treasures, but I know that the bag is one thing that has been to Reno and didn't come back five mother-may-i-sized giant steps closer toward white-trashiness, which is no small feat. Way to go new-to-me suitcase! And who knows, maybe someone on ebay wants some matchbooks.