Vintage Nurses / Midwives / Doctors Aluminium Medical Case / Bag

This lovely little piece of just post-WW2 luggage is a Vintage Nurses / Midwives / Doctors Aluminium Medical Case / Bag. 

Dating to the late 1940s/ early 1950s, it is in distressed vintage condition with scratches, scuffs and blemishes, and the leather is coming off in parts or has ripped.  The aluminium frame has distorted but the case stills closes with a little encouragement.

This case measures approximately:
39cm (15.5″) long x 20.8cm (8″) deep x 14cm (5.5″) in height.

A nice usable piece of medical history, this type of case was originally used as a Nurses / Midwives medical bag. It would have had a canvas lining (long gone), and filled with bandages, medical instruments etc.

It is fitted with two Cheney English lever locks but there is no key. The patent for the design dates to 1937 when invented by Edward Doherty. The construction comprises of swaged edges and riveted joints, and was designed to withstand high sterilising temperatures.

The handle is metal and is made to look like leather.

The case is very retro! It could be used as a small weekend case, artist paint box, sewing box, display piece or use it as an in-home tool box. It would be perfect for your screw drivers and the odd wrench or two!

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Some Trivia: –

Towards the end of the World War II there was a surplus of sheet aluminium available. Factories, more use to producing fighter planes, turned to manufacturing metal furniture and luggage.

People were starting to travel more and aluminium was harder wearing than leather or vulcan fiber, but also a lot lighter. Many of these types of suitcase were originally painted or covered with rexine or leather.