Takashi Murakami

This piece is in excellent condition. The colored leather surfaces are bright and clean. There are scattered light handling marks and scuffs to the surface as is to be expected with an object of use. There is a 3 ½ inch vertical area of rubbing and scratching to the leather at the center of the extreme outer left edge.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This work is from an edition of 5. Stamped with authentication number "AAS45085" on the inside of the trunk.

Perhaps more than any other major artist of his generation, 51-year-old Takashi Murakami has called into question the boundaries between art and commerce, a fascinating territory that he has explored with great success through his collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Murakami first began collaborating with the revered luxury goods producer in 2003, when Marc Jacobs joined the house as Creative Director. That year, Murakami took the famous Vuitton Monogram and made it his own by producing it in 33 different colours and applying it playfully on a classic bag - Time Magazine called it the number one moment in fashion of 2003. This steamer trunk - dubbed the "Marilyn" - was designed by Louis Vuitton to showcase 33 Murakami bags, one for each of the colours of the Monogram Multicolour Canvas. First presented in 2007, during the Murakami retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, the Marilyn Trunk has compartments designed to display the bags in three-quarter profile, and five additional drawers to store accessories or documents.