Antique Belgian Luggage Tag

This is a scarce, original vintage luggage label from the Hotel Splendid in Ostende (Ostend or Oostende), in Belgium. The label is c.1920s with an eye-catching image of a crown on top of a shield with keys. On either side of the shield is a mermaid and a merman. The background of red, gold, and black makes this large label quite striking. This original vintage label is approximately 6" tall by 4.75" wide (15 cm x12 cm). This is from our Mother's mementos and would have been from her Mother's or Grandmother's travel. due to their large size, they were folded in half at some point in their long life so they could fit in an envelope (see pictures). In the warly 1900s, luggage tags served several important purposes for travelers and the transportation companies (railroad, steamship, and increasingly, airlines) they used: * Identification and Routing: The primary function was to identify the owner of the luggage and ensure it was routed to the correct destination. These tags would typically include information like the passenger's name, destination, and possibly flight or train numbers. For airlines, the tags also started to include the baggage weight, which was crucial for load distribution on aircraft. * Advertising and Status Symbols: Luggage labels, especially those from hotels, resorts, railway companies, and airlines, became a form of advertising. They often featured artistic, eye-catching designs with logos, illustrations of aircraft, or destinations.