08/15/2024
From the Archives 📚
One of the most fun collections of artifacts in the Archives are the salesman’s cases. Many of you remember how cumbersome travel suitcases used to be, with the hard, textured plastic shell and a small, curved handle for carrying. Yes, carrying, not rolling. It’s hard to even remember how this world existed.
A product of its time, the Southwestern salesman’s case from the 1970s and earlier followed the same luggage aesthetic. However, true to the spirit and ingenuity of the Southwestern salesperson, the clunky salesman’s case was transformed from a burden to a useful solution. The case doubled as a sitting stool, convenient for presentation of books to the customer.
There were many iterations of the case, from the earliest example, a classic briefcase style, to the hard-shelled plastic case of the 70s. For decades, it maintained the rectangle shape with minor changes in measurements. The plastic shell provided a new opportunity for color variations and special Superstar awards cases.
The idea of proudly carrying an awards case wasn’t a new concept, however. Henry Bedford won the Golden Sample Case Award in 1972, which was the predecessor to the Superstar sample case and was only awarded for one year.
The case progressed in the 80s to the fabric bag, and obviously today, with the use of technology, the load is much lighter. Not only are the cases a relic of company history, but they almost universally evoke a sense of gratitude for innovation, intentional design, and technology.
If you have a vintage Southwestern sales case (from the 70s or prior), we’d LOVE to see it. Send us a picture at [email protected]
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