A DAUGHTER was baffled to discover what her dad's £12 storage box REALLY was after cluelessly using it for nearly 40 years.

The dad snapped up the vintage luggage in 1984 for chump change, but its true value was only revealed last year on TV.

The battered storage box turned out to be a rare Louis Vuitton antique trunk, which is set to fetch thousands at auction.

The dad gave the luggage to his daughter after finding it at a bric-a-brac shop in village of St Margarets, near Twickenham, London.

Despite using it for years just to store sheets and linen, daughter Melissa was in awe to find out what it could be worth.

She took the box on Antiques Roadshow last year, and was stunned when the rare luggage was valued at thousands of pounds.

Melissa, 56, is now selling the 100-year-old trunk - which is expected to fetch up to £6,000 at auction - to protect it from her rescue cats.

The estates officer, who lives in Middlesex, said: "We foster cats and I have to keep the trunk covered up all the time to stop them using it as scratching post.

"My dad bought the trunk in 1984 from an old bric-a-brac/antiques shop in the village of St Margarets, near Twickenham in London where we used to live.

"He got a job up north but I didn't want to go. He bought me the trunk to use as there was a lack of storage in my first flat.

"I put linen in it. I've always used it but, over time, I kept noticing the name Louis Vuitton crop up more and more on TV antiques shows.

"I realised it might be valuable. Last year I emailed TV's Antiques Roadshow to get a valuation and they asked me to bring it to the show.

"I was quite surprised. Everyone who knows me was laughing because I don't like having my picture taken, let alone being on telly.

"I went along to the event at Ham House in Richmond upon Thames and their expert valued it at £3,000-£5,000."

It will be offered for auction by Hansons London on July 30 with a guide price of £4,000-£6,000.

Inside it is a copy a newspaper which shows the date Melissa's dad bought it - September 3, 1984.

Melissa said: "The trunk has been authenticated by Louis Vuitton.

"According to the serial number on the trunk, it was originally sold between 1909 and 1914.

"I've always looked after it but now I think it's time for someone else to own it and appreciate it."

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