Quality, leather briefcases & luggage

It’s sitting around not getting a whole lot of use.
I’m not actively seeking to sell, but might be willing to part with it if you’re interested.
Send me a PM if you’d like to discuss @Fonzie

I bought this vintage British leather briefcase in a thrift store a few years ago. It is probably 1950s in date and is made, as is stamped on the leather, with 'Top Grain Cowhide'. It has two compartments, a wide back one and a thin, though expanding, front compartment. It will store a laptop though I haven't used it for that purpose. It never had shoulder straps and is just a basic vintage case but of very good quality. It is a deep brownish - red color with contrasting brass metalwork.

Fonzie said:

Awesome, so many choices! Cheers.

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Just don't look at the prices!

I've moved the thread over to Accoutrements, with a time-limited redirect on Outerwear so folks get a chance to see it.

Seb Lucas said:

There's a whole lot on this subject already in Accoutrements. I wanted to get into leather luggage, tried but failed. I am back to cordura nylon messenger bags. Light and easy. I had a Saddleback large satchel - over engineered, heavy, unyielding, felt like I was carrying a house brick on a belt over my shoulder even when empty. Looked cool but failed the practicality test. I've had a range of hand made local bags too but none of them really holds enough or is light enough for a daily carry. I walk everywhere and rarely drive my car so being practical is the most important thing to me.

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You sound like you'd be a good candidate for Brady bags - www.bradybags.co.uk . I have one I use as a daybag out and about, one of the smaller ones that is just the right size to take a book, a bottle, a small tablet and one or two other bits. Anything more, and I'll carry a leather satchel, though I want more of these Brady bags. I highly recommend the Ariel Trout model in particular, as well as the Andare. Not dirt cheap, but cheaper by far than the equivalent quality leather bags, while still being rain-resistant, and lighter to carry. The Andare is such a great little daily-carry bag, I had to buy a second one as a present for Herself - so I could have mine back! Brady stuff also now comes in a range of colours which should include ones that feel manly enough for anyone wary of carrying a bag.

rocketeer said:

The RM Williams bag looks nice and make a good weekender bag. There are a few on the market, Aero sell one, also a leather and canvas version. I also saw a real tough version on the bargain rail at TK maxx, very odd as most of their stuff is usually made in China stuff with plastic zips. I like good honest metal zips and something that looks quality.

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I know what you mean - I actually tend to avoid zips a lot of the time, as straps are easier repaired as a rule (that said, I love the heavy brass zipper in my Brady Andare).

Carlos840 said:

The problem with all these bags is that they weigh a ton empty!
The average Saddleback is something like 7 pounds empty, which is more than half the allowed hand luggage weight of most airlines.

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That is, sadly, where they are limited. It's one of several reasons why I don't currently own one of their large suitcases. I sadly have a nasty, nylon piece of modern ugliness for air travel, though I still take the train whenever possible... A pox on air-travel and its enforced ugliness!

I'm quite keen on one day owning one of the Saddleback biefcases that can also be worn backpack style.

bluesmandan said:

My 3 compartment Scholar by Customhide.

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Looks nice!

Big J said:

I do like leather luggage and bags, but I always feel it's very difficult to find a style that is immediately identifiable as a 'man's' bag, and not something that could be confused with ladies bags/handbags.
And that conundrum always leads me to look at the biggest, most over-built bags I can find. And then, as many have said, they are impractical due to weight.
These days I use a Halliburton suitcase, and a Vuitton carry-on bag when I travel.
For daily use around town, I carry a Bag 'n' Noun canvas with nylon waterproof lining messenger bag. Made in Japan, hard wearing, light, available in a choice of colors, and fades unevenly in the sun and rain giving it some character.

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I actually found the easy answer to the 'does it look unmanly' conundrum was not to care. I know what you mean about going for the big bags, though. I tend to find that the bigger a bag I carry, the more I'll fill it with stuff I don't need to have with me, so I'll often opt for a smaller bag in order to keep that in check. Hold luggage (or a bag to be used for all my luggage on those rare occasions I fly without hold luggage) tends to be whatever modern ugliness I can buy cheap - sadly, airport staff have so little respect nowadays for luggage that whatever it is gets trashed in a year or two, so little point in paying for expensive stuff for flying with.

HanauMan said:

I bought this vintage British leather briefcase in a thrift store a few years ago. It is probably 1950s in date and is made, as is stamped on the leather, with 'Top Grain Cowhide'. It has two compartments, a wide back one and a thin, though expanding, front compartment. It will store a laptop though I haven't used it for that purpose. It never had shoulder straps and is just a basic vintage case but of very good quality. It is a deep brownish - red color with contrasting brass metalwork.

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Vintage pieces like this can be surprisingly affordable; I quite fancy a vintage Gladstone bag, though I'd use it on only limited occasions on the basis that I like a shoulder strap for taking most of the weight, and leaving hands free.

I can see that there's not a whole lot of love for the Saddleback products here & I can certainly understand the 'weight' part of this.
But when it comes to the way that they're made, these things are just brilliant.

I happen to be in the 'odd' camp here as I love them & their 'over-engineered' philosophy.
Crazy thing is, I don't really carry anything with me, like ever!

Nice collection! I'm a fan of Saddleback, too!

dan_t said:

I can see that there's not a whole lot of love for the Saddleback products here & I can certainly understand the 'weight' part of this.
But when it comes to the way that they're made, these things are just brilliant.

I happen to be in the 'odd' camp here as I love them & their 'over-engineered' philosophy.
Crazy thing is, I don't really carry anything with me, like ever!

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Awesome!! All of them.


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dan_t said:

I can see that there's not a whole lot of love for the Saddleback products here & I can certainly understand the 'weight' part of this.
But when it comes to the way that they're made, these things are just brilliant.

I happen to be in the 'odd' camp here as I love them & their 'over-engineered' philosophy.
Crazy thing is, I don't really carry anything with me, like ever!

View attachment 106414

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That photo could be titled 'Recess at a German School'.

Those bags look just like the Schultaschen German school kids lugged around back in the day. Just sayin'.....

One thing I don't like, no matter how good a quality the product is, is when the metal work is 'Antiqued' brass or antique plated. It makes items look cheap where as if the cost put an extra £10 on something costing £200 I would not really worry about the extra £.
And when our items have aged a little, a dash of verdigris to the brass parts can add a nice touch in my opinion

dan_t said:

I can see that there's not a whole lot of love for the Saddleback products here & I can certainly understand the 'weight' part of this.
But when it comes to the way that they're made, these things are just brilliant.

I happen to be in the 'odd' camp here as I love them & their 'over-engineered' philosophy.
Crazy thing is, I don't really carry anything with me, like ever!

View attachment 106414

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Beautiful collection - wish I had a few! I'd love to have the scratch for one of their suitcases, as well as a couple of briefcase types. I currently am limited to three of their wallets; I use the ID card type, one for money, and one for my work ID/travelcard. Going over to a small wallet like that revolutionised things for me- before that I carried one that was always stuffed right full of bumpf I didn't need!

New here, but have had a Saddleback bag for years and still use it. Though it looks like they've been under a lot of fire as of late.

Gotten plenty of good use out my old Tilley Intrepid / canvas & leather messenger bag. Photos are a bit bright, darker canvas and leather than photo shows.

I am ordering the Tilley Intrepid IV bag today. Being Canadian I am sort of partial to being able to purchase a Canadian made product even if I have to pay a premium for it. About a month ago I picked up an American made canvas and leather satchel from a company called NutSac. Yes NutSac. They specifically market canvas and leather bags for men. Good build quality and many sizes.

,,,Mike in Canada

Fonzie said:

Any particular Aussie brand or website you’d recommend?
I like leather messenger bags, but form follows function nowadays for me in its utilitarian concept.
Stylish functional preferred.
Cheers.

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I have just placed an order for a hand made messenger bag from an Australian business
Turns out that I actually know this fellow through HiFi circles
I travel to New Zealand from time to time and other bags don’t fare to well

His name is Anthony and he has designed a perfect fit satchel, handmade from goat leather.
It's said to be softer than the leather produced from cows, yet equally durable and more water resistant thanks to the presence of lanolin.
Two colours available - Antique Brown & Black
I chose Antique Brown and I particularly like the very cool stamped emblem of a Grizzly Bear paw print
I will post some photos of my bag when it arrives next week

But for now I will post the Facebook info on this bag
https://www.facebook.com/grizzlycustom/

Paul

As promised to update this great thread when my messenger bag arrived

As noted in my post above
It’s hand made and I have a first run - numbered #19
Made of first quality Goat skin
Hat to go with this bag is my Brixton Norfolk Ltd
Now I’m ready to hit the town

I’ve just discovered McNeill (Germany), veg tan leather satchels - their vintage leather ones look great check out eBay for those on good condition with all the straps - replacements are either impossible to buy or are tremendously expensive to have made. They don’t seem to make them in veg tan leather anymore - their current website just shows kids canvas stuff. I’ll put a link into eBay finds for you to see what I mean.

Here’s a new briefcase/ satchel that I’ve just acquired.

SaltCo Leather satchel.
(Standard Artisan Leather Trading Company)
https://saltcoleather.com/

I've just received this amazing bag & I have to say, I'm blown away by it.

I love the full-grain, hand-made, built-for-life ethos & have been searching for a simple & refined classic briefcase for a while now. One that I can use in a professional environment for many, many years to come.

Enter the SaltCo Leather Satchel in Veg-tanned hide in their Whiskey finish.
Right out of the box, this is a thing of beauty.
It will clearly age wonderfully, and the colour will deepen with use and exposure to the sun, as all natural coloured hides tend to.
The hide is solid, yet has a soft and flexible touch from the get go.
This bag weighs in at 3.1 kgs, so it's definately a full-fat bag & built to last.

The stiching is wonderfully executed, straight as a die & certainly made from tough stuff.
Riveted for additional strength in the right places & nowhere unecessary, I expect this bag to outlast me - and look brilliant whilst doing it.

The key items that I just love, are the small design details.
Specifically;
a) how the laptop is cradled in the centre of the bag &
b) how the straps are built to go under the bag & not around the bottom. This means that they don't automatically cause the front and back of the bag to curl underneath.
These are really cool design features & very well executed on this bag.

Hopefully if anyone out there was thinking about one of these, this will help.
Now enjoy the pics....

HanauMan said:

I bought this vintage British leather briefcase in a thrift store a few years ago. It is probably 1950s in date and is made, as is stamped on the leather, with 'Top Grain Cowhide'. It has two compartments, a wide back one and a thin, though expanding, front compartment. It will store a laptop though I haven't used it for that purpose. It never had shoulder straps and is just a basic vintage case but of very good quality. It is a deep brownish - red color with contrasting brass metalwork.

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What a wonderful find! Is it practical? I've been eyeing some of these British briefcases similar to yours, but I don't want something that already weighs a ton when empty.

MondoFW said:

What a wonderful find! Is it practical? I've been eyeing some of these British briefcases similar to yours, but I don't want something that already weighs a ton when empty.

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Hi. It is a nice vintage briefcase. I've weighed it and it is about .25 Kg / .5 lb (a quarter of a Kg / half a pound in weight for those who don't do decimal points), so not heavy. As to being practical, I guess not really for modern office use. While it is perfectly adequate for carrying documents (and I use it for storing my paperwork) it isn't lined as such nor padded, so not really suitable for protecting a laptop or ipad device. Nor are there any internal pockets for things like a cellphone or pens, just the two compartments. The compartments are only covered by the top flap so I wouldn't like to carry it on a rainy day as the contents would get wet fairly quickly.

There are modern versions out there which address all these issues but for all that, I really do like my vintage briefcase.

I use a traditional, unpadded satchel for work. Laptop just goes in a leather sleeve for protection inside, never had a problem.