Briefcase Appreciation thread

[NorCal_1]

so I got my Glaser bag and will post pictures next week in detail

it's really, really beautiful and Myron convinced me not to try to antique it but to let it age on it's own (he showed me some of their older bags and I was struck by how beautiful they become with time)

this is a picture of the hide used to make it, which was naturally antiqued using vegetable dyes

according to Myron, it will get much darker (and more brown) with age, sort of like the way pale skin turns brown with the sun

(he may decide to offer this color as 'British Tan' in the future)

 

[AlanC]

Are you enjoying doing this to us?

 

[NorCal_1]

Originally Posted by AlanC

Are you enjoying doing this to us?

nope,,,just waiting for the fog to clear to I can take proper pictures in the sun so you can see it close up

 

[Mpalmer22]

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

so I got my Glaser bag and will post pictures next week in detail


Can't wait to see the pics, I bet that bag will be great.

 

[True North]

off-topic, but for some reason you guys always crack me up by calling this stuff Appreciation

 

[Reborn]

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

nope,,,just waiting for the fog to clear to I can take proper pictures in the sun so you can see it close up

A straight week of fog? This is unbearable!

 

[NorCal_1]

been busy at work and getting home late so didn't have time to take extensive pictures just yet (maybe this weekend)

caught a few moments of sun one morning and took this picture below

it's hard to see the antiquing done with vegetable dyes in this shot, but trust me, it's there

the bag has already darkened considerably in the week since I got it, and according to Myron Glaser, it will continue to darken whenever exposed to the sun and could even turn a medium brown over time with lots of sun exposure. I left it in a sunny corner of the house during the day so it's been 'tanning' this week a bit to start the aging/antiquing process

the quality is absolutely amazing, I couldn't be happier, snd I'll try to show the details in future pictures.

Over time, it will turn cognac to medium brown in color, similar to the picture below it, with lots of natural antiquing occuring to the leather

the reason I wanted this lighter color was for that purpose - it ages the best and shows antiquing the best over darker browns

given my shoe antiquing experience, I could turn this into the Berluti bag or the Lobb bag patina in about an hour, but I want to let this one age on it's own because it's the kind of leather that really looks spectacular without any fake polishes or dyes. I got to see some older Glaser bags during my visit and I'd rather let nature take it's course this time.

More pics to come after the weekend...

p.s. the lines you see are from the reflection of dirty windows and not lines on the leather and that's NOT contrast stitching - it's only the light making appear brighter than the leather

 

[begadang]

Does it come in more than one color? The one in the mag scan looks richer, but not necessarily distressed. What I mean is, the pic in the mag seems to be of a new bag; it doesn't look like it's been used much, if at all.

 

[NorCal_1]

Originally Posted by begadang

Does it come in more than one color? The one in the mag scan looks richer, but not necessarily distressed. What I mean is, the pic in the mag seems to be of a new bag; it doesn't look like it's been used much, if at all.


it starts out light and gets darker and more antiqued with age ala the 2nd picture

Glaser has a darker walnut color that's really a chestnut and a dark brown as well that's also very nice

 

[Reborn]

Originally Posted by NorCal_1

been busy at work and getting home late so didn't have time to take extensive pictures just yet (maybe this weekend)

caught a few moments of sun one morning and took this picture below

it's hard to see the antiquing done with vegetable dyes in this shot, but trust me, it's there

the bag has already darkened considerably in the week since I got it, and according to Myron Glaser, it will continue to darken whenever exposed to the sun and could even turn a medium brown over time with lots of sun exposure. I left it in a sunny corner of the house during the day so it's been 'tanning' this week a bit to start the aging/antiquing process

the quality is absolutely amazing, I couldn't be happier, snd I'll try to show the details in future pictures.

Over time, it will turn cognac to medium brown in color, similar to the picture below it, with lots of natural antiquing occuring to the leather

the reason I wanted this lighter color was for that purpose - it ages the best and shows antiquing the best over darker browns

given my shoe antiquing experience, I could turn this into the Berluti bag or the Lobb bag patina in about an hour, but I want to let this one age on it's own because it's the kind of leather that really looks spectacular without any fake polishes or dyes. I got to see some older Glaser bags during my visit and I'd rather let nature take it's course this time.

More pics to come after the weekend...

p.s. the lines you see are from the reflection of dirty windows and not lines on the leather.

Wow. I'm glad I was such a pest. That bag is stunning. Any more pics you could get would be apprechiated.

I sent them an email asking for a catalog, they said they sent one out but I haven't recieved anything yet. I'll probably give them a call or send an email later today.

The leather from your bag as well as Peter Greenberg's seem to be a smooth finish while the glaser site seems to show a pebble grain? Am I seeing things or is this the case?

 

[NorCal_1]

Originally Posted by Reborn

The leather from your bag as well as Peter Greenberg's seem to be a smooth finish while the glaser site seems to show a pebble grain? Am I seeing things or is this the case?


mine is smooth (as requested) but he can do any grain you'd like

I'm going to drop by GD either today or Monday after work to take pictures of the factory and do a write up about the company since it's one of the last great artisan leather makers in the US and there hasn't been one done about them yet

the quality is off the chart and the details are something you never see these days (pics to follow next week)

 

[Dob]

Very nice. Thanks for posting. I have been flirting with this exact case from Myron for some time. I am starting a second career as an attorney and really think his stuff is likely among the best of what is available. I would really like to see as many pics as you can post, interior, sides, bottom, etc. It may have to wait until after graduation (I am using what I find the most practical laptop briefcase for law school I found - a Filson padded laptop briefcase). Thanks in advance.

 

[Dob]

Originally Posted by sanrensho

Does anyone have any experience with these guys? The website pictures are small so it's hard to determine the quality of the products. He has great eBay feedback though.

http://www.saddlebackleather.com/
http://stores.ebay.com/Saddleback-Leather-Company

Nevermind. I found some old posts. Some people are happy, others are not.

I did not have very good luck with them - the advertising is genius but the product, IMO far falls short of the hyperbole. Semi-mass produced in large batches in Mexico with many flaws passed off as marks of handmade quality. I think not. Just my opinion.

 

[CodeRed]

If you like the SaddleBack type of product, google maverick bags. There is an artisan, Ed Santoro, that makes them, I just got one and it is everything that SaddleBack promises to be. I heard about him on this forum in a similar thread, so thx SF!

 

[Liberia Brad]

Thank you for this insight about flaws being passed off as marks of handmade quality.