Quote:
Originally Posted by
Britalian 
I'm sure the patina would improve with age.
I don't know if the patina improves with age on Berluti. The thing is that Berluti leathergoods are now sold pre-patinated -- antiqued using alcohol and whatever else sickly-sweet smelling stuff one scents in their boutiques. Working at home to polish the items, one finds it's rather hard to recapture that. Of course, forum member GeorgesV's Berlutis are beautifully maintained and patinated, but as someone who runs the French shoe forum souliers.net, he probably knows how best to maintain his shoes.
Anyway, John Lobb Paris is now selling leathergoods, including a bag very similar to the one pictured, in Lobb's own pre-patinated museum calf. I would trust the Lobb quality more.
Lastly, as these models seem to follow closely Bill Amberg's designs, I am sure you could find models under his own name that might be more reasonable and just as well if not better built.
