Briefcase Appreciation thread

[sclemmons]

I don't know what it took to fix mine. It was located on the shoulder strap on a different model and I had probably overloaded it. I believe it was a press fit on mine. Frank may have a resource out there, or he may even have a dealer with some rivets in stock and a local guy they use. Frank or Ian should be your first call.

 

[wzjradam]

@sclemmons Thanks! I'll await their response.

 

[nsgmd]

Hi all,
I've been searching quite a bit online for a new briefcase.
Some beauties in this thread!
I'm looking for a briefcase that allows for a crossbody strap to be attached. Ideal price would be < $3000; would like to take to work everyday where I would carry a laptop and perhaps a notebook or two, pens, and some small accessories so need something medium-sized.
A few that stand out to me are:
Bole Double Minister: https://shop.boletannery.com/products/double-minister-briefcase
However, this bag is $5500 so a bit outside price range
Also looking at SAB after all the nice posts on this thread; has anyone seen the Lombard? Is this a good one for everyday use?
The Hermes Depeches is an ultimate grail bag but it doesn't have a crossbody strap and is way outside the price range.
Has anyone seen or handled the Bole? Thoughts?
Any other bags I'm missing?

 

[bjhofkin]

Lots here to get into.

I think the critical question you need to answer for yourself is how much you care about the true quality of the bag/briefcase purely for its own sake – i.e., quality of raw materials + quality of craftsmanship (e.g., well done hand stitching) – vs. getting a particular style or brand name with merely good-enough materials and workmanship. (You can likely tell what my bias is based on how I framed that. )

If you envision yourself becoming a bit of a nerd and really sweating the details and quality, you want to find yourself a MAKER, not a BRAND. My sense is your ideal price range is just a touch under where you need to be to get into some fantastic BESPOKE options. I think $4,000 could get you there; $3,000 is probably just a touch light.

There are some fantastic makers in this thread; I can personally vouch for Charlie Trevor of @Equus Leather, who is excellent in all respects (materials, workmanship, personal attention, etc.).

And if by any chance you're in or near NYC, there's a Japanese maker by the name of Ortus who comes to The Armoury once a year. (There are actually quite a few Japanese makers who boast a fairly outrageous level of craftsmanship, but as far as I know Ortus is the only one where you don't have to get yourself to, you know, Japan.) Again, though, $3,000 is just a touch below what you'd have to be willing to pay, I think.

Now, if you're NOT necessarily looking for the absolute best in TRUE hand craftsmanship, I actually think you can and should be paying substantially LESS than $3,000. Frank Clegg, for instance, makes bags in the ~$1,000 range out of high-quality leathers with machine stitching that's about as good as it gets. Extremely fairly priced for what you're getting.

As for the brands you mentioned:

• Bole. I've actually looked into them, but their prices seem very, very high to me for bags/cases that are primarily machine-stitched (some of the handles are stitched by hand). They make a very big deal out of their spruce bark–tanned leather – and it does look pretty fantastic – but there are other great leathers in the world and they're asking an awfully big premium for it if that's what their high prices are representing.
• SAB. Don't want to ruffle too many feathers, but not what it once was. In my opinion not nearly the honest value of Clegg, which I think might be better quality regardless of price.
• Hermes. Undoubtedly excellent quality, but a first-rate bespoke maker will offer craftsmanship that's at least as good if not better, plus the ability to customize – and for half the price or less. And you'd be supporting an individual craftsman rather than a faceless corporation that buys up tanneries and hordes their leather.

Hope that helps and happy to answer any follow-up's!

Hi all,
I've been searching quite a bit online for a new briefcase.
Some beauties in this thread!
I'm looking for a briefcase that allows for a crossbody strap to be attached. Ideal price would be < $3000; would like to take to work everyday where I would carry a laptop and perhaps a notebook or two, pens, and some small accessories so need something medium-sized.
A few that stand out to me are:
Bole Double Minister: https://shop.boletannery.com/products/double-minister-briefcase
However, this bag is $5500 so a bit outside price range
Also looking at SAB after all the nice posts on this thread; has anyone seen the Lombard? Is this a good one for everyday use?
The Hermes Depeches is an ultimate grail bag but it doesn't have a crossbody strap and is way outside the price range.
Has anyone seen or handled the Bole? Thoughts?
Any other bags I'm missing?

 

[SimonC]

Talking of high-end options, does anyone know if Simon Baker, Casemaker is still working?

 

[Equus Leather]

Talking of high-end options, does anyone know if Simon Baker, Casemaker is still working?

He’s retired now I think

Charlie

 

[nsgmd]

Lots here to get into.

I think the critical question you need to answer for yourself is how much you care about the true quality of the bag/briefcase purely for its own sake – i.e., quality of raw materials + quality of craftsmanship (e.g., well done hand stitching) – vs. getting a particular style or brand name with merely good-enough materials and workmanship. (You can likely tell what my bias is based on how I framed that. )

If you envision yourself becoming a bit of a nerd and really sweating the details and quality, you want to find yourself a MAKER, not a BRAND. My sense is your ideal price range is just a touch under where you need to be to get into some fantastic BESPOKE options. I think $4,000 could get you there; $3,000 is probably just a touch light.

There are some fantastic makers in this thread; I can personally vouch for Charlie Trevor of @Equus Leather, who is excellent in all respects (materials, workmanship, personal attention, etc.).

And if by any chance you're in or near NYC, there's a Japanese maker by the name of Ortus who comes to The Armoury once a year. (There are actually quite a few Japanese makers who boast a fairly outrageous level of craftsmanship, but as far as I know Ortus is the only one where you don't have to get yourself to, you know, Japan.) Again, though, $3,000 is just a touch below what you'd have to be willing to pay, I think.

Now, if you're NOT necessarily looking for the absolute best in TRUE hand craftsmanship, I actually think you can and should be paying substantially LESS than $3,000. Frank Clegg, for instance, makes bags in the ~$1,000 range out of high-quality leathers with machine stitching that's about as good as it gets. Extremely fairly priced for what you're getting.

As for the brands you mentioned:

• Bole. I've actually looked into them, but their prices seem very, very high to me for bags/cases that are primarily machine-stitched (some of the handles are stitched by hand). They make a very big deal out of their spruce bark–tanned leather – and it does look pretty fantastic – but there are other great leathers in the world and they're asking an awfully big premium for it if that's what their high prices are representing.
• SAB. Don't want to ruffle too many feathers, but not what it once was. In my opinion not nearly the honest value of Clegg, which I think might be better quality regardless of price.
• Hermes. Undoubtedly excellent quality, but a first-rate bespoke maker will offer craftsmanship that's at least as good if not better, plus the ability to customize – and for half the price or less. And you'd be supporting an individual craftsman rather than a faceless corporation that buys up tanneries and hordes their leather.

Hope that helps and happy to answer any follow-up's!

Wow! Very helpful - that gives me a much better sense of what's possible.

Part of the problem with picking a briefcase is everything is online and it'd be great to handle some of these bags in person to get a better sense of my preferences. Is the Armoury in NYC a good place to get my hands on some briefcases and get a feel of what's possible? I'm traveling there in early June so could stop by.

Right now I much prefer the zippered opening rather than a flap for ease of access; I want some structure to the bag so it doesn't crumple up if empty or not holding much; I want a padded laptop compartment (not necessary but a nice touch); also some kind of nice interior fabric with a bold color like crimson red.

How long does it typically take a craftsman to make a bespoke bag after the order is placed?

 

[bjhofkin]

The Armoury carries Clegg so, yes, that would be a good place to look. They also typically have one or two pieces from Ortus, so you can get an idea of what an exceptionally finely made bag looks like.

Ortus's trunk show is May 3–4, and he only comes once a year, so if you love their stuff you may kick yourself for not coming for the trunk show. I should've said, though, that his wait time is 2 years, and it sounds like that may not be what you're looking for.

In general, true bespoke takes time both to hammer out the details between maker and client, and also to make the bag. Think months, not weeks.

Wow! Very helpful - that gives me a much better sense of what's possible.

Part of the problem with picking a briefcase is everything is online and it'd be great to handle some of these bags in person to get a better sense of my preferences. Is the Armoury in NYC a good place to get my hands on some briefcases and get a feel of what's possible? I'm traveling there in early June so could stop by.

Right now I much prefer the zippered opening rather than a flap for ease of access; I want some structure to the bag so it doesn't crumple up if empty or not holding much; I want a padded laptop compartment (not necessary but a nice touch); also some kind of nice interior fabric with a bold color like crimson red.

How long does it typically take a craftsman to make a bespoke bag after the order is placed?

 

[ErikW]

I think you can get a lot of incredible briefcases for much less than $3k. They may not have the Hermes badge on it, but will be incredible quality.

I currently own a Frank Clegg briefcase, but wanted something a bit more customized, so recently placed an order for a custom briefcase from Hrothgar Stibbon (https://hrothgarstibbon.co.uk/). Give this video a look from one of the forum members:
.

I'm also a big fan of Niestroj Leatherworks. I'm not sure if he does custom, but really lovely briefcase designs: http://niestrojleatherworks.pl

Last one, Sima Prague is a true master craftsman as well: http://www.sima-prague.com/en/

Hi all,
I've been searching quite a bit online for a new briefcase.
Some beauties in this thread!
I'm looking for a briefcase that allows for a crossbody strap to be attached. Ideal price would be < $3000; would like to take to work everyday where I would carry a laptop and perhaps a notebook or two, pens, and some small accessories so need something medium-sized.
A few that stand out to me are:
Bole Double Minister: https://shop.boletannery.com/products/double-minister-briefcase
However, this bag is $5500 so a bit outside price range
Also looking at SAB after all the nice posts on this thread; has anyone seen the Lombard? Is this a good one for everyday use?
The Hermes Depeches is an ultimate grail bag but it doesn't have a crossbody strap and is way outside the price range.
Has anyone seen or handled the Bole? Thoughts?
Any other bags I'm missing?

 

[bjhofkin]

From what I can tell Sima Prague is a great option too (although I don't have personal experience) – although I think $3,000 is going to be about the absolute minimum you'll have to be willing to do there.

But I agree that, if saddle stitching isn't important to you, @nsgmd, you should be able to get a terrific machine-stitched bag for WELL below $3,000.

Another thing about bespoke: You have to enjoy the process, which takes quite a bit of time on the client's part as well. And as I said before, the waiting time. Although I would actually view both of those things as features, not bugs!

Last one, Sima Prague is a true master craftsman as well: http://www.sima-prague.com/en/

 

[EvanNole]

Hi all,
I've been searching quite a bit online for a new briefcase.
Some beauties in this thread!
I'm looking for a briefcase that allows for a crossbody strap to be attached. Ideal price would be < $3000; would like to take to work everyday where I would carry a laptop and perhaps a notebook or two, pens, and some small accessories so need something medium-sized.
A few that stand out to me are:
Bole Double Minister: https://shop.boletannery.com/products/double-minister-briefcase
However, this bag is $5500 so a bit outside price range
Also looking at SAB after all the nice posts on this thread; has anyone seen the Lombard? Is this a good one for everyday use?
The Hermes Depeches is an ultimate grail bag but it doesn't have a crossbody strap and is way outside the price range.
Has anyone seen or handled the Bole? Thoughts?
Any other bags I'm missing?

Hrothgar Stibbon. My completely custom, handmade bag of bridle leather ran me a little over a third of the top of your budget, and it's a very large, solid bag. We emailed back and forth for several weeks refining the design. I could not speak more highly of my experience dealing with him. He's a great guy.

I have posted more in-depth reviews of the bag elsewhere here, but here are a few photos.

 

[coldinboston]

Wow! Very helpful - that gives me a much better sense of what's possible.

Part of the problem with picking a briefcase is everything is online and it'd be great to handle some of these bags in person to get a better sense of my preferences. Is the Armoury in NYC a good place to get my hands on some briefcases and get a feel of what's possible? I'm traveling there in early June so could stop by.

Right now I much prefer the zippered opening rather than a flap for ease of access; I want some structure to the bag so it doesn't crumple up if empty or not holding much; I want a padded laptop compartment (not necessary but a nice touch); also some kind of nice interior fabric with a bold color like crimson red.

How long does it typically take a craftsman to make a bespoke bag after the order is placed?

Try Peter Nitz in Zurich
https://www.peternitz.com/
[email protected]

You cannot go wrong with him.
Pleasant and very accessible to work with.
You can make a briefcase completely custom with whatever color or material you like (red, black, crown Goat, gator erc..) zippered or not and it's all perfect handmade craftsmanship

I have several items from him as does my wife. Ranging from briefcases, handbags to passport holders.

It will set you back more than 3k for sure (probably 4k minimum) for a briefcase but you will get exactly what you want from one of the best

A lot of examples on his IG

 

[brax]

Lots here to get into.

I think the critical question you need to answer for yourself is how much you care about the true quality of the bag/briefcase purely for its own sake – i.e., quality of raw materials + quality of craftsmanship (e.g., well done hand stitching) – vs. getting a particular style or brand name with merely good-enough materials and workmanship. (You can likely tell what my bias is based on how I framed that. )

If you envision yourself becoming a bit of a nerd and really sweating the details and quality, you want to find yourself a MAKER, not a BRAND. My sense is your ideal price range is just a touch under where you need to be to get into some fantastic BESPOKE options. I think $4,000 could get you there; $3,000 is probably just a touch light.

There are some fantastic makers in this thread; I can personally vouch for Charlie Trevor of @Equus Leather, who is excellent in all respects (materials, workmanship, personal attention, etc.).

And if by any chance you're in or near NYC, there's a Japanese maker by the name of Ortus who comes to The Armoury once a year. (There are actually quite a few Japanese makers who boast a fairly outrageous level of craftsmanship, but as far as I know Ortus is the only one where you don't have to get yourself to, you know, Japan.) Again, though, $3,000 is just a touch below what you'd have to be willing to pay, I think.

Now, if you're NOT necessarily looking for the absolute best in TRUE hand craftsmanship, I actually think you can and should be paying substantially LESS than $3,000. Frank Clegg, for instance, makes bags in the ~$1,000 range out of high-quality leathers with machine stitching that's about as good as it gets. Extremely fairly priced for what you're getting.

As for the brands you mentioned:

• Bole. I've actually looked into them, but their prices seem very, very high to me for bags/cases that are primarily machine-stitched (some of the handles are stitched by hand). They make a very big deal out of their spruce bark–tanned leather – and it does look pretty fantastic – but there are other great leathers in the world and they're asking an awfully big premium for it if that's what their high prices are representing.
• SAB. Don't want to ruffle too many feathers, but not what it once was. In my opinion not nearly the honest value of Clegg, which I think might be better quality regardless of price.
• Hermes. Undoubtedly excellent quality, but a first-rate bespoke maker will offer craftsmanship that's at least as good if not better, plus the ability to customize – and for half the price or less. And you'd be supporting an individual craftsman rather than a faceless corporation that buys up tanneries and hordes their leather.

Hope that helps and happy to answer any follow-up's!

I would add Chester Mox to the list of highest level makers.

 

[nsgmd]

Hi all,
Thanks for all the replies with specific craftsmen and photos - very helpful!
As soon as I searched Frank Clegg I realized he's only about an hour away from me in MA and I also saw he provided a former President with a bag, all reasons I'm going to reach out and visit their workshop. The zip top briefcase with a double gusset in chocolate really appeals to me and is priced pretty low. I may go with that for an entry into the world of briefcases with plans for more bespoke options in the future. I do wonder if they can add a padded laptop compartment inside and if they can use a brighter linen for the inside for a quasi-bespoke build.

 

[bjhofkin]

I have a wallet from Chester Mox that's a little less than a year old and the quality of the work is indeed excellent. For a variety of reasons not directly related to workmanship, though, I would not consider Chester Mox alongside some of the other names already mentioned here.

I would add Chester Mox to the list of highest level makers.