Dooney & Bourke Original All Weather Leather Bags – Trim Designation

Dooney & Bourke Bag Trim Designation PLEASE VISIT MY NEW BLOG DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO VINTAGE DOONEY & BOURKE HANDBAGS http://vintagedooneybourke.wordpress.com/   ©  2010 http://www.horsekeeping.com There are 3 main trim colors on original AWL Dooney & Bourke handbags.
British Tan trim is designated by R in front of the bag’s number. This includes British Tan with British Tan trim.
Burnt Cedar trim is designated by B in front of the bag’s number.
Matching trim (only available with black, navy and red bags) is designated by P in front of the bag’s number.
Exceptions to the above include the Plaza Bag, the Zipalongs, and Kilties which came in all nineteen colors with tan trim AND all nineteen colors with matching trim.
In addition to the classic collection colors and trims, there are 18 Teton color combinations that consist of 3 colors each: the base color or colors, the pinking (jagged edge), and the trim.

What Year was this Dooney & Bourke bag made?

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Hi Paula,

Is this a new bag? Is there anything else you can tell me about the bag.  Which year it is from?  Was this one of the first types of bag they made, besides the equestrian and the tack bag?  Are there any marks at all on it?  How does it look hanging from the shoulder?  Anything else pertinent.

Thank you,  Michele

Hi Michele,

All of the Dooney & Bourke handbags on our website are vintage All Weather Leather handbags, made in the USA.

The one you asked about is vintage but it is newly listed on our site, so if you mean new listing, yes. New bag, no as all the bags are vintage.

We list new items daily and there will be several more Dooney & Bourke bags listed this week. You can keep track of new items here on our NEW item page.

http://www.horsekeeping.com/new-items.htm

Yes this bag was one of the first types of bags they made in the early 1980s. As far as what specific year, I have no way of determining. that.

Read about Dooney & Bourke history here

http://www.horsekeeping.com/Dooney/Dooney-Bourke-history.htm

Everything as far as measurements and condition is outlined on the page. We note any defects with words and photos.We give each bag a condition score and the score legend is posted at the bottom of each page.

How does the bag hang from the shoulder? Nicely but I’m not really sure what you are asking…..the drop length is listed for each shoulder bag on our site and the shoulder straps are adjustable. You can read about drop length by clicking here.

Paula

Snipped or Cut tag in vintage Dooney & Bourke handbag – What Does it Mean?

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Hi Paula,

 Is the value of a vintage Dooney & Bourke bag reduced if the label inside is cut?  I have a large navy kilty with tags still attached that has never been used, but the label inside has been cut.

Thanks!

Carmen

 

Authentic Vintage Dooney & Bourke Kilty Bag

 

Hi Carmen,

Tags removed or snipped? Often we will see tags that are snipped or partially or completely torn out of the bags. If a tag is snipped but is mostly still there, and you can see the registration number on the back, it probably indicates that the bag was sold at an outlet store – it is likely authentic but might have been an overstock or slightly imperfect bag.

 

outlet store = less value

overstock = less value

imperfect bag = less value

 

Yes, less value for the above than if it was a perfect bag with unsnipped tag.

 

If a tag has been completely cut out, then we get suspicious because we can no longer see the registration number. Counterfeit bag makers are crafty – they sew a similar label in and then rip it out so it looks like a real tag might have been in there. But there are usually many other details that will tell us that a bag is a fake.

 

Paula

 

 

 

Can you Identify this Dooney & Bourke bag for me please?

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Hi Paula

I was wondering if it was possible for you to identify the name of a vintage D&B AWL bag for me? I looked on your site with no match, and I was hoping as D&B enthusiasts you would be able to help me.
Many thanks,
Stephanie

Fake, Knock-Off, not a Dooney & Bourke Bag

Hi Stephanie,

That bag is a fake,- it is so bad that I can’t even call it a knock-off – there are so many signs just from the one photo that this is not a Dooney & Bourke bag.

First of all, Dooney & Bourke never made a style even remotely like this bag.

D&B never had a bag with braided trim like that.

The buckle affair on the front – another complete fabrication.

The way the shoulder strap is attached to the trigger snaps is not the way done by D&B.

Also the two tone thin shoulder strap is another dead giveaway that this is an imposter. The only D&B bag that had two tone straps was the Surrey line with a wide padded two tone strap.

The base of this bag looks like vinyl which makes me wonder if the entire bag is vinyl. Many of the fake D&B bags I’ve seen are made of vinyl, rather than All Weather Leather.

So it is the worst of the worst !

But thank you for checking before listing it on eBay as an authentic Dooney & Bourke bag. There are so many fakes like this and knock-offs that are being listed on eBay as authentic D&B bags, that unsuspecting buyers bid on them thinking they are getting a real Dooney.

Here is an authentic vintage Dooney & Bourke bag. You can read about characteristics of Dooney & Bourke handbags on our website.

Authentic Vintage Dooney & Bourke Carrier Handbag

Paula

Vintage Dooney & Bourke All Weather Leather Made in USA bags – miscellaneous Q&A

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Hi Paula.

I really like this bag.  It is the AWL drawstring sling in  Navy.   It is listed as small.  Does it come in any other  sizes?

Vintage Navy All Weather Leather Dooney & Bourke Drawstring Bag P64

If you look on on the Drawstring Handbag Page

you will see Small and Large bags, so yes, this does come in Large.

Dooney & Bourke often uses the word Small just to differentiate between various models of the same bag – the small bags are often quite roomy. Use the dimensions to tell you if the bag seems small or large to you !

And, when do you replenish inventory?

We replenish inventory weekly This week we will be adding backpacks. New bags show up on our “new items” page
so you can look at that every so often to see what we have just listed.

My main question is about the price. I see some bags listed for $275 when it states that it  retailed for $265 in 1996.  Why would a used bag cost more than a new  one?

The prices includes shipping to the US. These are vintage collectible bags because they are the ones made in the USA. Dooney & Bourke bags are no longer made in the USA. The vintage All Weather Leather bags that we carry were made in the USA.

What about the rating system?

Bag Condition Score Guidelines
10	Like New	Just like new. Shows virtually no signs of use. All bags are pre-owned but the bags in this category do not appear to have been used.
9.5	Almost New	May have faint signs of use (will be noted specifically in description) but is almost new. There might be a scratch or light wear on the brass or a tiny scuff or stain on the leather. Read the details and look at the photos.
9	Excellent	No major problems. Everything is structurally in very fine shape and the bag has been very well cared for. Any slight problems will be noted in detail. There might be a scuff on the leather duck, or a very small stain inside. Read the details and look at the photos.
8	Very Good	Normal wear but very good care. May have a minor issue such as one small ink mark or slight darkening of leather in a spot. All problems will be noted in detail. Read the details and look at the photos.
7	Good	A bag that was used, well cared for and not abused. Will likely show some noticeable wear such as scuff marks on the bottom piping, some darkening of leather where handled such as the strap and fasteners. Read the details and look at the photos.
6	Fair	Might need a cleaning, minor repair – details will note this. These bags are usually located in our Grab Bag section. Some might be in excellent shape except for one stain or blemish. Read the details and look at the photos.

We usually only try to offer bags that are 9s and 10s but sometimes when someone wants to sell us a lot, it might contain some 7s and 8s or perhaps even a 6. When we buy those lots, we put the more worn bags in our “grab bag” section.

I went to the mall today and every D&B I looked at was Made in China.  I called the Dooney & Bourke web site and they wouldn’t  tell me which purses were made where.  I  really want a Dooney made here but I don’t know if new is an option  anymore.
Please advise.  Thanks so much. Michelle

Dooney & Bourke no longer makes any bags in the US. All are made overseas, mostly China. That’s why we started our store ! Paula

Vintage Bridle Leather Dooney & Bourke Equestrian Bag

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Hi Paula,

I have this 1983 Bridle leather Equestrian bag and was wondering if you could provide me with some information about it. One question I do have is whether or not these bags had “R#’s” as do the other bags.

 Thank you in advance.

 Christine

Hi Christine,

Prior to Dooney & Bourke releasing the All Weather Leather collection, they made some bags from bridle leather like yours which is an early Equestrian.

They did not have registration numbers. You can read more about identifying characteristics of vintage Dooney & Bourke handbags here.

Dooney and Bourke – Difference between the Classic Satchel and the Shoulder Satchel

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Hi Paula,

I’m loving the Norfolk Satchel!

Is the Classic Satchel the same as the Shoulder Satchel? I’m interested in buying one of them.

Thanks, Anne-Marie

Hi Anne-Marie,

The two bags you are asking about are in the same Dooney & Bourke Collection – one they call Zipper Top Cases.  They have zip tops with extended zipper, are fully lined with leather, have hand-stitched detachable handles. Also, depending on the year the bags are from, both would have detachable, adjustable shoulder straps. However, in early years the Classic Satchel did not come with a shoulder strap.

The Classic Satchel R29 is 8 inches tall x 11 3/4″ long and it is 5 1/2″ deep at the base. It has 6 brass feet on the bottom.

The Shoulder Satchel R21 is 10 inches tall x  13 long and it is  3 1/2″ deep at the base. The bottom is smooth leather, with no brass feet.

Here are some photos to show you the differences.

Classic Satchel R29

Classic Satchel R29 Bottom

Shoulder Satchel R21

Shoulder Satchel R21 Bottom

Dooney & Bourke Handbags – What is Drop Length?

Authentic Made in USA Dooney & Bourke AWL Vintage Saddle Bag

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Drop length relates to the length of the shoulder strap on a purse.  Specifically, it is the distance from the top of the folded shoulder strap to the top of the bag as shown in this photo.

We started out using Dooney & Bourke’s measurements from their vintage catalogs but have recently found that many of those measurements were inaccurate, so from our item #598 and up, we are using the following method:

We buckle the strap on its longest setting and then its shortest setting and report those two measurements.

I’d like to update all of our older pages to this new, more useful method but time constraints don’t allow that right now. So, if you are looking at a bag on our site that has an item number under #598 and you are concerned about the strap length, feel free to write me and I’ll measure, let you know the actual measurements, and update that bag’s page.

Authentic Made in USA Dooney & Bourke Cavalry Body Bag

Determining Authenticity of AWL Dooney Bourke Bag

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Hi Paula, how do i determine if i have an actual authentic awl dooney and bourke it has the leather duck logo and the red white and blue dooney and bourke made in usa with the regristration number A 167371 what other characteristics should i look for it definitely appears to be real help please! thanks a bunch if you could get back to me or email me i would really appreciate it and if it helps i can send you pictures thanks again paula! looking foward to hearing from you soon. kim

Hi Kim,

You can read all of that here

Characteristics of Authentic Dooney & Bourke AWL Bags.

And there are more articles here on the Dooney & Bourke Information page

Best of luck and enjoy your vintage AWL bags !

What does the Dooney & Bourke Registration Number Mean?

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Hi Paula,

I have a vintage Dooney bag. I checked your site for  authenticity and it checks out – the only thing I can’t figure out is how you tell the date it was made or sold – my purse I found would be minimally a 9 on your quality scale and I haven’t been able to find another one like it online. The ID number is A6 317269. How do you know what those numbers mean? Jessica

Hi Jessica,

The number that is on the back of the sewn-in tag indicates where in the US and when the bag was made. All of the Identifying Characteristics of Vintage AWL Dooney & Bourke bags are discussed on our website.

If you want to know specifically, you’d have to contact Dooney & Bourke directly although finding someone there who is knowledgeable or interested in the vintage bags is often difficult.

In the right hand column of this blog, you’ll see a list called “Categories” and under it is an expanded list of all topics on this blog. Scroll down to the Dooney & Bourke heading and click on it. You will then see all the articles related to your query.