Authenticate This DOONEY & BOURKE

Please post authenticity questions related to DOONEY & BOURKE in this thread.

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Item:
Listing number:
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Link (if available):
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Item: VINT DOONEY & BOURKE DOCTORS TAN/BL SHOULDER HANDBAG
Listing number: 290587487519
Seller: booksyblue
Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/290587487519?ru...87519&_sacat=See-All-Categories&_fvi=1&_rdc=1


Item: XL VINTAGE DOONEY & BOURKE DOCTORS SHOULDER HANDBAG
Listing number: 290587490667
Seller: booksyblue
Link: http://cgi.ebay.com/XL-VINTAGE-DOON...667?pt=US_CSA_WH_Handbags&hash=item43a85d396b

Could someone please authenticate these 2 bags for me? Thank you.
Both are authentic.
 
What do the serial number digits on the D & B red, white & blue tags indicate? Do they denote model numbers or year of manufacture - like the numbers on the Coach creed sometimes do? And are these numbers ever counterfeit? Thanks
Dooney serial numbers are random and unique, unlike the current Coach which indicate date codes and style numbers.

The first letter of the serial number indicates the country of origin.

MADE IN THE USA the serial number will start with A or B.
(traditional cloth tag sewn inside will read DOONEY & BOURKE, INC. MADE IN THE USA)

If the serial number starts with C is was assembled in COSTA RICA!
If the serial number starts with H is was assembled in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with I is was assembled in ITALY!
If the serial number starts with J is was made in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with K is was made in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with L is was made in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with M is was assembled in MEXICO!

Note that the counterfeiters have been putting tags into their fakes but the tag fabric is usually the incorrect weave and the font and number of characters on the serial number are incorrect. Sometimes that tags on fakes are blank on the back and don't have a serial number. (This is why both sides of the tag are important to see.)
 
Dooney serial numbers are random and unique, unlike the current Coach which indicate date codes and style numbers.

The first letter of the serial number indicates the country of origin.

MADE IN THE USA the serial number will start with A or B.
(traditional cloth tag sewn inside will read DOONEY & BOURKE, INC. MADE IN THE USA)

If the serial number starts with C is was assembled in COSTA RICA!
If the serial number starts with H is was assembled in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with I is was assembled in ITALY!
If the serial number starts with J is was made in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with K is was made in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with L is was made in CHINA!
If the serial number starts with M is was assembled in MEXICO!

Note that the counterfeiters have been putting tags into their fakes but the tag fabric is usually the incorrect weave and the font and number of characters on the serial number are incorrect. Sometimes that tags on fakes are blank on the back and don't have a serial number. (This is why both sides of the tag are important to see.)

BeenBurned, Thank you for the authentications & this explanation of the serial numbers. Are all of the older AWL D&B's heavy? And if the lining isn't suede, is it always plastic? Sorry for all the questions - I never owned a Dooney before.
 
BeenBurned, Thank you for the authentications & this explanation of the serial numbers. Are all of the older AWL D&B's heavy? And if the lining isn't suede, is it always plastic? Sorry for all the questions - I never owned a Dooney before.
You're welcome.

The older (vintage) AWL bags were heavier than the newer AWL2 versions. They were unlined and what appeared to be suede on the interior was actually the back of the leather. (Many of the fakes have either suede or fake-suede but it's usually on the back of pleather.)
 
Please authenticate this bag for me:

Item Name: Cavalry Portfolio(or at least that is what it was called)

I would appreciate your help with this. I saw 1 picture of this bag, went back to find it again and it was gone.
Please let me know if you need more pictures.

Thanks in advance
 

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Please authenticate this bag for me:

Item Name: Cavalry Portfolio(or at least that is what it was called)

I would appreciate your help with this. I saw 1 picture of this bag, went back to find it again and it was gone.
Please let me know if you need more pictures.

Thanks in advance
Authentic.
 
Thank you

Oh, BTW,this site: http://www.horsekeeping.com/Dooney/Dooney-Bourke
has some great pictures and descriptions of vintage bags.
You're welcome.

This ebay member is an encyclopedia of knowledge too:

Thank you so much! You're so helpful! What about this one? I was thinking of getting the beige satchel and the green shoulder bag.

http://cgi.ebay.com/DOONEY-BOURKE-E...WH_Handbags&hash=item484158b21a#ht_732wt_1215
Beware that many guides (all different brands) aren't worth the cyber paper they're written on. Most are incomplete, obsolete or just plain wrong and filled with misinformation.

Remember that anyone can call themselves "expert" and can write a guide or copy and paste another guide.

That said, Dreaming_of_beautiful_dooneys has several very good guides.
Dooney & Bourke Collection VINTAGE AWL Tack Bags PHOTOS

Dooney & Bourke Collection AWL COLORS & PHOTOS Part I

Dooney & Bourke Collection AWL COLORS Part II

Dooney & Bourke Collection GLADSTONE PHOTOS

Dooney & Bourke Collection Belts PHOTOS
 
You're welcome.

The older (vintage) AWL bags were heavier than the newer AWL2 versions. They were unlined and what appeared to be suede on the interior was actually the back of the leather. (Many of the fakes have either suede or fake-suede but it's usually on the back of pleather.)


BeenBurned, how can a newbie tell fake suede from genuine?
 
Hi again. I bought the purse that combatrn76 posted about on the previous page and I know you guys gave it the thumbs up but I got it yesterday and there are some details that are still bugging me.

First, the leather is really stiff. Not quite rigid but close.

It doesn't say "All Weather Leather" anywhere and in fact has no tags other than the fob and the duck badge on the front. The badge has some irregularity. There's a gap filled with glue on the side.

DBAuthenticate004.jpg


The metal in the shoulder strap buckles and D rings on the side don't seem to be the same as the shiny brass on the front buckle though they may just be tarnished. Also note, the wacky seam on the tip of the flap:

DBAuthenticate008.jpg


There are a few sewing mistakes. On the side of the bag opening:

DBAuthenticate019.jpg



On the bottom center of the bag the trim isn't overlapped quite right and the stitching has been gone over a few times:

DBAuthenticate013.jpg


There is dark sealant bled out on the edge of the inside trim on the bag's flap

DBAuthenticate015.jpg


There are more photos in this photobucket album I put up
http://s188.photobucket.com/albums/z19/saprobe_photos/Dooney%20and%20Bourke%20Blue/

The magnetic snap says: "P.A.T. 97021. ORIENT. M 1023191"

Maybe it was sold as irregular?
 
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