Thanks alot Catbird9 for all your great help. By the way, do you know the measurements of the Sutton #9814, Taylor #9944 or a description of the messenger bag #9974 for future references please? Thanks again!
Vintage Coach Photos & Chat
- Thread starter bunnymasseuse
- Start date
9814 - Sutton Zip 11x7, 46" adj strap
9944 - Taylor Zip , 11x7, 50" strap
9974 - Multi Zip 11x6 48" adj. strap
Good point!
And another reminder that we've warned about often over at the Authenticate board - ALWAYS CHECK THE PHOTOS AND THE STRAP MEASUREMENTS CAREFULLY, because when the fashion started changing to what's now called a "shoulder strap" with a shorter length so the bag is carried higher up, a lot of owners who preferred the new style shortened the straps on their older classic and vintage bags. Some just punched a few more holes, but too many actually cut the strap. A few were shortened by professionall leatherworkers or cobblers, but far too many were done by the owners and the straps were butchered. And some were replaced with shorter non-Coach straps, which usually have the wrong kind of hardware.
Warning signs can be:
Strap measurements that don't come close to others of the same style listed for sale.
Incomplete or blurry photos that don't show the entire length of the strap.
Raw undyed leather at the tip of the strap, or leather that's cut straight across instead of being rounded off.
Buckle placement on an adjustable strap that puts it close to the center of the strap when shown in a full-length photo - this can also be one of the signs of a fake, so look at the photos CAREFULLY and have the bag authenticated at the ATC thread.
Better yet, always post photos and / or links at the Authenticate This Coach thread and ask about the strap length - we've seen a lot of those "chop jobs" and can usually spot them especially if the poster mentions the strap.
Sorry to keep
but -I wanted to post an example of what to watch out for with strap length and especially buckle placement.
Here are pics of a "Willis" that I just talked about at the Authenticate thread. Note the VERY long length of the buckle end of the strap. Looks like a nice vintage Willis, doesn't it? I just hope none of our members bought it because I think they got a Triple-A fake for their $198. Not only is the strap wrong, but so are the font and format of both the creed and serial number, the inside pocket zipper pull, and the nickel hardware that wouldn't be available on Willises for another 4 years.
If anyone here bought a "Coach Vintage Willis Station Butterscotch Tan Leather Cross Body Satchel bag" listed for $198 from a Private Feedback seller within the last few months, please check today's Authenticate This Coach thread in the Coach Shopping forum.
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Sorry to keep
I wanted to post an example of what to watch out for with strap length and especially buckle placement.
Here are pics of a "Willis" that I just talked about at the Authenticate thread. Note the VERY long length of the buckle end of the strap. Looks like a nice vintage Willis, doesn't it? I just hope none of our members bought it because I think they got a Triple-A fake for their $198. Not only is the strap wrong, but so are the font and format of both the creed and serial number, the inside pocket zipper pull, and the nickel hardware that wouldn't be available on Willises for another 4 years.
If anyone here bought a "Coach Vintage Willis Station Butterscotch Tan Leather Cross Body Satchel bag" listed for $198 from a Private Feedback seller within the last few months, please check today's Authenticate This Coach thread in the Coach Shopping forum.
I just saw your posts and @houseof999 posts regarding this bag and the burnished Willis bags from the mid-2000s. I have a 2006 burnished Willis made in China. I washed it when I got it, and it made the burnished appearance a little different than it was originally, but it definitely has a burnished appearance similar to other bags that had a burnished Creed during that time period. (This picture isn't very good because it is taken with flash but you can get an idea.) It also has a shorter strap (34") than my other Willis bags. Mine has nickel hardware. (I think I got it authenticated - at least I hope so!) It is my second-favorite Willis, behind my Federal Blue one. Here's mine:
That's good to know - thanks for posting!
I'm surprised about the shorter strap on yours though, both of my China-made Willises have a real cross-body strap. I just measured the one on my Federal (? Denim? Wedgewood? I never found the exact color name since I bought it pre-owned) Blue bag with an F040- serial prefix and it's a full 48 inches long at maximum buckle setting. Interestingly, the creed also uses the "burnished" wording and it does have almost the same kind of shine to the leather as the slightly earlier Soft Legacy bags I've owned that were described as Burnished. I wonder if someone swapped the strap on yours somewhere along the way?
Usually when Coach says burnished, it is darker on the edges. The scratches aren't part of it; that's just normal aging. All glove-tanned bags scratch. I have burnished Bleeckers. The leather on them is really smooth and shiny.
Good point!
And another reminder that we've warned about often over at the Authenticate board - ALWAYS CHECK THE PHOTOS AND THE STRAP MEASUREMENTS CAREFULLY, because when the fashion started changing to what's now called a "shoulder strap" with a shorter length so the bag is carried higher up, a lot of owners who preferred the new style shortened the straps on their older classic and vintage bags. Some just punched a few more holes, but too many actually cut the strap. A few were shortened by professionall leatherworkers or cobblers, but far too many were done by the owners and the straps were butchered. And some were replaced with shorter non-Coach straps, which usually have the wrong kind of hardware.
Warning signs can be:
Strap measurements that don't come close to others of the same style listed for sale.
Incomplete or blurry photos that don't show the entire length of the strap.
Raw undyed leather at the tip of the strap, or leather that's cut straight across instead of being rounded off.
Buckle placement on an adjustable strap that puts it close to the center of the strap when shown in a full-length photo - this can also be one of the signs of a fake, so look at the photos CAREFULLY and have the bag authenticated at the ATC thread.
Better yet, always post photos and / or links at the Authenticate This Coach thread and ask about the strap length - we've seen a lot of those "chop jobs" and can usually spot them especially if the poster mentions the strap.
Speaking of extra holes in the strap, this Metropolis appears to have at least 9 holes.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/182424519984
I'm glad I looked closely before hitting the BIN button!
My Federal Blue Willis (I'm not sure of the name either, I just like calling it Federal Blue), has a J050-prefix and also has the longer strap. When I bought the burnished one, the seller told me that Coach changed the strap to a shorter one around the time she purchased it. She didn't like the shorter strap, which was the reason she decided to sell it. I hardly ever wear my bags cross-body, so I kind of like having a Willis with a short strap.
ETA: my J050 Federal (?) Blue Willis doesn't have "Burnished" in the Creed, which is interesting.
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It isn't as splotchy in real life as that picture makes it look. The flash made it look funny. It is a bit scratched. When I first got it, I washed and conditioned it because it needed reshaped, but I don't think the burnished leather liked the conditioner I used on it initially. Since then, I think I've just used Obenauf's LP on it. I haven't carried it lately, and it's been a while since I did anything to it. If you like other burnished bags made during that time period, I would say this one is pretty similar. I wouldn't dunk it if I had to do it over again. I think I'd just use Obenauf's on it. The leather is definitely smoother and shinier than my 2004 Willis.
It's genuine, but 5 holes seems to be the standard number. Still, better extra holes than a chopped strap.
Which goes to prove Rule Number One - "The most consistent thing about Coach is their inconsistency."
I really appreciate all the great help of everybody, but I was wondering are there any 10" long small-medium vintage leather bags or is it just 9" and 11"? I'm trying to find something to run to my car to late at night (there's no parking lot where my boyfriend lives) 11" still seem a little big and 9" seems a little small. The more I write the I more sound like Goldilocks. Any suggestions - 9" long seems fine, but sometimes (on a few occasions), I have to carry a little bit more. Thanks very much!!
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Off the top of my head, the Courier Pouch #8920 and the Classic Pouch #9170 are both 10" length.