Swindy got his bag! (THE Mk VII with pics.)

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 8:21 pm

I don't know where to start!

I ordered a Mk VII bag from the Belgian source I came across a while ago. The shipment took an awfully long time (3 weeks or more?) and I left the town where I study to go south for Christmas.
Today I got back and found a piece of paper in my mailbox saying the package had arrived at the post office/food store. (Yeah, that's the way it works in Sweden nowadays.)
Anyway, I dumped my bags and went to get the package, of course opening it on the way home expecting to see another tan bag with some wear and tear. Then:

The bag is an unissued (no broad arrow stamp even) 1943 (another production year for the main site) G. & S. Ltd. Mk VII in a beautiful green color. (The "black stripe" bag I have is the same maker from 1942.)

The photo is taken with a flash, the real color is darker and warmer in tone, much like the Raiders bag in some shots of the movie. I haven't had time to tidy up the hardware yet so expect a few more pics in daylight later on.

Some of you guys know how long I've been looking for "the bag" at a decent price and I have finally found it while looking for new Mk VII sources. How much? 10 Euros.

Comparison between 1942 (left) and 1943 (right):

Stamps and snaps/press studs:

I listed a few specs when I placed my order and didn't hope much all of them would be fulfilled, but they were! Interesting enough the press studs differ from the two bags. The pin/heavy duty/wavy type on the 1942 and the hollowed/smaller/flat on the 1943.

I know I'm probably getting a bit too excited here. After all, it's just a bag. A great bag indeed.

Marcus, I found it!

By the way, I will not stop looking for sources. Trust me.

Regards,
Yours truly, Swindiana

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 8:29 pm

Giddy up!

I'm a HAPPY camper and don't care if I go silly.
*Going silly, hugging bag, drooling from the looks of it*

Swindy

IndyBlues · Post by **IndyBlues** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:11 pm

Congratulations Swindy, that bag is awesome! Don't feell bad about feeling giddy. When I got my bag from Paulcrastination, the one I discussed with you, I couldn't beleive my eyes. It looks too good to be 62 years old.
You told me it doesn't get better than that, well, it looks like in your case, it does. That bag is sweet!
Kudos.
BTW If you find another, can you hook me up?

Cooler King · Post by **Cooler King** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 10:24 pm

Uber niceness! Congrats!

whipwarrior · Post by **whipwarrior** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:15 pm

Nice find! Just curious here, but exactly how much is 10 Euros? I bought my unissued Mk-VII from The Roadster Factory back in 1999 for about $40 plus shipping. Problem was, it looked TOO new, and I was forced to commit a crime that vintage militaria collectors like Ian Durrant would consider unforgivable: I used sandpaper and water to give it a more weathered look. The result is a bag that looks like it's been carried around the world and back again, yet retains perfect structural integrity. Genius, no?

zohar · Post by **zohar** » Fri Jan 09, 2004 11:27 pm

10 Euros is 12.7370 US Dollars.

If you haven't noticed, the US Dollar has been shrinking in value lately. Now is a bad time for us Americans to visit Europe because our dollar won't go as far there as it has in the past. On the flip side, a European's euros will go a lot further over here in the US when the come to visit us.

That's a very overly simplified explanation of currency markets, but it'll have to do for midnight on a friday

Zindy · Post by **Zindy** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 12:47 am

Congrats, Swindy. That's a great looking bag. I'm jealous

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 5:39 am

Thanks guys!
Now I don't feel as bad sleeping with it under my pillow at night...

Anyways, I will not even touch this bag with sandpaper I think besides removing the corrosion from the hardware with steel wool.
I respect anyone that distress his or her bag but in my case this one is too good to be true. My striped bag is distressed enough as it is and has more of a ToD look to it that I like.
I might be on to another small source in Italy, but nothing certain yet. I will share in case it turns out well.
Hopefully Indiana will secure the source he is talking about though we will just have to wait and see what happens.

Thanks again for kind words, they help a lot.

Regards,
Swindy

auntsugar · Post by **auntsugar** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 6:52 am

Swindy wrote:

Now I don't feel as bad sleeping with it under my pillow at night...

You could use it AS a pillow. Anyway, nice bag. I'm still waiting for my $4.00 bag to show up.

agent5 · Post by **agent5** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 12:38 pm

You are the Bag Man. That was a very scary title to have back in the day.

indybill · Post by **indybill** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 12:53 pm

Wow Swindy! That back looks like it time traveled right off the
assembly line to your hands. That is definatly a great find.

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 10:32 pm

Lucky you! Ive gotten lucky and found an unissued green bag for cheaps too (ebay

)

Kentucky Blues · Post by **Kentucky Blues** » Sat Jan 10, 2004 10:41 pm

How many bags you got now Swindy?

Regards, Daryl.

Shtick · Post by **Shtick** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 12:42 am

Good score, Swindy! Long time, no see! Good to know it worked out well for you.

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 1:40 am

Thanks again guys!
Nice to see you back man!

Here is another shot of "the finished product", hat not included:

I now have 4 bags Daryl;
1 British Mk VI (Gotta keep it.)
1 Canadian Mk VII with the metal spring instead of the disk. (A collectors item to me.)
2 British G. & S. Ltd. 1942/1943 Mk VII bags. One striped, one unissued.

I think I've found my final one but that doesn't mean I've lost interest in these bags.

Thanks for the support!

Regards,
Lars

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Sun Jan 11, 2004 1:46 am

By the way!
For those curious on the Broad arrow stamp.

http://www.britishairborne.org/enfield.html

Scroll down this page.

Regards,
Swindy

Marcus Petrius · Post by **Marcus Petrius** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 3:00 pm

Your bag is exactly the same as my favorite bag, except for the color of the snap buttons. I also couldn't believe mine wasn't made last week.
It's an awful nice bag you have there.
BTW Do you cut out the center inside divider or do you leave it there?

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 5:26 pm

Marcus Petrius wrote:Your bag is exactly the same as my favorite bag, except for the color of the snap buttons. I also couldn't believe mine wasn't made last week.
It's an awful nice bag you have there.
BTW Do you cut out the center inside divider or do you leave it there?

Do you know what maker your bag is and what do the snaps look like?
"Wavy" with a red tone to them? Or is the corrosion just still on there?

I tend to keep my bags as intact as possible so the divider is still there. I actually find it quite useful for the way I use my bag and for what I carry along.

Regards

Swindy

Indiana · Post by **Indiana** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 6:05 pm

Swindy, Im working on it, I just need to get my mom to use her credit card and order one for me... or I might use a money order.

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Mon Jan 12, 2004 6:28 pm

Indiana wrote:Swindy, Im working on it, I just need to get my mom to use her credit card and order one for me... or I might use a money order.

Sounds great!
Is this from the source you've found?

Regards
Swindy

Marcus Petrius · Post by **Marcus Petrius** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:32 am

Swindiana wrote:
Marcus Petrius wrote:Your bag is exactly the same as my favorite bag, except for the color of the snap buttons. I also couldn't believe mine wasn't made last week.
It's an awful nice bag you have there.
BTW Do you cut out the center inside divider or do you leave it there?
Do you know what maker your bag is and what do the snaps look like?
"Wavy" with a red tone to them? Or is the corrosion just still on there?

I tend to keep my bags as intact as possible so the divider is still there. I actually find it quite useful for the way I use my bag and for what I carry along.

Regards

Swindy

I don't know who made my bag, as the faded stamps are the only thing that I don't like about my bag. I can just read the Mk VII and 1942 stamps, but that's partially because I know what they say. My snaps actually look the same as the ones on your newest pictures (the one with the hat and leather strap). It might just be the flash that made them look a bit red-ish in your earlier post.

Mike

Swindiana · Post by **Swindiana** » Tue Jan 13, 2004 11:54 am

It might just be the flash that made them look a bit red-ish in your earlier post.

Nah... I just removed the corrosion.

Thanks for the info!

Regards

Swindy