30's, 40's (Indy) Style Briefcase

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:06 pm

I just realized when we had our big database crash last summer, the below post was a casualty of the missing posts that did not get restored.

I meant to follow up, with the picture of my matching A-2.

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Well I think I found a real good 30's style briefcase with the dual straps. You can see the briefcase, just a glimpse when Indy meets the government men. Also, I see the same briefcase in Last Crusade that Marcus is carrying at the train station.

This particular briefcase is an authentic government issue briefcase. I actually picked it up at a gunshow, go figure. It came with a Army Airforce Cabin ID tag used for checkin. Based on the ID Tag, the bag is minimally from 1943. But the style is common for the 30's/40's. So the kicker for me is that the color of the leather matches my Horsehide A-2 jacket, PERFECTLY. So it fits both my Indy collection and A-2.

Front of bag

Close up of AAF Cabin ID Tag

Backside of Bag

Inside compartment with 4 dividers and a small, snapped pocket for pens, glasses.

This bag is ready for hunting down the bad guys in Iraq!

Above is picture of similar bag from Swayne, Adeney

What do you think? It's an awesome bag since it came in great condition, hardly used except for a few small scratches. It's my everyday bag now. It carries huge magazines, A-4 paper, even my laptop computer. I buffed the bag with shoe polish and Pecards, so it really appears shiny. I should post a picture right next to my A-2 just to show how close the leather colors are between the two.

-Sergei

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:07 pm

And here's a picture of the briefcase in action at Flight Suits:

Picture taken right before the QM 2003 Summit.

-Sergei

zohar · Post by **zohar** » Sat Sep 27, 2003 10:12 pm

This is pretty much the highest praise I can give an item of gear.

I wish it were mine...

Excellent find!

Jsoftz · Post by **Jsoftz** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 1:06 am

Hey, that looks real slick, Sergei. Nice find!

Question is, where can I get myself one like that! At school I currently use a laptop case that I found as my bookbag, but heck i'd love that.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 1:19 am

Jsoftz wrote:Hey, that looks real slick, Sergei. Nice find!

Question is, where can I get myself one like that! At school I currently use a laptop case that I found as my bookbag, but heck i'd love that.

Well I found mine at a gunshow. But I see them on eBay, time to time. At eBay search on: "vintage" "leather" "briefcase".

-Sergei

indy_den · Post by **indy_den** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 2:28 am

Sergei, that's a really good looking briefcase you've got there! Sure looks like the one in LC. I'm a little behind in my history of the Indy briefcase, do we know who made the original for the movie? Is it Swayne, Adeney? Or do they sell similar replicates? Was there a scene with the briefcase in Raiders? My memory's a little rusty, gotta check my tape again.

Great find again, you sure got a nice piece of history! Sure wish they make bags with that 30s/40s design today. Very nice.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Sun Sep 28, 2003 2:34 am

indy_den wrote:Sergei, that's a really good looking briefcase you've got there! Sure looks like the one in LC. I'm a little behind in my history of the Indy briefcase, do we know who made the original for the movie? Is it Swayne, Adeney? Or do they sell similar replicates? Was there a scene with the briefcase in Raiders? My memory's a little rusty, gotta check my tape again.

Great find again, you sure got a nice piece of history! Sure wish they make bags with that 30s/40s design today. Very nice.

Yeah in Raiders, you briefly (no pun intended) see the briefcase when Indy sees the government men in the lecture hall. As far as who made them for the movie, that has never been determined. The picture reference to Swayne Adney was just that, they made a similarly looking case (color is not right though). If you go to their web site, their luggage is very, very expensive. Good quality stuff. But I think this prop might have been vintage. It looked very period to me, by looking at the color. It looked like an A-2 leather brownish color. But for 1936, this briefcase was very popular and correct for the period. It's most definitely a 30's/40's period briefcase. With the military connection, this find was a double win for me, since it looks good with either a Indy or A-2 jacket.

-Sergei

Post by **Michaelson** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 1:41 pm

Picked up a dead ringer for your bag a couple of weeks ago, Sergei, in Knoxville, TN. It desparately needed Pecards, as the creases were pretty aged cracked, but it loosened up nicely. Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but it would look good for a display, I suppose. Regards. Michaelson

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 3:28 pm

Use it!!! Congrats Michaelson!!

cyclops · Post by **cyclops** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 7:22 am

If anyone is looking for an Indyesque briefcase then have a look at
http://www.eclipse.co.uk/htleather/cata ... fcase.html . These are handmade to order and are exceptional value.

I am getting one of the satchels with some major modifications http://www.eclipse.co.uk/htleather/cata ... tchel.html .

Henry (the maker) has a customer service at least on a par with Wested. Extraordinarily helpful - I must have phoned/emailed a dozen times with modifications and requests. He even told me when my bag would be made (yesterday) - I will post pics when it arrives to show everyone what the quallity is like (I have no doubt that it will be of the highest standard).

When I asked him how he did it for the cost - he gave the same answer as Peter - no middleman taking a cut.

Cheers
Cyclops

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:42 am

Fantastic find, cyclops. Thanks.

Band Director Jones · Post by **Band Director Jones** » Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:06 pm

Actually, they have a briefcase that is pretty darn close to the Raiders briefcase. At the bottom of the briefcase page they have what they call the "Briefcase-Lite". The straight flap with lock model is the closest I've seen (and believe me I have looked around). The only real difference appears to be the lock. The one on the Raiders briefcase is somewhat unusual, where as this lock is more of a standard style. Of course, to really make it look like Indy's you will have to distress it a little, as his looks like it's been around the campus a few times. Here are a few screen grabs of the Raiders briefcase for comparison. I have a sample of the dark brown leather being sent to me. I'll post about it when I get it. Nice find!!

Indiana Weasel · Post by **Indiana Weasel** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 6:32 pm

Last Semester, when I got tired of tugging around my papers and books in my backpack, I decided to get a leather briefcase in order to somewhat improve the functionality of the case I was using for the school stuff and also ease the burden on my back. (Hunching in front of a computer monitor and then hiking books around campus isn't the best therapy for a back). Even though my original intent was to find a bag similar to Corso's (Johnny Depp) bag in The Ninth Gate, I stumbled across one that bares a resemblance to the briefcase in question

http://store6.yimg.com/I/atherbys_1776_2976471

The colour is wrong, and the lock is too modern to be close to the one in Raiders, but they do share several similarities in the basic design. Oh and beware the straps in the front are false, they hide magnetic snaps (found that out after I had undone the straps) So if you are just looking for a bag with the correct "aura", this might work for you, and would swear by mine, I still drag it to work everyday and I hope it will serve me well in grad school in the future (if the universities ever send me the freakin' acceptance letters).

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 7:09 pm

http://www.customhide.com/
This place makes some nice looking bags, and they do custom too.
I have the one pictured below; the backpack straps are removable.
They can put a lock on if you want.

It is pretty small compared to Sergei's vintage case.

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 7:41 pm

That's a cool site Matt. If you go there:
http://www.customhide.com/custom_1945_U ... fcase.html

There is custom replica of the 1945 US Army briefcase.

That looks very good for $259.

-Sergei

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 6:26 pm

That is rad, I don't think they had that on the site before. I may get one.

Mattdeckard · Post by **Mattdeckard** » Mon Mar 08, 2004 5:06 pm

If you take the straps off the 40's case you have indy's case.

just have to get them to make it without the belt loops.
Lock only

30's, 40's (Indy) Style Briefcase

30's, 40's (Indy) Style Briefcase

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread

bags abounding