Club Obi Wan

Well, I recently became a teacher and I have been looking for the ultimate Indy briefcase to carry all my stuff in...I had been looking at Saddleback briefcases for awhile, but I did my dreaming and realized that a teacher's salary doesn't look kindly upon $500 briefcases...(at least right now...) but after a long quest, I have finally found what I feel is pretty much spot on the briefcase from Raiders. First look at a few screenshots from the film:




In that first photo, does it look like there are marks where leather straps might have been removed on either side of the latch, or is that just my eyes seeing things?
My bag has these straps, but otherwise looks spot on...





I think it's cowhide because of it's thickness, but it's aged nicely so its nice and supple...Tell me what you guys think!
-Z

That's a GREAT find.....looks as close as you could hope to get!!!!

Nice!!!!

It certainly looks to me like you've got the real deal, now, details! Where'e you get it who makes it, etc.

Well, I got it from the world's biggest garage sale for about $40...(if you don't get it, PM me )

As for the maker, there's only one marking on the entire case, and it's stamped into the leather...it reads,"SHELL MEX & B.P. LTD"...Here's a pic:


It looks even better when I put stuff inside it...Anybody on the theory of the Raiders briefcase perhaps having straps that were taken off???
-Z

I think it definitely once had straps. You can see the attachment points on both the flap and the body of the case. The latch is really only there to lock it. The straps are meant to transfer the load of the body into the flap and handle. Look at how it gaps and pulls without the straps.
I cannot remember what comes after this screen-wise but they probably removed the straps to avoid HF having to fumble with 3 closures if he opened/closed the case on screen.

The markings refer to a company, now defunct.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell-Mex_and_BP_Ltd

Since the company existed from 1931 to 1971, that brackets the age of your find.

Nice one.

very nice briefcase, nicetrylaoche!

btw does anyone know if Indy's briefcase in LC was still the same? If you remember the Venice scene, Indy and Marcus sitting in Donovan's appartment, resting and studying the grail tablet copy and the diary, there's a similiar looking briefcase on the far left corner. Looks almost the same to me.

Edit:

LC briefcase, Venice pier:


LC briefcase, Donovan's appartment:

awsome find, I too have been looking for something like that but as you pointed out $500 +, is a little steep. But you have a real peace of history now, don't know why any one would have gotten rid of sunch a beautifull case.

You might also want to check this link:
viewtopic.php?t=28993

Also, as someone pointed out in that thread, here is a link to a place that makes the same style of briefcase as this one, and it is less than $300:
http://www.customhide.com/custom_1945_U ... fcase.html

But you can't beat $40 for vintage like that--nice find, nicetrylaoche!

best wishes,
Nebraska Schulte

Nice find! I bought a saddleback, which I love, but I wouldn't mind having one from custom hide too...but as I'll be paying off the saddleback for years, I'll have to wait. Wish i could find one at a garage sale for $40. Congrats!

Rambler wrote:The markings refer to a company, now defunct.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell-Mex_and_BP_Ltd

Since the company existed from 1931 to 1971, that brackets the age of your find.

Nice one.

Good work Rambler. I was wondering myself...I still wonder why this company made this briefcase (maybe for employees?). It's cool that it could actually be from the era Raiders was set in...

I'm gonna put some leather conditioner on it tomorrow or the next day and see what it does to the look of the straps and bottom...give it some moisture. Other than that, it feels amazing and it's tough as nails. I'll post some pics after I put the conditioner on it.
-Z

Great find! I picked one up locally at an actual garage sale for $7. They were asking 10, but I haggled

It has Cowhide leather stamped on it, so I have to think that most leather cases like this use cowhide for its thickness and strength