Vintage Medical Bag

A doctor’s medical bag is known as a Gladstone bag. J. G. Beard of Westminster, England, designed the first Gladstone bag during the mid-19th century. He named the bag after British Prime Minister William Gladstone, whom Beard deeply admired. Find a variety of Gladstone bags on 1stDibs.

What is considered a vintage bag may vary based on personal opinion. However, most experts agree that any handbag produced more than 50 years ago is a vintage accessory. On 1stDibs, you can find a wide range of vintage bags.

To tell if a Fendi bag is vintage, first look for its serial number. If your bag lacks one, it was likely produced before 1980. Since any Fendi piece over 20 years old is considered vintage, a piece that lacks a serial number will usually be a vintage bag. If you find a serial number, research it using trusted online resources to get a rough idea of its age. Alternatively, a certified appraiser or other knowledgeable expert can assist you with the dating process. Shop a variety of Fendi bags on 1stDibs.

For Chanel bags, any piece produced more than 20 years ago is considered vintage. While Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel began to design handbags during the 1920s, the 2.55, which debuted in February 1955, is an iconic vintage Chanel bag. The brand's best-known bag, the Classic Double Flap bag, includes Chanel's signature quilting and leather interlaced through a chain strap. Chanel Classic flap bags have been going strong since Karl Lagerfeld updated the beloved 2.55 handbag in the 1980s with the addition of the interlocking double Cs on the flap. Other celebrated bag styles are the Gabrielle and Boy bags. On 1stDibs, shop a large selection of vintage Chanel bags.

To date a vintage Gucci bag, locate its serial number. You can usually find it on the reverse of the logo-stamped leather label inside the bag. While this number doesn't tell you the year of production, it does provide the style and batch numbers of the bag. Once you have the serial number, you can look it up in trusted online databases to find out when your bag was produced. If your bag doesn't have a serial number, it likely dates to before 1960, when Gucci first introduced serial numbers. Should you have difficulty determining the age of your bag, a certified appraiser or other knowledgeable expert can assist you. Explore a large selection of vintage and contemporary Gucci bags on 1stDibs.