Condition Guide
Every piece here has been carried before. We grade what we see, not what we hope you will see, and we photograph the wear rather than work around it.
Excellent
Kept carefully and barely worn. Shape intact, corners sharp, hardware bright. Any marks are faint and take looking for.
Very Good
Worn and well kept. Light softening at the handles or corners, small surface marks on the hardware. Nothing that draws the eye first.
Good
Carried properly. Visible wear — a darkened handle, scuffed corners, a mark in the lining — described in full and reflected in the price.
Fair
Loved hard. Clear wear across the piece, sometimes a repair. We list these when the piece is rare enough, or beautiful enough, to be worth it. Always named, never softened.
What we always tell you
- Any tear, hole, stain or repair.
- Any missing element — strap, clochette, key, mirror, dust bag.
- Anything that affects how the piece closes, hangs or carries.
If it is not in the description, it is not there.
How materials age
- Vachetta darkens with light and handling — a patina, not a flaw.
- Vintage fur thins slightly where it meets clothing.
- Patent leather holds impressions from resting against other surfaces.
- Box calf gains fine surface lines with wear.
- Exotic skins may lift a little at the scale edges.
None of these are damage. All of them are age, and age is why you are here.
Every piece is photographed as it is.