Paula, Is this a real or fake Dooney & Bourke?

Message: Hi Paula, I love your website and blog. I was recently at a consignment shop and purchased this advertised Dooney and Bourke, AWL blue and tan XL travel bag. The zipper pull is metal, has a Dooney and Bourke makers mark on it…. There is no tag on the inside, and the DB mark is not on the oval tan label on the front of the bag. Is this an early DB? The bag also had the lock with it to secure the zipper locked during travel. It is in a Dooney and Bourke box and it has the Old Norwalk address……and it says the lock was made in China…………the pieces on the bag are brass,,,,,the bag was missing the strap(BOO) and there was a small mark inside the bag that shows a small spill. The bag is quite large….it measures 20″ x 14″ x 9 inches wide in the side panels.Can you please help me identify if this is a “real DB”…..
THANKS SO VERY MUCH.
Kim

Hi Kim,

The dimensions you mention are similar to the Dooney Gladstone Duffel Bag R93 that sold for $775 in 1994………

Here is a previous blog about an authentic Gladstone Duffel.

I will point out some concerns I have about your bag.

I have never seen a Dooney oval with out the duck.

The stitching on the handle looks rough.

The stitching overall is not up to Dooney quality and standards.

However, there is the Dooney name on the zipper pull which is a positive.

And the interior pocket looks correct which is often not duplicated by counterfeiters.

So…………my opinion is that it COULD be a knock-off or authentic. If it is authentic, then it is an imperfect that was probably sold at an outlet store at a greatly reduced price. Often outlet stores remove or snip the inside tags so the bag can not be registered with Dooney & Bourke. Although it really bothers me that there is no duck seal on the bag, there are many other features about the bag that look authentic, so I’m leaning toward this having been a defective bag sold at an outlet store without registration tag.

If it were a knock off, most counterfeiters would for sure have added a leather duck seal, so it seems more like a “second” than a fake.

What is the name of this Large Dooney Satchel?

Good Afternoon Paula,

I realize that you’re busy, but I need your expertise with a matter concerning an old Dooney & Bourke Satchel that I own. I have NOT been able to find one anywhere on the web, at least this size. It is big 21.5 in long. Can you assist with the name of this particular one? I would be greatly appreciative for any help you can provide. Again, thank you

 Best Wishes,

Peter

Hi Peter,

What you have is the R 93 Gladstone Duffel Bag

Height 14″ Length 22″ and Width 10 1/2″

The Gladstone Collection  is made of Dooney & Bourke’s All Weather, water-repellent leather. There are hand-stitched handles, reinforced gussets, solid brass feet on the bottom, extended zippers for easy access and solid brass locks for security.

It has one inside pocket with four compartments and one inside pocket with two compartments.

There was originally an attached luggage tag, an adjustable, detachable shoulder strap with a pad.

The drop length of the shoulder strap is 24″.

By the look of the fob on your bag, it is a pre-tag bag so sports the older DB fob rather than the duck fob that came later and likely does not have the red, white and blue tag inside.

In my 1992 catalog it sold for $770.

Here is a photo of one of its smaller cousins, the R90 Small Gladstone Satchel.

I hope this has been helpful.

Paula