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Vintage Monogrammed Leather Doctor's Bag, H.B.S. Initials

Vintage Monogrammed Leather Doctor's Bag, H.B.S. Initials

Regular price $150.00 USD
Regular price $275.00 USD Sale price $150.00 USD
Sale Sold out

This handsome antique doctor’s bag is a fine example of early 20th-century craftsmanship, made from richly patinated genuine cowhide leather and finished with solid brass hardware. Likely dating to the 1920s or 1930s, this bag would have accompanied a professional, perhaps a doctor making house calls or a traveling businessman, on countless journeys. The structured silhouette, wid

The gilt initials on the front are H.B.S. and I have no idea who that was. What interests me more is the worn gold label on the side, from a railway station hotel, half lost and not quite readable now. Someone carried this bag somewhere and checked into a hotel with it. Wide-mouth bags built on a hinged frame like this one were made for a doctor's rounds or a few days away from home.

Dimensions
12 in. H 22 in. W 12 in. D
Surface
Original leather surface, darkened and rubbed at the corners, edges, and along the base
Primary Material
Cowhide leather, pebble grained
Period
Vintage
Date
Circa 1920s to 1930s
Origin
Unknown
Also Known As
Gladstone bag, physician's bag
Maker, Mark, or Attribution
No maker's mark found. The frame interior, the lock face, and the leather inside the mouth have not yet been examined under magnification
Marks
Gilt initials stamped to the front below the handle, reading H.B.S. An applied gilt label to one side, worn and partly lost, with a crest at center, the word NORTH followed by an unreadable word, then STATION HOTEL, and a placename in script beneath. The placename is not legible in current photographs
Construction
Leather over a hinged metal frame with a wide mouth opening. Stitched leather handle over a core. Riveted metal corner plates and base studs
Secondary Material
Yellow metal fittings, assessed as brass, untested
Hardware or Mounts
Frame, plate clasp, corner reinforcement plates, and base feet, all in yellow metal assessed as brass

The leather is intact all around with no splits or holes. It carries scuffs, small nicks, and surface marks across all faces, heaviest at the corners and along the bottom edge where the bag was set down. The corners and edges are rubbed through the top color in places. The sides have soft creases and folds at the gussets where the mouth collapses inward, which is how these bags sit when they are not full.

The yellow metal fittings have darkened and show minor oxidation and small pitting. The clasp closes and holds. The hinges operate smoothly through their full travel. There is no key with the bag.

The gilt H.B.S. initials are clear and complete. The applied label on one side has lost roughly a third of its surface and much of the remaining text is worn past reading. What is left of it is visible in the photographs.

The interior is clean, unlined, and structurally sound, with no loose stitching at the frame line and no odor.

Please review all photographs closely, as they form part of this description.

Shipping & Returns

All antique and vintage items are shipped from our warehouse in Bluffdale, Utah. Each piece is carefully packed by hand using archival materials and custom crating when necessary.

Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the size and weight of the item. Local pickup is available at the AMD Warehouse.

Furniture is the exception. Because of size and weight, furniture shipping is quoted separately rather than calculated at checkout. Send a DM on Instagram or email austynmariedesign@gmail.com for a quote, or arrange your own shipping from the warehouse.

All sales of antique and vintage items are final due to their unique, one-of-a-kind nature. Illuminé candles and The Collector's Guide may be returned within 14 days of delivery if unopened and in original condition.

If your piece arrives damaged, please photograph the damage immediately (including packaging), contact us within 48 hours at austynmariedesign@gmail.com, and do not discard any packaging.

Read the full return and shipping policy

Important Info About Antique & Vintage

Every antique and vintage item we carry has lived a life before arriving in your home. These are not factory-made products. They are objects with history, character, and the marks of time.

Age-appropriate wear, patina, minor imperfections, and signs of previous use or repair are inherent to antique and vintage items and are not considered defects. These characteristics are part of what makes each piece unique and are often what give it its beauty and value.

We describe the condition of each piece as accurately as possible in the listing. If you have specific questions about a piece before purchasing, please reach out. We are always happy to provide additional photos or details.

Colors may appear slightly different on screen due to monitor settings and photography lighting. We do our best to represent each item accurately.

Descriptions, dates, attributions, materials, and measurements are provided in good faith and reflect our best assessment based on research, physical examination, and the information available to us. Antique and vintage pieces often carry incomplete or unverifiable histories. Where a detail is an assessment rather than a confirmed fact, it is identified as such. Measurements are approximate. All items are sold as-is, with the photographs and condition report governing.

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