I've been shopping for and buying vintage purses for many years. I got into this market in the 1970-80s, before the Chinese became so expert at duplicating vintage; especially designers, like Vuitton and Gucci. At first, in the late 1980s, you could always tell a vintage purse replica from an original, because the Hong Kong variety (and many came from Hong Kong) were usually constructed of much cheaper materials and hardware. If you owned or had a taste of the real designer handbag, you could quickly tell the faux from the fascinating. But early from the beginning,  I wasn't into designer labels. I loved older purses for their architecture, fabric, creativity and artistry. Here you see 3 examples from my collection - from the 1940s-1950s - including a handpainted wooden treasure chest purse, with gold chain handle, a luscious coral suede handbag, adorned with colored rhinestones, and the classic aluminum basket weave with lucite handle, Fortunately for hardcore vintage purse collectors, there are few replicas out there that  copy or meet the fine workmanship of these shown. So, if you are lucky enough to run across any purses like these at a thrift store or yard sale, here are a few suggestions when considering buying. 1)At the thrift store, most of the classic vintage purses have been put in the front display case and marked high. Even so,  if you are determined to buy, no matter what the price, check out the purse carefully. Look for the little white label, tucked into a corner that reads "Made in China." Check out the body of the purse for signs of wear (that's usually a sign it's not new). Check the label, if there is one, and use your eagle eyes to decide if it's an original label or a copy (yes the copiers even copy labels). After awhile, you willl notice that a vintage purse has a certain weight; no flimsy construction; no flimsy hardware.. One telltale sign, in many vintage purses, is the obligatory mirror or comb pocket on the interior. Many better vintage purses were lined in  silk or satin, which is another clue as to the age of the purse. Over the past decades, I've seen vintage purses greatly appreciate in value.2) If you find great vintage purses at a yard sale or sometimes a flea market, I'd use the same standard to check authenticity. But if the yard sale is also offering vintage glassware and pottery - say from the 1950-60s, you can be more convinced any purses you find are legitimately vintage. I found the best pairs of Roger Vivier vintage shoes at an estate sale (but no purses) by surveying everything else for sale and determining most items were from the 1950-60s. .Over the years, I've had much more luck finding great vintage bags at estate and yard sales than thrift stores. But, once in a while, a lovely vintage purse floats to the top pf a thrift store pile. Do not be confused, at the present time, by the huge number of Coach and Whiting & Davis mesh purses flooding the thrift store market. Vintage Coach is heavy; the leather is sturdy; the hardware first-rate. Yes, the copiers duplicate hangtags - buyer beware. As for Whiting & Davis, the replicas I've seen are all inferior to the authentic purses, which were carefully sewn, usually feature small  labels on the interior and also come in  white, black, navy and silver. Not all that glitters is Whiting & Davis gold....

Over the past few years, I've come across fewer and fewer good vintage purses - at thrift stores or estate sales, if I happen upon one.  It's not difficult to find the vinyl, faux leather handbag, or even the boho Hippie woven bags of the 1960s at the Salvation Army, but - so what?They aren't likely to increase in value and they're  not that attractive either. Ebay is more likely to offer the best of the best - but once again, buyer beware....To learn more about vintage purses, you might also want to consult two very good books: Popular Purses by Leslie Pina and A Century of Handbags by Kate Dooner. To learn more about successful shopping at thrift stores, please consult my previous guides: Thrift Store Confidential #1 and #2. Happy Hunting!