Featured: Chanel Vintage Single Flap Mini w.o.c Handbag.
2 - The leather. This vintage mini w.o.c for demonstration is lambskin leather. It is buttery soft to the touch. Other popular classic vintage Chanel bags also come in caviar leather. However the majority of vintage Chanel bags I have seen and handled are lambskin leather. The handbag should also smell of leather. With vintage items, you are more likely to find fine scratches and marks, especially on lambskin leather. Most vintage handbags are not box fresh, so this can be expected with use.
3 - “Made in” marking. The made in marking should always be apparent on classic vintage Chanel’s. This vintage mini w.o.c states “Made in France” directly and centred opposite the Chanel logo markings in gold lettering. Other vintage handbags may state "Made in Italy".
4 - 24ct gold hardware - All Chanel bags made prior to 2008, were finished in 24ct gold hardware. With age this may have worn off leaving behind a silver colour, it may also appear tarnished. If this is the case do not worry, it does not mean the bag is inauthentic. Pay attention to the CC hardware, vintage handbags usually will have the marking on the CC hardware indicating the handbag is made out of 24ct gold. Very rarely have I noticed a vintage handbag CC hardware without this marking. This small square marking can be positioned on the left and right of the CC dependant on the age of production.
The chain should feel heavy and cold to the touch and no stitching lines should be apparent on the chain. This is only found on the Chanel jumbo model.
The inside hardware should feature flat head screws only on vintage Chanel handbags. Sometimes screws can be replaced with wear, so do bear this in mind. The vintage mini w.o.c. featured has had one of the top screws replaced.
5 - The serial card and inside hologram sticker - All Chanel handbags produced after 1980 will have a serial code hologram sticker on the inside of the bag with a number, along with a serial card. The inside hologram sticker is usually placed within the main inside compartment on the top left. I have also come across the hologram sticker being placed within the inside pocket. The case in point for the same vintage mini w.o.c. but a 0 series. With this handbag, the sticker was placed within the inner pocket. If your handbag does not have either the hologram sticker nor serial card, then I would urge you even more to have it professionally authenticated. Indeed, the hologram sticker can wear off with age and serial cards can be misplaced. For market value purposes, it is better to have at least the hologram sticker in tact if you intend to resell in the future and you know the bag is produced after 1980.
6 - The dust bag - Vintage Chanel handbag dust bags differ slightly in appearances. On the Chanel vintage mini w.o.c demonstrated, you can see the writing is peeling slightly on the dust bag. This is expected as the dust bag was produced in 1991-1993! The dust bag is soft and feels like it is made out of wool. I would recommend storing the bag outside of the box in the Chanel dust bag only for air circulation, particularly if you live within humid conditions. Always follow the Chanel care booklet for storage and maintenance. If you would like to see this please comment below and I will upload it for you.
7 - The care booklet - If you are lucky you can find Chanel vintage handbags with the original care booklet. Do consider this is rare to find vintage Chanel handbags with the original care book.
8 - The Chanel box - Like the care booklet, the majority of Chanel handbags do not come with the original vintage cardboard box. Fortunately for this demonstration the box was sold with the Chanel mini w.o.c, for you to see.
Additional tips:
- Be weary of vintage Chanel bags which have been “repainted”. Although this may have been carried out professionally, this voids any warranty and future repairs with Chanel. In addition, repainted Chanel bags can perish over time. You may notice a Chanel bag has been repainted when the bag displays various creased lines on the lambskin leather. It will also feel more firm opposed to the buttery texture of lambskin. Also pay close attention to the stitching and any peeling sections which may display a different colour underneath. In my opinion I would not recommend repainted a vintage Chanel handbag, unless absolutely necessary.
- If the price is too good to be true - it usually is.
- Once you have the handbag in your hands, you can always measure it, to ensure it is the correct measurements for that particular model.
- Professional Chanel authenticators like Authenticate4u will be able to provide you with a certificate of authentication.
* All photographs featured are my own, please kindly ask for permission before using.