Hand Tooled Leather Appraisal

Vintage Hand-Tooled Leather Saddle Bag Purse

This is a vintage saddle-style shoulder bag crafted from heavy-weight, vegetable-tanned bovine leather in a rich medium-to-dark brown tone. The bag features extensive floral and scroll hand-tooling across the main body flap and central strap, characteristic of Western or Mexican leathercraft. Its construction utilizes thick leather whipstitching along the outer edges rather than traditional thread seams, adding to its artisanal, rustic aesthetic. The closure consists of a central metal turn-lock fastener finished in a tarnished silver-tone, with a secondary snap button visible on a lower strap. A notable feature is the inclusion of pale yellow suede fringe tassels and a shearling or faux-fur lining visible under the flap edge, providing a textural contrast. The strap is a wide, unlined leather band attached with metal hardware. The condition shows significant signs of age and use, including a heavy surface patina, uneven darkening of the leather (likely from oils and wear), and some surface scuffing particularly around the edges and closure. The style and construction techniques suggest a manufacturing date between the 1960s and 1970s, a period when hand-tooled leather goods were popular in folk and bohemian fashion.