Authentic Coach Beekman?

[albertabrightalberta]

I responded in your other thread but I assume you're looking for other opinions.

Hopefully @fashionclubgurl and @!!-spike-!! will chime in.

[!!-spike-!!]

My opinion only…The bag is NOT authentic since the plant code "J" should not be on any authentic Coach bag made in the United States in 1996.

I bow to the knowledge of "fashionclubgurl" and "alberta".

[cobalt50]

Thanks.  These are some of the pics I used when I listed the bag on eBay.  And it's these pictures that lead somebody to think it was a fake.  I appreciate you all.  Do you mind when people post photos here asking for your opinions?  It may be the only way I'd ever risk listing a Coach bag again on eBay.

[albertabrightalberta]

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@cobalt50 wrote:

Thanks.  These are some of the pics I used when I listed the bag on eBay.  And it's these pictures that lead somebody to think it was a fake.  I appreciate you all.  Do you mind when people post photos here asking for your opinions?  It may be the only way I'd ever risk listing a Coach bag again on eBay.

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I can only speak for myself but I'm guessing most of us who help here feel the same. Of course I don't mind if you post pictures to make sure your item is authentic! Since most items can't be authenticated based solely on a serial number *unless that serial number is invalid*, we need to see pictures.

[fashionclubgurl]

I asked in the other post for photos so Ill reply here instead.

1- the padded area of the leather tab above the turnlock is seriously crooked - look at the stitching on the bottom, and that single row of stitching should be more rounded than it is on yours. That briefcase would never have made it through a Coach plants Quality Control people.

2- the turnlock is the wrong shape. Coach changed all the design of the turnlocks on their briefcases at the beginning of 1996, from oval to rounded rectangular. Below is Coachs Spring 1996 catalog showing a genuine Beekman. The Spring catalog would have been distributed some time around late February or early March so any design details already in the catalog pictures would have been included on briefcases made in April 1996 which is what the codes in the fake serial prefix in yours stand for.

3- I cant be sure what color the hardware - turnlock and strap clips are - but it looks silver-colored. Coach didnt introduce silver hardware on their briefcases until Fall of 1997, more than a year AFTER the date code shown in the fakes serial number prefix

Any one of those 3 details would be enough to prove that its fake, without even getting into the known fake serial prefix when used in anything other than leather clothing. If you want photos of those clothing creeds and serial numbers, I have several in my files that I can post.

If you want a breakdown of the problems with the "Scribble" item that Alberta mentioned a few days ago, post pictures and Ill go over that one too. I own at least 8 or 9 genuine Scribble items and am VERY familiar with them.

[cobalt50]

I returned the Scribble item to the owner.  Didn't want to risk every trying to sell it again.  I'm sorry to bother you again, but this bag was on eBay and it ran okay and didn't get any bids.  Before I relist it, would you tell me what you think?  I was told it's a Hamilton and I'm wondering if you think it's genuine.

[albertabrightalberta]

Authentic. I believe it's a Hampton's buckle hobo, MFF in 2008. (I'm not sure of the official style name.)

[vintagecoachcult]

Don't feel alone...authentication is VERY hard. I have been suspended many times for this exact issue. The experts on this forum are AMAZING! All absolutely great advice!