This post was originally done in 2013, and will be continually updated as new information arises. Note: The information below comes from a combination of using my own bags/tags and information about those bags/eras I’ve learned through the years and through my collaborations with Coach as well.
The tags helped preserve the hand of new bags for their future owners to enjoy The natural “hand” that these bags have will change with handling. This process also allows each bag to age and patina in an individual manner depending on use and exposure. Coach used glove-tanned leathers with aniline dyes that allow the natural variations and characteristics of the leathers to show. All bags that feature the creed but no serial number were manufactured in the original Coach factory in New York City. The hangtags were initially used so that the leather of the bag could be felt without actually feeling the bags. The Coach logo is stamped above the creed and the word LEATHERWARE is printed in all caps under the word Coach within the logo. The focus is on the early Coach branding, and how that can be used to assist in the dating of early vintage Coach Handbags. This isn’t a post on history of Coach, but more a history on the hangtags, creeds, and logos that Coach has used through the years. There is a rich and interesting history to the company and its beginnings. Coach has been making high-quality leather goods since its inception in 1941.
