Founded in Germany in 1891, the Leonhard Heyden name is synonymous with high-quality bags made from superior materials by some of the world’s most talented craftsmen. It is Leonhard Heyden’s Gladstone range of bags that is particularly popular as gifts for Christmas and other occasions and is patronized not only by professional men, but also by fashionable women.

The first Gladstone bag was developed in the 19th century and is named after the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time. In those days, like today, the best bags were made from high quality leather, by experienced and veteran tradesmen.

As an item of luggage, the Gladstone bag is quite unlike any other bag in that it has two interior compartments, compared to most bags which usually only have one.

The bag was originally patronized by doctors and lawyers in Victorian England, and was created by just one or two leatherworkers and tanners in the City of London. The Gladstone bags of yesterday were for the rich and famous and were not available to the masses until very recent times. Vintage handbags can still be found at flea markets and antique fairs, but they usually have a worn and worn look, sometimes with holes where the leather has worn away from long, constant use. Therefore, they are hardly attractive except to collectors, and they do not make great gifts for today’s bag enthusiasts. Despite their age, most vintage designs have very little life left in them, aside from being an attractive or decorative reminder of earlier times. And that’s why firms like Leonhard Heyden have created designs to suit today’s enthusiasts while maintaining the basic design and quality of the original design. They aren’t cheap, but they are extremely attractive and built to last.

Unfortunately, there are many poorly made bags on the market today that use inferior materials and sometimes have only one interior compartment, usually with an exterior that resembles the original Gladstone bag design, and sometimes not. These inferior designs are rarely built on a sturdy frame, as are current quality designs by Leonhard Heyden and his followers, and in many cases inferior modern designs are built around cheap plastic frames that break or lose. its shape quickly.

As a lasting gift, only a quality Gladstone bag will suffice, and it doesn’t get much better than Leonhard Heyden’s designs.