How to find a companion for life at the flea market

We recently received an email with intriguing content. Christine, a lifestyle blogger from Frankfurt am Main, had discovered a vintage bag while visiting a flea market and decided to purchase it—without knowing where it came from.

When she got home, she noticed the label. It said Harold's. Her interest was piqued, and she began researching. Her search led her to our website and contacted us. "Is this really a Harold's bag?" she asked.

We immediately recognized the bag's traditional, unique craftsmanship, and Thilo Schmelz, the current designer and managing director of Harold's, who, as the founder's grandson and now the third generation to run the Schmelz family's traditional business, knew the bag's origins very well.

Christine had acquired a true rarity. The bag dates back to the Florentine era and was produced in one of our studios there in the 1970s, or at the latest in the early 1980s. So it's at least 35 years old!

We at Harold's have been crafting bags with great dedication for 81 years, and such a rare find makes us particularly happy, as our bags are meant to accompany their wearers for a lifetime—even across generations. Therefore, we pay particular attention to sustainable design and environmentally friendly, fair production. Our expertise stems from our long company history, and dear Christine is now a part of it with her new old bag. She also inspired us to tackle a reissue of the model.

The Harold's team is always happy to hear your stories.

Share them with us!