Habermas 1057 in Australian Nut and Natural Leather

The Habermas 1057 is listed as Australian nut with natural leather, and it is fully lined in Italian calf suede, shoulder strap included. These photos catch it partway through the making, with the parts laid out on the bench.

Parts on the bench

One photo shows long strips of natural leather with their stitch holes already marked, a small patch, and latch hardware with thread laid beside it. Another shows a latch wrapped in a leather cover, the cover held on by a braid of hand stitching. The seams on a Habermas are sewn by hand, and the art of hand stitching page and the journal article on the saddle stitch explain how.

The patch

A patch stamped with the words American Briefcasemaker, Marcellino New York, sits on the flap, stitched around its edge. It is the one decoration on a bag that otherwise relies on its shape.

Natural beside dark

The corners and the latch strap are left in natural leather, which sets them against the darker body. The page on leather choice gives the background on the leather I use, and the journal article on vegetable-tanned versus chrome-tanned leather explains why natural leather darkens as it ages.

Suede inside

None of these photos show the interior. The listing says the case is fully lined in Italian calf suede, including the shoulder strap, and the page on suede lining describes the material.

Latch

The closure is a single Marcellino latch on a leather strap. The Marcellino latch page walks through how it is built.

The Habermas

The Habermas was first made for New York lawyers and refined over many years. It is built to last years or even decades longer than thinner, name-brand briefcases. The anatomy of a briefcase glossary names its parts.