Help identify my Billingham(?) bag.

[Swift1]

Hey all,
So I acquired this bag as part of a camera kit that I bought on Ebay. I paid $90 for the entire kit, and have since sold 2 items from the kit for $60, so I'm only in it $30 and I've got the bag, a working Pentax ME Super, and a Sigma Mini Wide 28/2.8
I don't really care whether the bag is a Billingham or not, as it's a superb bag regardless, I'm mostly just curious.
The bag doesn't say Billigham anywhere, nor does it have any makers name on it. It does say "Made In England" on the inside, as well as something like "Quality English Canvas"
The only other marking is a stamp on the left latch strap, which I've included a photo of.
The pattern, size, leather, buckles,straps, zipper pulls, etc. all look basically the same as a Billingham 225.
Anyone ever seen one like it, or know anything about it?

 

[nikonosguy]

it's a bannana republic bag -- they did these in the mid 80's it's a good bag --- first time i had one of these, i thought it was billingham -- notice the star logo there's plenty of info online about it

 

[filmtwit]

Didn't Billingham make these for Banana Republic?

 

[nikonosguy]

no billingham did not --- they're very close to billinghams -=-- one even fooled me --- i can't remember who made them, but i researched it when i found mine

 

[Swift1]

it's a bannana republic bag -- they did these in the mid 80's it's a good bag --- first time i had one of these, i thought it was billingham -- notice the star logo there's plenty of info online about it

Thanks.
I've been researching Banana Republic camera bags this morning and I haven't found much.
There are a few sources that claim they were made by Billigham, but the 1985 Banana Republic catalog has 2 similar bags. A "Mr. Brady's Bag", and the "British Correspondent's Bag. It seems obvious that "Mr. Brady" is in all likelihood referring to Brady Bags of England, but for the British Correspondent's bag, the catalog only states "made exclusively for us in England"
Interestingly, my bag seems to be a near direct copy of the original Billingham 225, and as near I can find, Brady never made a bag like that, so it seems possible that the bag could have been made by Billingham.
If Billingham was making the bags, they may have restricted Banana Republic from saying so since it would likely hurt sales of Billingham bags.

Irregardless, it is a very well made bag, and they appear to be fairly rare.

 

[Godfrey]

If Billingham was making the bags, they may have restricted Banana Republic from saying so since it would likely hurt sales of Billingham bags.

I suspect it's more likely that Banana Republic would negotiate not to use the Billingham label to save licensing costs. This is, for example, exactly what Rollei did with the Rollei 35S ... The lenses were all made by Zeiss, but Rollei negotiated not to use the Zeiss brand name to save on manufacturing costs.

G

 

[Swift1]

I suspect it's more likely that Banana Republic would negotiate not to use the Billingham label to save licensing costs. This is, for example, exactly what Rollei did with the Rollei 35S ... The lenses were all made by Zeiss, but Rollei negotiated not to use the Zeiss brand name to save on manufacturing costs.

G

Ahh, that makes sense.

 

[Roger Hicks]

From what I know of Billingham (and I've known Martin for maybe 25 years), they don't/wouldn't make bags under third party names. No need. I'd back Heritage, who made very good Billingham lookalikes, though usually a generation behind Billingham's designs/technology (there's more technology in camera bags than meets the eye).

Cheers,

R.