Home / Shop / Briefcases / No. 83 Leather Messenger Book Bag
Carry your laptop, tablet, gear and more in this WWII inspired, American made leather briefcase.
$972.00
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Orders received by 2:00pm CST will ship the same Business Day. This includes orders requesting personalized engraving or embossing. (“Business days” means Monday – Friday, excluding holidays.)
All orders of $1,000 or more will be shipped Signature Required.
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Sure, you can use this full-grain leather bag like a traditional briefcase, but it’s so much more. This WWII inspired messenger bag is designed to accommodate your laptop, accessories, iPad®/tablet and all the other stuff you haul around. This bag is only for discerning individuals accustomed to standing out from the crowd.
Its even weight distribution makes the No. 83 Messenger Book Bag perfect for executives, attorneys, grad students – anyone who needs to carry files, books, paperwork and wants to look good doing it. This bag is so attractive and functional, we had to patent it (U.S. Patent D646054)!
Personalize the solid brass plate on the front flap and make sure your descendants remember you – this bag is designed to last a lifetime.
I naturally tend to gravitate toward items with a military history, as I am an ardent admirer of their precision, rugged good looks and adaptability for the task at hand. When a WWII military officer carried the antique military briefcase in my personal collection, I’m sure he wasn’t thinking ‘laptop.’ However, if you fast forward 70 years you’ll find me inspired to make a leather laptop book bag with a definite nod to this piece of military history.
– Colonel Littleton
The No. 83 Leather Messenger Book Bag is handmade in the Col. Littleton Workshop in Lynnville TN, USA with full-grain, dry-milled steerhide and polished leather trim. This special leather has been vegetable-tanned, then tumbled in wooden barrels to achieve a soft, lived-in look.
The Colonel thought of everything when it comes to the convenience and customization of this beautiful leather bag. An adjustable strap at the inside top enables you to adjust side panels in or out. The working buckle front closure can also be snapped for added convenience. A copper tube spine on top equally distributes the weight of the bag while accommodating the adjustable, removable shoulder strap and carrying handle. An inside divider separates your laptop from other contents, and there’s a special pocket for your iPad® or other tablet.
U.S. Patent D646054
iPad® is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc.
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We are committed to producing quality, handcrafted products that showcase our time-honored standards of excellence and deep respect for the Americana tradition. Col. Littleton products go through rigorous testing and numerous quality inspections before being shipped to our customers. Should you receive a Col. Littleton product that is defective in materials or workmanship, you can count on us to make it right. Our guarantee is limited to the cost of the product itself. It also does not cover normal wear and tear. We feel if you just plain “wore it out,” you got your money’s worth. Also, we cannot be responsible for an item which has suffered through alteration, damage due to improper cleaning, improper use, mishandling or accident. If we made a mistake in personalizing your product or if the product is defective in materials or workmanship, of course we’ll replace it. Otherwise, personalized products are not returnable.
Leather is a passion for me. There are more kinds of leather and leather processing out there than you can shake a stick at. You can mold leather into just about any shape or form. You can make every hide look just alike. You can dye it green, blue or even pink. You can apply a finish, coat it, spray it or make it look slick and shiny. That’s not what we’re about at Col. Littleton. To me the beauty is in the naturalness of the leather. People always comment to me about the special “feel” of our leather and how it becomes even more beautiful after it has some wear on it. It’s all about our leather process. When you buy Col. Littleton leather goods, you’re buying, for the most part, full-grain American vegetable-tanned steer hide that has received a minimum of alteration. We don’t apply a finish to hide character markings. The way I see it, every marking tells a story and covering them robs the piece of its life and character.
I see a real resurgence in the country today for products made in America. Our focus is to design and create products that speak to the time-honored traditions that have made this country great such as handmade craftsmanship, authentic rich leathers and quality workmanship. There’s a nostalgic feel about the products we make . . . most of them could have been made 100 years ago and many are made using turn-of-the-20th-century methodology and machinery. Our products are true Americana; forged as our forefathers intended by people who care and take pride in making a beautiful product.
I purchased this for my husband as a Christmas gift. He was so excited because he knew how excellent these handcrafted products were. I was concerned about the price, and he said you can’t put a price on quality, not to mention this will be a great heirloom to pass down.
This purchase was a treat to myself, an absolutely beautiful bag. You will 100% stand out in a crowd carrying this bag. Only downside is that the shoulder strap is too short, 42 inches is not nearly long enough.
My wife gave me the No. 83 messenger bag as a gift several years ago. I’ve been extremely happy with the bag. The craftsmanship is exceptional and the bag is beautiful. I’m a fan of military history so the bag’s design based on a WW II officer’s bag is appealing to me.
I use the bag daily to carry a MacBook, iPad and multiple file folders. The bag is roomy and comfortable to carry.
Customer service has been outstanding. After several years of daily use, one of the leather bindings connecting the bag to the metal bar along the top became stretched. I contacted customer service and was promptly provided a return authorization. I shipped the bag to the company and it was repaired and returned to me in 4 days!
You will not be disappointed with this fantastic messenger bag.
First of all, I would like to start with, AMAZING! I live in Pensacola, FL. and I have been eyeing all of the Colonel’s products for about 6 years. I finally saved up enough spending money to buy the Number 83 Book Bag. I am a sales manager and I am on a plane every other week. I have had a compliment on “EVERY” flight I’ve had since I received the bag. When people hear the word “Bag” they may think that it’s just an ordinary computer and personal effects catch-all. I am here to tell you, these products (not just the bag because I bought a belt as well. I couldn’t resist) actually become an extension of you. The quality, the smell, the workmanship, and the design is as close to perfect as you can get. I actually keep the bag beside my bed! Amazing!
However, the truly amazing quality of this company is not just the products but the people that represent the products. Of course, you can order these products online ( I would actually consider them lifestyle tools) however to truly enjoy them you must make the journey to Lynnville, TN. Lynnville is located right between Huntsville, AL. and Nashville, TN. The store is amazing. I made the trip about a month ago to Lynnville and I was greeted by Joyce Edlin, the customer Service manager and Charlene Woodard, The private stock retail store manager. Both of these young ladies spent as much time with me as I wanted. I was a unique customer to them and they wanted everything I bought to be perfect. A couple of the other staff stopped in as well and every one of them that I visited treated me with friendship and care. Heck, if I would have had some cinnamon rolls and coffee we could have had stories for hours. GREAT PEOPLE!
I did not meet the Colonel as the timing didn’t match his busy work schedule. However, I heard many stories (all good of course). The Colonel will ask you “How is your conduct?” My answer is, Stellar! This is an amazing company, with amazing products, and amazing people. Thank you for the bag and the belt and I will see you soon.
Steve Cheney
Pensacola, FL.
My clients and I were headed back to camp after spending the morning in the South Georgia pines. That Fall morning was crisp with a vibrant blue sky. The sound of a distant whistle of a quail answered by another reminded us of our game bags limited out with the harvest of our morning march. My clients had shot well. The dogs were on their game. If I don’t say so myself, my worn 28 gauge and my favorite hunting buddy (a 3-year old German Shorthair named Bo) had not disappointed either. My clients had experienced a morning that would become a cherished memory. I took the opportunity while walking from one covey in search of another to talk a little business with each client. When we got back to camp they were ready to sign on the dotted line. Thanks to the Colonel I was prepared. I had my Quail Patch Field Office in my truck. A #83 Messenger Book Bag containing a #18L Portfolio. The contracts were neatly kept and presented from a #16 Document Bag. But the real magic occurred when I reached into the Messenger Bag and retrieved my #9 Writing Board and placed it on the tailgate of my Dodge pickup. My clients smiled in awe as they admired my custom field office. Ahh, the Colonel had done me well. A successful Georgia quail hunt and a successful day in the office, as it were. That evening at home with Bo laying at my side in front of a warming fire and the comfort of my favorite pipe, it was time for reflection. I reached for the #1 Bible Cover that held my grandad’s Bible and my personal faith journal. I reflected on and silently praised the ONE who created the wondrous beauty of the morning, the towering pines, and all the creatures large and small therein. Another cherished memory with Bo, new friends, and the Colonel.
Dr J