I Bought a Vintage Louis Vuitton—But Is It Real?
Estate Sale Diaries Vol. 2!
I flitted into the estate sale on the hunt for antique silver.
The only reason I was at this sale titled “A Packed House With Eclectic Finds” was because it was five minutes from my house. It was also a Sunday, and I generally never go to sales on the last day of the weekend—everything good will be gone, no doubt. But I was free and this was basically around the corner, so why not?
I casually strolled through the kitchen, scanning dated appliances. I browsed upstairs in the bedrooms and picked up a $3 pair of sunglasses. Everything was half off, so why not hang on to a pair that will only be a buck fifty? Nothing special was catching my eye until I made my way to the check out table. There was a built-in bookcase in this room that was basically empty, except for a few purses. I did a double take as I spotted an iconic logo.
Louis Vuitton.
A vintage Louis Vuitton Speedy was simply sitting there, casually tossed like it was just another handbag.
My heart started to race. This must be a fake. It has to be fake. Why would it be sitting here if it were real? And why was no one like… looking at her?? There were maybe a dozen people walking around and no one saw her? This can’t be happening. Was this my estate sale holy grail?
I knew nothing about secondhand designer bags and luxury goods until I started going to estate sales. I actually wrote one of my very first Substack’s about three girlies waiting outside a sale hoping to score some vintage Louis Vuitton. I also wrote about the one time I (maybe?) convinced a woman to buy a Chanel at a mansion sale.
I used to daydream about being chic enough to buy a secondhand designer bag at an estate sale and even put it on my 2025 vision board. Which is why I was so taken aback by this bag just casually resting on a shelf on the last day of a sale. I’ve heard stories of lists getting as long as 400 people, just because there’s vintage Chanel for sale. Estate sales can be full of knock-offs too, and I’ve seen plenty of fake LV’s. But this one? She felt real.
“Why is this bag just sitting here!?” I exclaimed, half speaking to myself and half speaking to the woman sitting behind the check-out table.
“There was lots of interest on the first day, but no one came back for it. They must have all assumed it’d be gone by now,” the woman replied.
Watching other designer girlies at estate sales taught me exactly what to say next.
“Can you tell me a little more about these bags? Are they authenticated?”
The woman proceeded to tell me they’re not authenticated, but that the woman who owned them said they were real. Out of her entire collection, she said there was only one fake, but it wasn’t the Louis I held. She said it was bought in the 70s.
I nodded and thanked her, then knew I had to do some of my own research before saying yes to the dress…er, bag.
The Investigation: How I Decided The Louis Vuitton Was Real (Without Authentication!) 🕵🏻♀️
If you find yourself at an estate sale and are considering purchasing a designer bag without authentication—make Google your bestie. Put on your detective hat and start searching the web! Here are all my thoughts and finds.
First Impressions: I’ve felt fake, plastic-y Louis Vuitton’s before. This one feels soft and lightweight. The leather on the handle has the right patina—a rich, deep honey color. Perf.
Logos and Hardware: This is where knowing this bag was from the 70s came in handy! I learned that the key and lock on the zipper lined up with when these bags were made. LV also doesn’t do sloppy. If the monogram is cut off by a seam, that’s an instant red flag. The print on the leather looked legit. More good signs!
The Tag and Serial Number: My heart sank when I looked for a serial number and couldn't find one. There was a tag at the bottom of the interior of the bag though, and as I did a little more Google searching, I learned this was another good sign. The tag matches vintage LV tags from the 70s. Bingo.
Where Doubt Crept In: As I investigated, I was 99% sure she was real, but that 1% of doubt lingered. I kept coming back to why the bag was still at the sale in the first place. Was there something I was missing? Why did no one scoop her up on Friday or Saturday? To be fair, she’s pretty well-loved. She’s over 50 years old and I can tell she’s lived a life. She has some dings, but tbh I love that about her! I ultimately decided that even if this bag wasn’t real, the story was just too good. I had to bring her home. So I did.
The Price: Did I Just Steal A Louis?!
The original price of this LV was $350. Imo, that price was a steal. I don’t really know anything about Louis Vuitton, especially vintage LV, but this seemed like an incredibly reasonable price. Yes, she’s worn on the bottom a little. Yes, there’s patina on the handle. But I’m so happy and excited I get to give her a second life! And the best part?
It was Sunday.
She was 50% off.
I paid $175.
I didn’t even try to play it cool as I checked out. I babbled on, chit chatting about how I just couldn’t believe my luck. Another employee had joined the woman behind the table by this point, and he mentioned that there was also a Louis Vuitton card holder behind the jewelry case that no one had bought yet.
Are you joking?!
It was priced at $75, so I scooped it up for $37.50.
The wild thing about this story too, is that I also scooped up a Gucci. A GUCCI! (That authentication process is for another post!) I left the sale with not one, not two, but three secondhand designer finds. I walked to my car dumbfounded, internally screaming. Did I just win the estate sale jackpot?! I think I did, girl!
What I Did Next
My Louis and I are now besties. We mostly run errands together, but my favorite part is bringing her to other estate sales. It’s a full circle for me honestly—I’ve become the chic woman with a secondhand designer bag I got at an estate sale…at an estate sale. I’ve become the woman I once admired just six months ago. My vision board is now reality! A dream.
I initially wanted to find someone who could authenticate the bag in person. It seems like authentication is a process that happens online, and tbh I haven’t done it yet. All of my own research proves that she’s the real deal. Sure, I could pay someone $20 to tell me what I already know, but I’m gonna keep my cash for now and trust my gut.
I also briefly considered reselling her, but decided against it pretty quickly. This bag is special. The Speedy represents not only a moment of complete luck, but it’s also a physical representation of how easily I manifested something I wanted. She’s my first secondhand designer bag! So she’s mine.
Tips For How You Can Find Luxury Goods at Estate Sales
Arrive early. Most sales will advertise the designer goods in the title of the sale. You can check preview photos and find sales in your city by going to Estatesales.net! If there’s a designer bag you have your eye on, arrive early on the first day of the sale. Then pray to the estate sale gods. (I also realize that this story is the exact opposite of this advice, but this has been my experience for all of the designer sales I’ve been to except this one! I suppose you could also get incredibly lucky like I did—you never know! But you gotta show up, that’s for sure.)
Ask questions! Ask employees who run the sale questions about the bag you’re inquiring about. Ask things like if it’s been authenticated, if there’s a receipt or a certificate. I also love asking in general what is known about the bag. Who owned it? Has it been repaired? When did the owner buy it? It’s fun to know the bag’s story! Plus it will help to gauge pricing.
Google is your friend. If they can’t authenticate the bag, do your own research. The more you know about the bag, the better. You can type something like “how to spot a fake” or better yet “how to spot a real Louis Vuitton” or whatever designer item you’re looking at.
Ultimately, I’m so happy I went for it, and I still just can’t believe how lucky I got! What do you think—did I strike gold, or am I being delulu? I’m still firmly planted in my 99% confident 1% unsure I have the real deal, but a friend on Instagram simply said, “Let’s just agree that she’s real and keep the joy alive!”
I wholeheartedly agree 🥰
See you next week!
xx, Kristen
Bestie! If you’ve gotten this far, thank you so much for reading! 🥹
I’m so excited to share with you that after fielding a million questions about estate sale shopping in my Instagram DM’s over the past year, I’ve decided to put all of my best tips together in one place. A cutie little e-book, that will be the ultimate estate sale shopping guide for beginners. It’s going to be such a vibe!
It’s not out yet, but I’d love to know—would you be into this? Drop a comment or let me know in the poll! And bonus for paid subscribers: You’ll get an exclusive discount—or maybe even snag it for free. 😉
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I often self-authenticate by doing my research! At a glance, I felt that bag was real - the print, the leather, the hardware all look vintage. Well done, Kristen! Can't wait to see the Gucci!
She’s a beau, so definitely keep it!