Authentic vs. Fake Billingham Bags

I've been trying to research Billingham bags and have found some conflicting information. Some sources have told me that the real bags come with a retail cardboard gift box and some sources say that only the fake bags come with the box.

If you purchased your bag from either B&H or a known authorized reseller, can you please state whether or not you received a gift box with your bag?

Perhaps some photos of the tags, etc would be useful too.

Thanks in advance.

Mine did not come with a gift box that I can recall, the only cardboard box was the box it was shipped in. It came with a cloth billingham bag (sort of like cheap re-usable shopping bags, but very thin, beige in colour).

Mine have all come with a Billingham marked dust cover and the bag itself enclosed in a clear bag. No gift box with any of them, all purchased from US retailers B&H, Adorama, and 17th St. Photo.


-howard

My billingham also came in a clear plastic bag with a folded, off-white, dust cover marked with the billingham logo. Purchased in the physical B&H store in manhattan roughly a year and a half ago.

both mine from the B&H and Teamworkphoto in the uk came in the clear plastic bag and dust cover

Thanks for the replies. It seems the fakes come in the cardboars boxes.

Mine came in a cardboard box like this:

jshalvorsen wrote in post #14829844
Mine came in a cardboard box like this:

IMG NOTICE: [NOT AN IMAGE URL, NOT RENDERED INLINE]

If its fake it's a damn good one, and I notice no flaws with the bag. Bought on Ebay from Korea, so the possibility of it being a fake is definately there even though I cannot find anything but quality in this bag.

I just mailed Billingham to see if they can confirm my bag is a fake, will let you guys know when I get an answer! I don't really care as the bag is fantastic, but it will still be interesting to see if it actually is a fake

Billingham replied to me already and stated none of their bags come with boxes. Unfortunately, it seems, you have a fake. Another reason I don't buy from eBay any longer.

Hopefully you didn't pay too much for the fake

SunTsu wrote in post #14830350
Billingham replied to me already and stated none of their bags come with boxes. Unfortunately, it seems, you have a fake. Another reason I don't buy from eBay any longer.

Well.. I wouldn't be so sure about that. Here's what Billingham had to say:

"Dear Mr Halvorsen

Thank you for your email, we do not send our bags in any retail packaging but our distributor in Korea has special packaging for the bags.

However I can advise you the bag is genuine.

I hope this is helpful.

Kind regards

xxxxx"

Could be fake, but now it's more unlikely.. It looks and smells genuine, stitching and leather is top notch.

Does your bag have the "Genuine Billingham" label inside with Martin Billingham's signature, the date he started the company, and a small square bar code (dot code?)? They used to have a page on the Billingham UK web site talking about "genuine" bags and a photo of that label ... but I can't seem to find it now.


-howard

Well ... that label looks just like mine!

Looks to me like you have a genuine Billingham ... and a fancy Korean gift box.

-howard

hfgarris wrote in post #14832034
Well ... that label looks just like mine!

Looks to me like you have a genuine Billingham ... and a fancy Korean gift box.

-howard

Thats good to hear

hfgarris wrote in post #14832034
Well ... that label looks just like mine!

Looks to me like you have a genuine Billingham ... and a fancy Korean gift box.

-howard

Interesting. So they created a special gift box just for the Korean market. I get that Asian markets like to buy things in gift boxes. Many of their retail stores don't really have a touch and feel before you buy option either. I wonder if that's why.