'Not another one...'

Yes I'm afraid so.....

Our mail is delivered to a box by our gate, one of us goes to collect the mail, key in hand at about 12 o'clock each day. Today I went to the box and there was 'small packet' for me.

Straight away Alison said 'Not another Filofax?' I didn't need to respond what else do I get in the post apart from magazines! I don't even try and think of an excuse now as she watched me carefully open package and pulled out a black organiser wrapped in bubble wrap. Then as usual we both looked over and admired my latest acquisition.

This one though is a little special, well I think so. It is a Launer, made in about the mid 1980s and sold mainly through John Lewis and a few by Harrods, they were very popular at the time.  Launer have a Royal Warrant and have been supplying the royal household with leather goods since 1968, H.M. The Queen has several of their hand bags and the late Baroness Thatcher (former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher) also owned several of her hand bags.This organiser also displays the Royal Warrant too.

So how did I acquire this delight. One our readers shared some pictures of it on Facebook. We then exchanged some messages and agreed a fair price for the organiser and she kindly posted it to me here in France.

So here are some photos.

Flicking the clasp undone and opening it. Yes I've moved my personal set up in already! The clasp has a double popper on the front cover too, so plenty of room for expansion!  The front inside cover pockets are a little loose, like a pair of baggy trousers, but I'm sure the leather can be trained back again with a little care and attention. Underneath the flap, which also serves as protection for the rings, is a large deep pocket, with two smaller pockets on the outside.

And those are 30mm rings.

On the lower one you can just see the Royal Crest.

Turning to the back there is another full height flap pocket and an id card pocket and another pocket below that on the back cover.

Tucked under the clasp is a generous size all leather pen loop.

The leather is lovely and soft and supple, not surprising given it's age which has to be about 30 years old I guess. There's not stiffening in between the outer and inner layers. The inside of the pockets are lined with black nylon or polyester textiles, all neatly done and the finish is excellent. Yes I've moved in to it already!

I would love to know more about the history of this item, I bet it could tell us quite a few stories.