Who is "HL?" Was that ever established? (Plus more Lewis Qs)

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Who is \"HL?\" Was that ever established? (Plus more Lewis Qs)

We have all seen handbags that say "H L Made in USA" in them. I have seen it all over the internet attributed to "Harry Levine." I thought the fashion person was Herbert Levine, but didn't think he designed handbags . But he and Martha (wait...no...or was it beth?) were doing shoes, so maybe, but it seemed like an assumption.

I seem to have "known" who HL was at one point but have forgotten.

To jog everyone's memory, here is what the mark looks like. I used to have handbags where it is clearer, but that's the only example I have right now.
 
looks like a super cute bag, too ~

i'm POSITIVE i've had bags with that mark before, but pretty sure none in hand right now...and not sure of the maker, so i'm no help, but it would be good to know for future reference
 
Originally posted by vintagemerchant
looks like a super cute bag, too ~

i'm POSITIVE i've had bags with that mark before, but pretty sure none in hand right now...and not sure of the maker, so i'm no help, but it would be good to know for future reference
Click to expand...

Yeah...its one of those. HL is the mystery of the 60s, kind of like no one really knows who "Lewis" is except they/him/her made some really nice bags in the 40s and 50s and sold them at "better" department stores.

twist my arm....okay...it IS cute...
 
I found a detailed and what "sounded" like a pretty authoritative reference on HL bags a year or two ago, but I'll be damned if I can remember where. I should have copied it onto my hard drive, but didn't. I believe that source, although everybody calls them Harry Levine, said it is Herbert Levine. But in all honesty, I just can't remember. Whichever it was/is, I think the story is that the bags were designed and produced by "contract" makers. At least that is what I recall reading. Or, alternatively, they made the bags, but didn't design them. But I'm pretty sure it's the former. So, Chris, if it is, you're correct that they did not design bags.

I'm going to see if I can find that again. And my memory may have failed me altogether.

And, your bag is adorable!
 
If you can sift around and find out who Lewis was while you are at it...lol

It makes sense that there would be bags made by someone else as things were very matchy matchy with bag and shoes back in the day, and if bags were not their forte...another way to make some bucks...

I wonder where 'Harry' came from. Maybe people just assume that is the name as they may feel Herbert "doesn't sound right." Unless there is really a Harry and that is another mystery... the onyl "harry" i found on the internet is a sociology professor. Don't think he dabbled in handbags....
 
I just looked up Julius Resnick, as one of the ads on that page said his name, and it appears he/they were makers of the material that has the leather texture, but its vinyl. Ah...the mysterious "pleather"....

wonder if Harry is related to the other Levines. Probably not, huh?
 
I will continue to search for more information about Lewis bags, but I found that they were designed by an American designer named David Lewis.

A 1945 ad states:

"It has become a fine old tradition for those who proudly carry a LEWIS bag to replenish their wardrobes in this annual event. Appreciating this, DAVID LEWIS for months turns his interest...his great skill...to the designing of these bags...to the assemblng of the leathers...to make it the outstanding occasion of the year."
 
Lynne, thanks for the info on Lewis--I had never heard the first name of the designer, or even knew that there was a "Lewis" person and not just a company name.

I love Lewis bags, and have always regretted selling a wonderful cherry red one I had a few years back.
 
Anne, I can see why you love Lewis bags. I can't remember ever hearing of Lewis bags, but when I saw this 1942 ad for them, I, too, became enamored of them. What great bags!

LewisDavidGreatBags1942.gif


I only found tantalizing other little bits of information about Lewis. One was in a 1941 article that said:

"And so, David Lewis, New York designer, has added depth to many of his new handbags."

The other thing that intrigues me is that when I searched for "Lewis bags" I found 1920s and 1930s ads for elegant bags by Nat Lewis:

NatLewisBags1932.gif


And this 1930 ad is, IIRC, the earliest ad I found for David Lewis bags, in which you will also see "Nat Lewis." I am beginning to suspect, then, that there is some relationship between the two and that David Lewis took over the business from Nat Lewis, but I need to confirm that.

LewisNatDavidBags1930.gif
 
Ha! He was a dude and his name was David. I never knew that before. Mystery solved...

Wouldn't it be cool to go back and time and snap up the very best ones for the price listed in the ad?

I'll have to dig out my favorite lewis and show it one of these days
 
I can't read the street name on the Flah's ad, but I grew up outside Albany, NY and Flah's was one of two really nice "downtown" stores.

Great discussion and information.

Linn
 
I thought it said South Salina, but when I googled, there is a south salina in Syracuse but not in the city. So I guess I can't read it either.

Hi Jenn :hiya:
 
I found another Flah's ad, from 1937, and it is in a Syracuse newspaper and the address is 419 South Salina (good eyes!).

It also says: "Nat Lewis, American designer, keeps his fall handbags very simple in design, but makes up for it in richness of material..." As this ad is seven years after the other Flah's ad that mentions both Nat and David Lewis, I can see that I have to go back to researching any possible connection.
 
Here is a Red Herring. I thought "Lewis" was pretty much done sometime in the 50s. I have a bag that I really think is later than that that has the typical "Lewis" in gold and the crown. Does anyone recall what the latest date they had seen a Lewis ad?
 
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