De Martini Waxed Canvas Tote, Colour Brown/Olive

Ref: TO286

Price: £59.95 / €74.94 (Including  at 20%)

Quantity:

You will know by now that we are always on the crusade to bring you the best and most interesting bags on the planet.

There are all sorts of theories and claims flying about regarding bike messenger bags but there is general agreement that the man who first made bags for the bike messengers of New York was Frank De Martini.

He was born in 1909. He became an apprentice sailmaker at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, then he started his own company (Globe Canvas) making sails, awnings, tents....indeed anything that had to be cut and sewn from canvas.

In the mid 1960's Frank began to make and sell hard wearing shoulder bags with a canvas outer and vinyl inner for the tradesmen of the city including electricians, carpenters and film workers. (The type of bag that has been used over generations and needed to carry stuff while at work. As adopted by those such as the linesman working up telegraph poles for many hours per day).These were the bags that the bike messengers began to use and they became the first standard bag for the New York couriers.

In those days you could just go to Frank's basement workshop, choose the colour you wanted and he would make you one bag, often on the spot. He wasn't selling to stores or anything like that. He did eventually supply a lot of the messenger companies directly and during the bike messenger boom in NY, before the fax and the email, he was making bags for approx 50 cycle courier companies. The bike messengers became his biggest market, Frank listened to what they need and developed different sizes and features just for them. It was always a no frills bag and seems simple compared to the bike messenger bags we see today, but it performed well. There was an article on Frank De Martini in the New York Times, written in 1985. Frank was 76 years of age then and still making his bags. His own words were "These kids need bags.Without a bag these kids can't go to work." Frank passed away in the 1990's, the small company changed hands and is now owned by a bag making company just outside of New York but the bags are still being made in the USA. They have re-created some of Frank's original designs and also added some new styles.

Since Frank started making messenger bags there have been 4 decades of new makers and new bag designs. Of course there is no comparison between something like a Bagaboo Workhorse and Frank's Original Messenger Bag, but for us Franks original designs still look great. His bag is the undisputed original bag of NYC and still have relevance today. Plus that label he did was always awesome. Respect to Mr Martini.

The wax canvas tote is a recent design. Of course not a messenger bag design per se but we offer it because it is made by a skilled bag maker and is still a good design. Waxed canvas outer that resists dirt/rain and the daily grind but gets better with age. Nylon pack-cloth lining. Exterior slip pocket.Two interior compartments for smaller items. Canvas straps to carry or wear the bag on one shoulder.
Size in inches: 20.5 wide x 12 tall x 7 deep (52 x 30.4 x 17.7 cm)