Who authenticates vintage Gucci now?

[RetroMonde]

I found a vintage Gucci(?) wallet earlier today while out & about. I'm still deciding if it's plausible that it's authentic before I find someone to actually authenticate it. At first I was pretty sure it was good but after looking at a bunch online I'm not so sure. The person I used several years ago doesn't offer the service and vintage wasn't really her specialty anyway. Just in case I change my mind, is there someone you'd recommend? Thanks! Here's the wallet-
 

[chapeaunoir]

There are still some good people on the Fashion board at eBay - Jsales and a couple of others who can probably help or recommend an 'official' authenticator.

[57roses]

@tribeca may be able to help.  

[labbypaws]

@jsales0

[frakinfashion]

eBay has a service for that, I believe, and that will protect you against an "not authentic" claim. I don't know what they charge, if anything, or how you access it. The stuff I sell like that, I usually know the source so I don't have to worry about that. Check the stitching; it should be perfectly straight and uniform around the edges. That's usually where the counterfeit fall down on the job.

[RetroMonde]

I noticed a 'red flag' on this wallet being authentic so will post a few pix over there for confirmation. And after doing loads of searching with Google images last night, I didn't see any like this wallet, which also makes me super suspicious. I really should leave stuff like this behind because of the extra work involved and the risk & drama if I get it wrong.

[labbypaws]

Do not trust eBay’s authentication service. A few posts in their luxury handbag forum about how bad it is.

Try posting here:  community.ebay.com/t5/Handbags/bd-p/luxury-handbags

[bettyblackbent]

It's real. That's usually called the "micro monogram" pattern.

Vintage Gucci is tough to authenticate because 1. People have illusions about what the quality "should" be, when in actuality Gucci pumped out tons of relatively mediocre stuff in the 70s and 80s before designer bags became such a profit center...flaky linings etc galore and 2. The inter-family feuding and management issues assured that there wasn't a lot of design consistency, no real overarching brand "vision", and some dubious lines like Gucci Accessories.

[RetroMonde]

Cool Betty- thanks. Then I'll take the time to clean it up and post a photo on the eBay boards. You're right about the quality in the older items- I haven't forgotten the purse that had a peeling 'devil dust-ish' lining that I had to deal with years ago. Yucky!!

[bettyblackbent]

Even Vuitton and Chanel had models with the notorious "sticky pocket" so I think chemistry failed everyone at some point.

My pet peeve is the Longchamps bottom of the barrel "bonded leather".

[RetroMonde]

Oooh, I have several Longchamps Pliage totes to list. I realized yesterday that listing vintage Hello Kitty stuff brings me more joy, lol :-)