Orvis 'Battenkill' leather and canvas luggage, $10.

Orvis is a great example of what happens when high quality meets distinctive looks. Combine those two with high initial cost of ownership, and you'll very often have people searching eBay for better prices. If you fail to familiarize yourself with the various products that Orvis offers, you're shortchanging yourself miserably. Why risk walking past money?

How is it that big-money names like Hartmann, Tumi, Marino Orlandi and of course Orvis, go completely unnoticed, even by the people who are specifically looking for stuff to sell on eBay? You'd think that people would be all over this stugg, considering how much it costs to buy new and how many people are looking for it on eBay. Welcome to another Auctionbandits opportunity!

Although everything Orvis is very sought-after, this entry is about the Orvis 'Battenkill' luggage for the simple reason that it's probably the most likely Orvis product you'll encounter. But like I've already stated, you're going to be in better shape financially if you take a few minutes to at least check out the other products that The Orvis Company makes. It's all expensive, and it all has people looking for deals after it on eBay.

The Orvis Battenkill style of luggage is a forest green canvas with brown leather trim. No vinyl. Like Hartmann, Orvis does make all leather luggage, but like the Hartmann leather stuff, the all-leather Orvis luggage is not something you're going to see too often, simply because it costs a fortune to buy new. From what I've found in my travels, the most common flavor of Orvis luggage is the green canvas with brown leather trim. This is our 'sweet spot' of opportunity.

Look closely at the photos below and you'll notice that the two large pieces in the back - the rolling suitcase and the rolling garment bag - are lighter in color than the small duffel bag and the rolling golf bag cover in the foreground. Although these two pieces will likely sell well because they're otherwise in great overall shape, they simply won't do as well as pieces still sporting their original deep green color. The only thing I can guess happened to these two pieces is that they were left in a room - or maybe a vehicle - for an extended period of time, and simply faded from exposure to sunlight. The two darker pieces were spared because they were stored inside the suitcase. So, keep in mind that Orvis Battenkill canvas is a deep forest green in color!

Some Orvis pieces have the company's name all over them, like the rolling golf bag cover. Sometimes, though, the only indicator you'll find, as in the case of the small duffel bag, is the round leather patch that says The Orvis Company, with crossed fly rods over a large fly fishing reel, with two fish on either side. You often have to look really carefully, because Orvis is notorious for making their impressions on these leather pieces so faint that you can barely make out what's there!

Now for my usual 'luggage warnings.' Whenever you're dealing with luggage of any kind, always check everything carefully for rubs, scrapes, rips, holes, broken zippers, missing zipper pulls, and anything else you can think of. If it applies, also be sure to check the bottoms for any missing feet or wheels. Remember, no luggage that finds its way onto an airliner, regardless of its name, will be shown any mercy from the baggage handlers. And even though the guy who buys that piece of Orvis luggage from you may end up beating it senseless, he'd always prefer it to be in good shape when he buys it.

In other entries here in the Gallery, I cover several other names you should keep an eye out for in your travels, like the Marino Orlandi, Hartmann and Tumi brands. They all sell great, and they're all actually out there for you to find! But be sure to learn the Orvis profile well, because it's only a matter of time before you see it. And remember to always go cheap! As is normal for eBay, prices for any luggage, even identical pieces, can vary widely. So, it appears that the trick to successful buying in this area is to buy only the dirt cheap pieces of luggage in good overall shape, and at seven bucks for everything you see here, that's just what I did!

Photo of Orvis battenkill luggage