Before things went digital and many functions collapsed onto a single small phone in our pocket, spycraft tools were purpose-specific items. In particular the espionage tools of the 1960s and 1970’s stand out with their miniaturised transistor foundations allowing jewel-like craftsmanship – mini recorders in shoulder holsters and cameras disguised as pens.

Larger appliance style equipment was commonly delivered in a fitted out briefcase – in the West that was typically a Samsonite. Due to their office commuter ubiquity these were anonymous but completely functional and packing a surprise. The Australian Spy Museum has many Western and Warsaw Pact espionage devices fitted in briefcases – polygraph machines and voice stress analysers, phone scramblers, portable document copy stations, surveillance and intercept receivers. There are also bags fitted out as document strongboxes for secure transport, or as concealments for cameras with shutter releases hidden in the handles.

Second to the excitement of hunting down these rare items is enjoying the craftsmanship of hand-made objects. The Stasi OTS workshops only made about 20 units of their briefcase document copier for the East German Foreign Intelligence Service.

This post is a wistful nod to the days when everyone carried a bag – but known only to you, yours could be extra special.