A little brown case

When I was six years of age, I was already two years going to school. I used my sister's old school bag. I wanted so badly a new case with the sharp instant releases when you open it up. Eventually Mum bought it for my birthday, I was thrilled.
It was brown and had a funny smell, a memorable one of a salty type of aroma. I can still be a child again anytime I smell this. When I look at old films of the 40's and see them carrying those same cases I wonder do they get the same smell.