Hi! This is a very old thread but I am wondering if anyone has any recommendations for how to care for an ostrich Dooney. I just bought one used and any recommendations for how to care for the bag would be appreciated - wondering if it would be good to use some leather conditioner on it. Also, does anyone know if the green suede inner lining indicates anything? I have seen it mentioned that it is usually in florentine bags and I see on the resale sites that this bag is referred to as "ostrich florentine" - is that a thing or are people just adding the florentine since it has the green suede inside?
I never heard of Ostrich Florentine. Over the years I've bought a lot
of Dooney ostrich embossed leather handbags.
Dooney ostrich leather is typically made from embossed calf leather.
There were 2 different Dooney ostrich handbag groups over time....
the regular, more affordable, calf leather embossed ostrich bags
and a very small number of Made in Italy Dooney Ostrich Bags
(Alto Collection) called Sahara Collection.
The Sahara Alto Ostrich
bags were higher quality leather and construction. They may even
be from leather processed and dyed in different (better) ways than the
regular ostrich embossed leather.
So my guess, is that the bag you found might be from the
Made in Italy Alto Sahara Collection. If so, I consider it a treasure
and I hope you enjoy it. Maybe the green suede in your bag is a clue.
I don't typically condition or treat any of my Dooney handbags and
have never had to condition my ostrich embossed bags. The ostrich
leather is not coated an any way and will absorb any moisture or creams.
I've found that over time the ostrich leather will soften quite a bit and feel
a lot nicer than when it was new. If you decide to condition your bag,
test it in a spot that's not too obvious... use just a little conditioner and let
it dry before deciding whether to condition any more of the bag. Dark colors
are pretty resilient, but light colors could show stains. I'm also concerned
about color removal or bleeding, so be careful. You may have no issues,
but I've gotten a streaky ostrich embossed bag in the past which makes
me concerned about some of the dyes.
I'd start with a damp paper towel or microfiber cloth, with just water,
and see what happens.
Please post a picture of your bag. I might recognize it.
This is the product care section from the Dooney site for the Small Ostrich
bag
"Sahara leather has been treated for water repellency. Each piece is hand-stitched and rubbed with natural dyes and oils for a lustrous, protective finish.
This leather can usually be cleaned with the use of a soft cotton cloth slightly dampened with distilled water (sodium-free seltzer water may be substituted) and a mild bar soap, applied in a circular motion. Repeat with distilled water only to ensure no residual soap re- mains. The leather should then be allowed to dry completely.
This collection requires no creams, polishes or leather conditioning products to maintain its beauty."
