Good Morning,
I have an interesting situation, I have a very old Hermes bag, that was given to me back in the 80's by a celebrity (my grand-aunt worked for the celeb and spouse).
But, (there is ALWAYS a but huh?) after doing a little research, I can't find ANYTHING to say I have a genuine bag!?!?!?
It's an absolutly beautifulllllll navy blue bag with two handles at the top, and then a detachable strap, ultra soft leather--- like butta, heavy gold hardware that is not "brassy" looking, it has a H in a circle in the bottom right corner, but the bag dosen't say "Hermes" or paris AT ALL. It's only marking is a very small, very tattered tag inside that says "Industria Argentina" running top to bottom on the tag, then (usual left to right) "Cuero Vaca" then under that is a printed "ART." and in hand written red ink what looks like 1C48, could be 1L48, hard to tell. The inside pocket has a broken zipper so no tab to tell.
This was given to me as a pre-teen to tote my teen beat magazine, my flowers in the atic paperback, a bottle of Love's baby soft and a fist full of flavored chapstik's and lip balms to return home from out of state. I didn't know back then that there were "brand names" for anything other than Jordash jeans, But I tell you it did start a lifetime LOVE for handbags!
Then sometime around the mid 90's, my (grand)Aunt said it was from the early 50's and given to the celeb by the motion picture studio as a signing gift. Told me the history of it, (or a cute story anyway) anyone, have any ideas how to do some homework on it?!
It has some slight damage now, but for years I didn't know it was anything "special", as a matter of fact all through 3 years of Jr. High School it was my "pencil pouch". It is absolutly amazing that this bag is intact at ALL, but it is in really decent shape, especially if it is close to 60 years old. Can you imagine just giving away an expensive bag to a little girl visiting her aunt who works fer ya'. I was such a "kid" she offered me the dust jacket and I told her, "oh, no thanks, I don't think I need it" and she chuckled and said "Well, it should really stay with the bag" and I said, "that's alright, I have a feather duster at home, I can take care of the dust myself" and she laughed and laughed.
...the only issues I have encountered with handles on H bags is re-stitching, darkening where it is held and slight wearing of the grain........BTW the leather is never "painted" it is dyed....it sounds strange, the peeling you describe 
