Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[Esquared72]

I already posted some musette stuff but just a quick recap on her: My instincts said the ink in the front pocket would seep through and worsen the front of the bag, and I'm glad I was careful since a second small ink spot did seep through, and I only barely dipped her in cold water just long enough to reshape the handle and help plump some of the side/back panel flatness. (She seems plump in the befores but I had her stuffed) In the after shots, she's holding her own shape. Luckily she wasn't terribly dirty and didn't need aggressive cleaning!

I wish I'd have taken photos instantly upon opening her but instead I put Lexol on her because I was too in love to think straight. So she looked really dry and almost "gray" colored upon opening the box. She even had some dusty residue that scared me like maybe a bit of a mold, but apparently it was just dust. She was from Tucson so I'm lucky she wasn't dry rotted!!!

BEFORES (again)

In this photo, just one ink dot appears (pre soak)

The second small dot shows up in this last photo.

I am still working on some acrylic paint camouflage. Paint doesn't photograph well because the paint is "flat" so the camera sees the paint differently than the eye sees the leather. (annoying)- it looks better IRL. And since I love the vintage patina, I've not put blackrocks on just yet. (thinking about it since she still scuffs easily but it usually rubs out.) The camera catches scuffs and scratches more than it appears IRL

AFTERS:

Beautiful!! Love it.

 

[Porter4]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

 

[katev]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

She looks gorgeous and that is good information about the refinisher!

 

[chowlover2]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

She looks gorgeous!

 

[gege vintagelvr]

Great job on a challenging project. That is a wonderful bag!

I already posted some musette stuff but just a quick recap on her: My instincts said the ink in the front pocket would seep through and worsen the front of the bag, and I'm glad I was careful since a second small ink spot did seep through, and I only barely dipped her in cold water just long enough to reshape the handle and help plump some of the side/back panel flatness. (She seems plump in the befores but I had her stuffed) In the after shots, she's holding her own shape. Luckily she wasn't terribly dirty and didn't need aggressive cleaning!

I wish I'd have taken photos instantly upon opening her but instead I put Lexol on her because I was too in love to think straight. So she looked really dry and almost "gray" colored upon opening the box. She even had some dusty residue that scared me like maybe a bit of a mold, but apparently it was just dust. She was from Tucson so I'm lucky she wasn't dry rotted!!!

BEFORES (again)

In this photo, just one ink dot appears (pre soak)

The second small dot shows up in this last photo.

I am still working on some acrylic paint camouflage. Paint doesn't photograph well because the paint is "flat" so the camera sees the paint differently than the eye sees the leather. (annoying)- it looks better IRL. And since I love the vintage patina, I've not put blackrocks on just yet. (thinking about it since she still scuffs easily but it usually rubs out.) The camera catches scuffs and scratches more than it appears IRL

AFTERS:

 

[gege vintagelvr]

I am impressed. Your bag looks great. Thanks for the info about the refinisher. I have a bag that might need that approach. Congratulations.

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

 

[whateve]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

The seller said, "looks like it got into a fight and lost"!

She looks gorgeous now. Is that her little sister, Maggie, in the picture with her?

 

[Porter4]

The seller said, "looks like it got into a fight and lost"!

She looks gorgeous now. Is that her little sister, Maggie, in the picture with her?

I know, her comments made me laugh. Why yes that is little Maggie over there

 

[AggieK]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

What an improvement! It looks great now. Congrats...

 

[Jessi319]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

Wow!! amazing!

 

[Mamakido]

Wow that is amazing!

 

[Lyndsey21]

Finished up my $21.40 Helen's Legacy and have been wearing her with my yellow legacy tassel:
Here is the auction for before pics: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Coa...Zv5joO8OGb5BORWxjZegDIg=&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc

Here she is now:

I ended up using the Mahogany Leather Refinish on her, as neither Blackrocks or Obenaufs was bringing the color back. I have been kind of treating her "roughly" to test the Leather Refinish and it has been holding perfectly. The only thing I don't like is that it initially stiffened the leather. It is softening up though, and I'm hoping with conditioning and time she will get super squishy again.

THAT color is tdf! Wow, I love it!

 

[vlj]

The bag looks fabulous compared to the before picture! Unbelievable!

 

[balmer79]

Its beautiful!! love the Janice you did a good job!

 

[balmer79]

Thanks for the information and the pictures! Well it's good to know ahead of time I might need to condition the bag multiple times! I probably would have tried once or twice and then assumed that it wouldn't get any better, but now I am prepared that some areas might need like 10 X conditioning haha!

Why won't you wear the bag in the pictures? Is it just because the straps start in the back? Is it long enough for cross body, it looks like it would work that way? You did some great work with that bag! Before reading this thread I would have assumed some of those marks were permanent (and never would have thought you could/should soak a leather bag!), but it looks perfect in the after shots! I can't believe you found it for that price! I've started checking for bags when I hit the thrifts, but for some reason I assumed if the store saw it was coach they would put it in the glass case and mark it way up just for the name and I haven't gotten good enough to tell authenticity for the older styles, but great score for you! Thanks again for the tips & advice!

Thanks everyone on the compliments from last week!
I was away a couple days, went to Indiana for Thanksgiving... and yes, I did some searching and hunting for my next rehabs and really came out with a big fat nothing.

pittcat, yes that bag was gorgeous... but I know its not my favorite style.
When I get my new house next year, husband promised Id have both my office AND a rehab-purse room for my projects. But for now, I live in a tiny rowhouse downtown, every square foot counts. Ive just learned to keep objects I know I will use while living here. The most fun I have is to hunt for them, and make them pretty again. Occasionally I will keep one or two (or 10)
In my old house, hell yeah I would have kept it.... its just so pretty.
Since then she has been re-homed, about to be sent out to her next owner