It's like using a metal hangtag to match the hardware, when you can't find a hangtag exactly like the original. It's a compromise but it usually works okay.
Coach Rehab and Rescue Club
- Thread starter greenpixie
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It's like using a metal hangtag to match the hardware, when you can't find a hangtag exactly like the original. It's a compromise but it usually works okay.
That's great! I had previously thought about using a metal strap for Gracie but I was looking for one in brushed gold that would also work with the under flap attachment system used for gracie and I didn't have any luck finding one - but this shiny gold curb-chain strap works okay with gracie IMO.
It's ironic that even though the chain strap was only $15, it still cost more than 7 times as much as the $2 Gracie Bag!
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Well, I have been paying some attention to my Italian Coach bags lately and I finally got around to rehabbing this Madison Copley 4414 and matching French Purse Wallet 4473 that were made in 1996. The color is called butter and it is difficult to photograph but it is a pale yellow cream color that is very pretty! The hardware is brushed gold.
I bought them both for $76 last year from the online Goodwill auction and @whateve and @Hyacinth kindly authenticated them for me.
I am really mad at myself because I didn't take any before pictures! I thought that I had saved the auction pictures but I didn't and they are no longer available online.
It wasn't a difficult rehab, they were a bit dirty and squashed and dented - so I gave them a bath (and they took forever to dry) and then I moisturized with Leather Therapy Restorer and polished the metal.
I decorated the Copley bag with my Under the Sea Mix Keyfob F93169 B4 MC and I am carrying the bag and wallet right now. Here are after pics of the Copley bag, it is a nice size and fits all my stuff, which is a little unusual for the vintage Italian Madison bags!
I bought them both for $76 last year from the online Goodwill auction and @whateve and @Hyacinth kindly authenticated them for me.
I am really mad at myself because I didn't take any before pictures! I thought that I had saved the auction pictures but I didn't and they are no longer available online.
It wasn't a difficult rehab, they were a bit dirty and squashed and dented - so I gave them a bath (and they took forever to dry) and then I moisturized with Leather Therapy Restorer and polished the metal.
I decorated the Copley bag with my Under the Sea Mix Keyfob F93169 B4 MC and I am carrying the bag and wallet right now. Here are after pics of the Copley bag, it is a nice size and fits all my stuff, which is a little unusual for the vintage Italian Madison bags!
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Here are pics of the Madison French Purse wallet 4473. It is a nice medium size wallet and it is fun to have the matching vintage Italian wallet with the Copely bag. They are also shown below with my beechnut Gracie bag, although Gracie came out rather dark in this picture.
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Here are catalog photos from @Hyacinth showcasing the summer 1996 release of these Madison bags in butter and other colors. The Copley bag originally sold for $376 which was rather pricey back in 1976.
Finally, here are photos of the Under the Sea Mix Keyfob 93169 B4 MC that I picked up at the outlet for $19 a few years ago. It is a favorite of mine and I think it looks good with the butter Copley bag.
That is just so beautiful! You have such a good eye for putting charms and bags together.
They are just beautiful! When you say "they" did you also dunk the matching wallet?
Thank you! Yes, I did dunk the wallet and I regretted it - but it has worked out okay after a lot of effort. I have had mixed success with dunking wallets. Sometimes they come out great with no problems and sometimes the card slots get all lopsided and stretched and unattractive. This one got lopsided and stretched and looked bad.
I tried surface-cleaning it first and it got better but it was still grimy so I decided to dunk it. The good news is that the Italian leather dries really slowly so I was able to experiment with different methods to get it back in shape while it was still damp. I tried a steam iron with press cloth, weighing it down with heavy books while it dried, folding it wrong side out and pressing under books, and more. By some miracle it eventually went back into shape but I will hesitate to give another bath to one of these Madison wallets.
The first pic below is when it was starting to regain its shape but still a little wavy, but the second picture is of the wallet fully loaded and back in shape.
Thank you, I love the Under the Sea Mix Charm; I bought it several years ago at the outlet and it has been a long time favorite.
I recently bought the matching necklace from an online auction for $31. I certainly didn't need it because I have the Pierre Le Tan Beach necklace and the Sandy Pearl necklace (and also the angelfish, starfish, frog, and turtle pendants!) but I really love this one, too!
I received the Silver Curb Chain Replacement Strap F31126 SV CC9 that I ordered from the Couch Outlet Online Sale for $15. It's just like the gold one and very nice. I don't have any plans for it at the moment but there will always be a bag missing a strap somewhere!
These medium-weight "curb-chain" straps may be well-suited to some vintage bags because the older bags are often smaller and have smaller hardware than the more modern coach bags with big hardware.
Those chains nice. I bought the FP version (the outlet was sold out), but it didn't fit on my modern (Charley crossbody) bag, so I returned it. I probably should've kept it though, because, like you said, there will always be a bag missing a strap. I tried to make it a "rule" not to get anything missing straps, hangtags (etc), but it didn't work, lol. Charley was a good deal ($34), and had been on my wishlist since it came out (I almost paid full price), and you can get hangtags from Coach. Anyway, I searched high and low until I found a strap that's a close enough match. Not Coach (MK) but that's ok.