Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

[katev]

Rehab Reveal!

I have been super busy with work but I had been itching for the chance to rehab my new to me Mahogany Bleecker Woven Pocket Hobo 12378 B4 MA. It was poorly listed on Mercari and I got it for only $26. The bag had originally sold for $458 in 2008 and I have always loved the look of it and I am a sucker for the beautiful tattersall lining of the early Bleecker bags.

I managed to rehab it just before leaving for a week long business trip to San Diego and it came out so good that I decided to use it for the trip! I usually carry a light-weight fabric bag when I am traveling and working long hours but this bag is surprisingly light even though it looks heavy. I actually got out my kitchen scale and weighed both the bleecker and the fabric bag and the bleecker was only a few ounces heavier.

I got back home last Wednesday but I am still carrying this beautiful bag! Here are the before pictures, the bag was dirty and worn and tarnished but it was an easy rehab. I will tell you about it and post some after photos in the next message.

 

[whateve]

Rehab Reveal!

I have been super busy with work but I had been itching for the chance to rehab my new to me Mahogany Bleecker Woven Pocket Hobo 12378 B4 MA. It was poorly listed on Mercari and I got it for only $26. The bag had originally sold for $458 in 2008 and I have always loved the look of it and I am a sucker for the beautiful tattersall lining of the early Bleecker bags.

I managed to rehab it just before leaving for a week long business trip to San Diego and it came out so good that I decided to use it for the trip! I usually carry a light-weight fabric bag when I am traveling and working long hours but this bag is surprisingly light even though it looks heavy. I actually got out my kitchen scale and weighed both the bleecker and the fabric bag and the bleecker was only a few ounces heavier.

I got back home last Wednesday but I am still carrying this beautiful bag! Here are the before pictures, the bag was dirty and worn and tarnished but it was an easy rehab. I will tell you about it and post some after photos in the next message.

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I just carried mine a few days ago!

 

[katev]

Here are the after photos of my Mahogany Bleecker Woven Pocket Hobo 12378 B4 MA that I got for only $26 on Mercari. The bag was dirty, you can't see how dirty from the photos but it was grubby and the lining especially was dingy and spotted. There were also a few small ink marks on the lining. There were also a few spots on the leather, especially on the back of the bag and the corners were worn and faded. The shoulder strap was a bit kinked and the fringe straps were curled

I gave it a bath in Dawn and warm water and the brown started to run and that always makes me a bit nervous that it might stain the light-colored lining but it all rinsed away with clean water. I scubbed the spots and worked on the ink marks with my finger nail while the bag was soaking and they all came out.

After the first bath I still wasn't thrilled with the condition so I gave it a second soak in the sink with Dawn and water. Then I let it drain awhile before stuffing it with old towels and shaping it to dry. I used a small, heavy round ceramic bowel to shape the strap while it was drying and a heavy bottom drinking glass to flatten the fringes while drying.

After a day, I applied some leather CPR, removed the towels and pulled out the lining and let it continue to dry for a couple of days. After it was dry I gave it a light application of Black Rocks and that really helped with restoring the color, especially in the faded areas and the worn corners.

I hadn't planned to polish the hardware because I like the antique brass look with the Bleecker and Legacy bags, but the large buckle on the pocket flap was badly tarnished and actually looked scratched; so I got out the Wenol and used it sparingly to remove the worst of the tarnish and then I rubbed the hardware with a soft Cape Cod Cloth. That's all there was too it, here are some after pics that I took today after wearing the bag for a week half, including dragging it around airports, hotels, restaurants, and a very large convention center!

 

[sdkitty]

Do not put shoe cream on a purse! It tends to cake and dry and rub off on your clothes. I have rehabbed some non-coach bags and I have had very good luck with some and not so good with others. A lot depends on the quality of the leather and the extent of the wear and damage. I think you should ask the seller for more pics and post them here for opinions before you purchase. There are products and methods that will restore color and appearance that work well on many bags.

The amount I spend on rehab bags depend on the item and how rare it is and how much I want it, but I usually look for bargain thrift shop pricing because I am not always sure if I will be able to restore it. This is especially true when I am buying a bag online and cannot see (or smell!) it in advance.

Rehabbing is addictive, good luck!

I got that shoe cream idea from someone on the PF. I was thinking that about problem rubbing off too.
I'll have to see what her pics look like and what she says after looking at the bag again.
It looks pretty good in her ad pics - just one small area - maybe a half inch - that looks like the color has come off.
Even if I get it for 50 bucks - which is not much by PF standards - don't really want the money to be wasted.
I share pics when I get them.
thank you

 

[katev]

Here are a couple of coach accessories that I carried with my Bleecker woven pocket hobo.

I debated which wallet to carry with the mahogany Bleecker Woven Pocket Hobo. I have 2 Bleecker Checkbook Wallets (black and ink) with Tatersall Lining and I was thinking of using one of them, but I decided that I really like the look of my Poppy Whipstitch Wallet in Natural Leather and Brass 47042 that I bought on ebay for $29 and rehabbed. It originally sold for $168 in 2012.

And I really like the D-ring that Coach used to put inside their bags. I have used it to attach of lot of things and right now it is holding my lime and tan Bonnie Pouch Charm 92482 SF9 LM with Legacy Striped Lining. I got it on Etsy for $30 and it had originally sold for $58 in 2009. I've been using the pouch charm inside the Bleecker to hold my ear buds and it is the perfect size.

So the entire ensemble (bag, wallet, and pouch charm) costs a total of only $85 and a little bit of effort (and fun!) I wish that women that waste money on fake bags only knew how cheap and easy it can be to own a beautiful, original designer bag and accessories!

 

[Lake Effect]

I'm impressed with all the work you people have done on these bags. I'm looking at a bag (not Coach) online. The seller has said the leather is worn. I asked her to elaborate and she said no noticeable marks but just worn. I don't really know what that means. Maybe fading? She has offered to provide more pics. I'm thinking if its fading on a black bag the shoe cream may rehab it.

Do you all confine these bags that need rehab to ones that you get for a very small price? Like thrift store pricing? Or would you buy a bag that needs rehab for a bit under market?

I think whateve brought up a good point that the leather Coach used in vintage bags lends to a better outcome. Remember that the inspiration for the type of leather used was durable baseball glove leather. I am not sure that was the model for other companies. I keep my budget for rehab bags on the low side. Paying $35 shipped for a bag that I am not sure will rehab optimally will not break my bank. I'll pay a little more for bags that give me a better vibe. Beware, many bags photograph a bit better than they are in real life!
So the question to ask yourself is how much are you comfortable spending for a suboptimal touch up/rehab bag?? YMMV

 

[sdkitty]

I think whateve brought up a good point that the leather Coach used in vintage bags lends to a better outcome. Remember that the inspiration for the type of leather used was durable baseball glove leather. I am not sure that was the model for other companies. I keep my budget for rehab bags on the low side. Paying $35 shipped for a bag that I am not sure will rehab optimally will not break my bank. I'll pay a little more for bags that give me a better vibe. Beware, many bags photograph a bit better than they are in real life!

yes, this bag looks good in her pics but when asked, she says it has wear all over......?supposed to send pics next week

 

[Lake Effect]

yes, this bag looks good in her pics but when asked, she says it has wear all over......?supposed to send pics next week

It sounds like you're getting a lot of information...

 

[Catbird9]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with the creed patch fading after giving the. vintage leather bags a bath? I was wondering if there was a way to avoid this? Also, how necessary is it to give a vintage leather bag a bath if it isn't in too bad a condition?

I rehabbed a Murphy Bag and the creed faded a lot. I think I left it in the water too long (over 30 minutes).

BEFORE:


AFTER:


I am more cautious now, and I don't necessarily dunk every bag if all it really needs is conditioning.

 

[sdkitty]

It sounds like you're getting a lot of information...

at least she is responding to my questions....a lot of sellers don't
and it seems like she is trying to be honest......will see what additional pics show

 

[Minchanka]

It sounds like you're getting a lot of information...

Not necessarily. When I sell my bags, I say “has wear” unless the bag is pristine. A few people reached out to me saying that the bags were in much better condition than they expected.

 

[Lake Effect]

at least she is responding to my questions....a lot of sellers don't
and it seems like she is trying to be honest......will see what additional pics show

Good. You can make an informed decision!

 

[mwinkelm3]

I rehabbed a Murphy Bag and the creed faded a lot. I think I left it in the water too long (over 30 minutes).

BEFORE:
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AFTER:
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I am more cautious now, and I don't necessarily dunk every bag if all it really needs is conditioning.

Agreed. I had the same experience with a vintage duffel bag but I soaked it for like an hour lol. But, the creed was a little light to begin with so maybe that and the lengthy soaking did me in! I'm gonna be more careful now thanx

 

[whateve]

Here are the after photos of my Mahogany Bleecker Woven Pocket Hobo 12378 B4 MA that I got for only $26 on Mercari. The bag was dirty, you can't see how dirty from the photos but it was grubby and the lining especially was dingy and spotted. There were also a few small ink marks on the lining. There were also a few spots on the leather, especially on the back of the bag and the corners were worn and faded. The shoulder strap was a bit kinked and the fringe straps were curled

I gave it a bath in Dawn and warm water and the brown started to run and that always makes me a bit nervous that it might stain the light-colored lining but it all rinsed away with clean water. I scubbed the spots and worked on the ink marks with my finger nail while the bag was soaking and they all came out.

After the first bath I still wasn't thrilled with the condition so I gave it a second soak in the sink with Dawn and water. Then I let it drain awhile before stuffing it with old towels and shaping it to dry. I used a small, heavy round ceramic bowel to shape the strap while it was drying and a heavy bottom drinking glass to flatten the fringes while drying.

After a day, I applied some leather CPR, removed the towels and pulled out the lining and let it continue to dry for a couple of days. After it was dry I gave it a light application of Black Rocks and that really helped with restoring the color, especially in the faded areas and the worn corners.

I hadn't planned to polish the hardware because I like the antique brass look with the Bleecker and Legacy bags, but the large buckle on the pocket flap was badly tarnished and actually looked scratched; so I got out the Wenol and used it sparingly to remove the worst of the tarnish and then I rubbed the hardware with a soft Cape Cod Cloth. That's all there was too it, here are some after pics that I took today after wearing the bag for a week half, including dragging it around airports, hotels, restaurants, and a very large convention center!

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It's so beautiful! I didn't wash mine. It has some darkening on the back, possibly color transfer. I wonder if a bath would get rid of that.

 

[Catbird9]

Here are a couple of coach accessories that I carried with my Bleecker woven pocket hobo.

I debated which wallet to carry with the mahogany Bleecker Woven Pocket Hobo. I have 2 Bleecker Checkbook Wallets (black and ink) with Tatersall Lining and I was thinking of using one of them, but I decided that I really like the look of my Poppy Whipstitch Wallet in Natural Leather and Brass 47042 that I bought on ebay for $29 and rehabbed. It originally sold for $168 in 2012.

And I really like the D-ring that Coach used to put inside their bags. I have used it to attach of lot of things and right now it is holding my lime and tan Bonnie Pouch Charm 92482 SF9 LM with Legacy Striped Lining. I got it on Etsy for $30 and it had originally sold for $58 in 2009. I've been using the pouch charm inside the Bleecker to hold my ear buds and it is the perfect size.

So the entire ensemble (bag, wallet, and pouch charm) costs a total of only $85 and a little bit of effort (and fun!) I wish that women that waste money on fake bags only knew how cheap and easy it can be to own a beautiful, original designer bag and accessories!
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YES!

That's a gorgeous bag and I especially love the pebbled texture. That brass diving helmet charm is adorable, and I really like your idea of using the little kisslock for your earbuds. Thanks for sharing your projects and ideas!