Coach Rehab and Rescue Club

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I have 1 taupe/brass, 1 BT/brass, 1 black/brass, 1 black/nickel, 2 navy/nickel, 1 red/nickel, 1 green/brass, 1 pool blue/nickel, 1 camel/nickel, 1 currant/nickel....omg. 11. I have 11 Willises. I dont know how that happened. Ive never done a group photo but I think I probably should!
Wow!

They are rabbits I tell you!! :lol:
:lol:
 
Purple station is done and looking much fresher. The handle, top flap and tab were almost black because I'm foolish, and it was very matte, had an almost sticky feel, and started to smell like old oil. Put leather degreaser on to pull out some of that oil, than gave her another bath. Only conditioned with leather cpr and renapur this time....no more devil oil.
ETA found a before, so after and before.
Yeah, that Obenauf’s Oil is good news, bad news. On the good news side, it gave me a few more seasons with a pair of short black Timberland boots. The leather on them felt exactly like that of my black Patricia’s Legacy. It really was amazing what it did for them.
I can see that vintage Purple is a bit tricky.
 
They are rabbits I tell you!! :lol:
Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Yes they are!! I still want a plum one, a red/brass one, and a gray/nickel one. I want to sell the taupe one and my sister is getting one of the navy/nickel ones for Christmas. I also want someone to literally slap my tablet out of my hands every time I go on ebay to look for bags.
 
Ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Yes they are!! I still want a plum one, a red/brass one, and a gray/nickel one. I want to sell the taupe one and my sister is getting one of the navy/nickel ones for Christmas. I also want someone to literally slap my tablet out of my hands every time I go on ebay to look for bags.
I just have the BT/brass one because I wasn't feeling the gray/nickel so I gave it away. And I gave a blue/nickel one to my daughter for her birthday. I think I would like to have a navy/brass or black/brass for myself as well.
 
Hi all, new to the forum and new to owning vintage leather Coach bags. I have a few quick questions if you don't mind. I am not trying to rehab anything but I am hoping to get some use out of some very charming bags I've purchased. I try to spend just a little more than bottom prices get bags in good condition (no ink marks, water stains, rips/tears, discoloration or glaring blemishes) so I don't have to do anything to them, and I really like it when I find one listed as already cleaned and conditioned.

My main question is for the ones in the tan color range, will a leather conditioner darken it? Do these vintage bags (from the 90s) need regular conditioning treatments, and if so, how do you keep a british tan/honey/saddle/tabac nice and bright and conditioned? I'd like to refresh the shape of one of mine, but I'm nervous about giving any light colored leather a bath because I feel like it will need a conditioning afterwards and I'm honestly afraid to darken up the british tan. Thanks!
 
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Good Morning All,

Last month, my college roommate and I were reminiscing about a day when we skipped classes and went shopping. We both purchased our first COACH handbags that day. I am thinking it would have been around 1984. We had such a fun time remembering that special day that I thought wouldn't a wonderful rehab Coach bag make an excellent Christmas Gift.

I have recently purchased a few older Coach bags and tried to rehab them with limited success. Since I am giving this bag as a gift, I feel that I would need to purchase one that has been professionally rehabbed. Can anyone recommend a few professional sellers? I would like to try to buy a bag from the '80s, if possible.
 
Hi all, new to the forum and new to owning vintage leather Coach bags. I have a few quick questions if you don't mind. I am not trying to rehab anything but I am hoping to get some use out of some very charming bags I've purchased. I try to spend just a little more than bottom prices get bags in good condition (no ink marks, water stains, rips/tears, discoloration or glaring blemishes) so I don't have to do anything to them, and I really like it when I find one listed as already cleaned and conditioned.

My main question is for the ones in the tan color range, will a leather conditioner darken it? Do these vintage bags (from the 90s) need regular conditioning treatments, and if so, how do you keep a british tan/honey/saddle/tabac nice and bright and conditioned? I'd like to refresh the shape of one of mine, but I'm nervous about giving any light colored leather a bath because I feel like it will need a conditioning afterwards and I'm honestly afraid to darken up the british tan. Thanks!
I think conditioning is important after a bath because the bath is going to remove some moisture from the bag.

You don't necessarily have to give it a bath. You could stuff it and steam it and then condition. Some conditioners darken. Most that do, it's temporary. Some conditioners don't darken. If you are afraid, I would use Cadillac or Saphir Creme Delicate. I like leather cpr. If it darkens leather, it is because the leather is dry. It restores it to the original color, which might be darker than the leather is currently.
 
Hi all, new to the forum and new to owning vintage leather Coach bags. I have a few quick questions if you don't mind. I am not trying to rehab anything but I am hoping to get some use out of some very charming bags I've purchased. I try to spend just a little more than bottom prices get bags in good condition (no ink marks, water stains, rips/tears, discoloration or glaring blemishes) so I don't have to do anything to them, and I really like it when I find one listed as already cleaned and conditioned.

My main question is for the ones in the tan color range, will a leather conditioner darken it? Do these vintage bags (from the 90s) need regular conditioning treatments, and if so, how do you keep a british tan/honey/saddle/tabac nice and bright and conditioned? I'd like to refresh the shape of one of mine, but I'm nervous about giving any light colored leather a bath because I feel like it will need a conditioning afterwards and I'm honestly afraid to darken up the british tan. Thanks!
My only rehab was British Tan, and I did wash it and then condition it with Leather CPR and Blackrock. The bag was really dry, and because of that, the conditioner did darken the color, but to me it made the color richer and brought it back to life. It looked lighter before because it really needed conditioning. When I use these on newer bags, it doesn't seem to alter the color.
 
Good Morning All,

Last month, my college roommate and I were reminiscing about a day when we skipped classes and went shopping. We both purchased our first COACH handbags that day. I am thinking it would have been around 1984. We had such a fun time remembering that special day that I thought wouldn't a wonderful rehab Coach bag make an excellent Christmas Gift.

I have recently purchased a few older Coach bags and tried to rehab them with limited success. Since I am giving this bag as a gift, I feel that I would need to purchase one that has been professionally rehabbed. Can anyone recommend a few professional sellers? I would like to try to buy a bag from the '80s, if possible.
What a fun and sweet gift idea! If you find a bag you like, you can ask for authentication in the authenticate thread, and then ask the pros here (not me! ;) ) to scrutinize the bag. I hope you find one she will love!
 
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Good Morning All,

Last month, my college roommate and I were reminiscing about a day when we skipped classes and went shopping. We both purchased our first COACH handbags that day. I am thinking it would have been around 1984. We had such a fun time remembering that special day that I thought wouldn't a wonderful rehab Coach bag make an excellent Christmas Gift.

I have recently purchased a few older Coach bags and tried to rehab them with limited success. Since I am giving this bag as a gift, I feel that I would need to purchase one that has been professionally rehabbed. Can anyone recommend a few professional sellers? I would like to try to buy a bag from the '80s, if possible.
We don't like to recommend sellers, but if you post on the authentication thread, we might be able to tell you something about the seller and I can give you advice about condition.

Be careful about the phrase "professionally rehabbed." I think the amateurs on this forum are better rehabbers than anyone who calls themselves professional.
 
Hi all, new to the forum and new to owning vintage leather Coach bags. I have a few quick questions if you don't mind. I am not trying to rehab anything but I am hoping to get some use out of some very charming bags I've purchased. I try to spend just a little more than bottom prices get bags in good condition (no ink marks, water stains, rips/tears, discoloration or glaring blemishes) so I don't have to do anything to them, and I really like it when I find one listed as already cleaned and conditioned.

My main question is for the ones in the tan color range, will a leather conditioner darken it? Do these vintage bags (from the 90s) need regular conditioning treatments, and if so, how do you keep a british tan/honey/saddle/tabac nice and bright and conditioned? I'd like to refresh the shape of one of mine, but I'm nervous about giving any light colored leather a bath because I feel like it will need a conditioning afterwards and I'm honestly afraid to darken up the british tan. Thanks!

All leather bags will eventually need conditioning. Without bathing, the bag will darken naturally anyway, due to buildup of soils.

I use Leather CPR to condition and in my experience, it doesn't darken the leather. Coach bags from the 90s respond well to bathing and are much improved by it, in my opinion. The color evens out and the shape is restored.

You can often refresh a bag's shape without bathing by stuffing it with warm towels from the dryer, applying Leather CPR, and standing it in a damp room like the bathroom for a day or two.

Here are some examples of three British Tan bags (and one Stone Post Pouch) before and after rehab.

Stewardess:
Collages66.jpg

Carlyle:
Collages67.jpg

Becket Zip:
Collages69.jpg

Post Pouch:
BT rehabs.jpg
 
We don't like to recommend sellers, but if you post on the authentication thread, we might be able to tell you something about the seller and I can give you advice about condition.

Be careful about the phrase "professionally rehabbed." I think the amateurs on this forum are better rehabbers than anyone who calls themselves professional.

Whateve, I think of you folks on the forum as the professionals...no intention of being offensive. You have already given me so much help on the authentication thread...which is very much appreciated. I will search again for a bag that I think needs only a minor amount of rehabbing and give it another go. Once again, thank you for your help and the camaraderie.
 
I have semi finished the Rambler . It needs a buff and polish to make it shine. Sits better and no longer smells of perfume. But Im on the fence with it. In hindsight I think I should have just stuffed it and conditioned.
Afters on the left , befores on the right. Tried to get the lighting the same.View attachment 4601489 View attachment 4601491 View attachment 4601492
I think she looks great! The color looks more even after the bath. I was planning on giving my currant Rambler's Legacy a bath before she arrived, but with the cracking on her strap after I got her (she had 2 obvious spots and 2 more that were just starting to crack), I decided not to risk it. I like the color of yours after the bath better than mine after just stuffing and conditioning.
 
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