I feel so foolish...boxcalf problem

[Encore Hermes]

opps my kelly

I love your kelly. Isn't it like 30 years + The best spa I heard is regular use. The oil from the skin

 

[Loony]

looney

as far as I know its bog standard 100 quid what ever the bag, when are you going? a few of us are meeting up in December S Molton street if your around

Really? I was told that the price depends on what needs doing and the craftsperson (Celine?) rings you with the quote before doing any work but I can live with £100.

I'm not sure when I'll manage to get to London next time, I would love to go in with the bag myself but I'll more than likely have to drop the bag at the Manchester boutique and have them send it to London unless I manage to get away for a day.

 

[ardneish]

Yes Fleur my uncle bought it for my aunt in Paris, it spent most of its life in Sweden with her, but after her passing it was left to me around six years ago, I have thought of selling her to contribute the funds towards a new one but I have decided I just cant I love this bag just so much now, and I think the quality at Hermes is not as it was it cant be there opening so many more stores how can the craftsmen cope with the extra demand?

I have a very good friend who is a master saddler based in Walsall and she has said without doubt my black box is better made than my ten year old Ostrich Kelly.


I am hoping to get Euro star over to Paris just for the day to go and have a look around St honoure.

Thank you for your input it means a great deal to me knowing your knowledge base.

 

[ardneish]

Really? I was told that the price depends on what needs doing and the craftsperson (Celine?) rings you with the quote before doing any work but I can live with £100.

I'm not sure when I'll manage to get to London next time, I would love to go in with the bag myself but I'll more than likely have to drop the bag at the Manchester boutique and have them send it to London unless I manage to get away for a day.

Get that train down to the smoke ( says me smiling)
yes Celine is the craftsperson, I have only ever had to pay 100uk pounds , but saying that I really could not believe it when I picked up the jige pm, its tiny and cost the same also it looked worse than when I took it in.

Maybe you better come with us to Paris on Eurostar and take it there.



BTW I thought your bag looked amazing I hope you are enjoying her.

 

[Loony]

Thank you! I have taken the bag out for a spin a couple of times already, try to use it whenever the weather's nice.

I love coming to London but it can be a bit tricky because Mr L travels for work a lot and I have to stay home with the kitts

 

[fleursetcarlines]

Yes Fleur my uncle bought it for my aunt in Paris, it spent most of its life in Sweden with her, but after her passing it was left to me around six years ago, I have thought of selling her to contribute the funds towards a new one but I have decided I just cant I love this bag just so much now, and I think the quality at Hermes is not as it was it cant be there opening so many more stores how can the craftsmen cope with the extra demand?

I have a very good friend who is a master saddler based in Walsall and she has said without doubt my black box is better made than my ten year old Ostrich Kelly.


I am hoping to get Euro star over to Paris just for the day to go and have a look around St honoure.

Thank you for your input it means a great deal to me knowing your knowledge base.

I think you'd really regret selling that lovely Kelly especially with the family provenance. I had one the exactly like it, same age and same lovely supple Box and I'm kicking myself for letting it go. Although I've replaced it with a later one, the leather isn't as nice. So I think you'd possibly be disapointed in a new one.

Older Calf Box is superior IMO, I'm not sure if it's handbag myth that the better cow diet in the day back when produced a finer hide, whether it be supple or stiff, but it does make sense. Even now the quality can vary. I was very lucky and got a new black box 35 cm Birkin recently and was really pleasantly suprised that the Box is lovely, supple and fine. I also find the craftmanship/finishing on Box bags superior to other leathers. Perhaps I'm biased, love Box.

BW

Fleurs.

 

[gracekelly]

And that's why I polish my own bags and wash my own scarves. Personally I think £100 for a jig with a cloth and polish for PM Jige is way too pricey, I'd rather eat my own hair! Not getting at you of course, but I was very disapointed with a conditioning I had done at Bond Street some years ago, it looks no different when it was returned only the hardware was dirtier on its return. Paris is a better option for UK bods but I think we all have different experiences and so others may have far more positive results in the UK. I don't like Hermes in the UK for a plethora of reasons so that does make me extra grrr!! And I completely understand why people don't want to touch their bags, scarves etc for fear of accidents with such expensive goods and that is perfectly fine of course everyone must do what they are comfortable with.

My gut feeling in this case of colour loss is there was some pre-sale touching up or perhaps a bit of excessive rubbing in one spot which is easily enough done easy to get carried away with the cloth. I can't say I've ever had a problem with Calf Box but there is the first time for us all. I once had an issue with Lambskin, the polish darkened the leather but I then applied it all over and it was fine, luckily it was black and in the end it looked better than ever.

I don't find the the dye goes particularly deep into the leather especially the corners it is quite shameful given the expense. I don't have this problem with vintage box pieces, I think it's all part and parcel of the quality not being what it was at Hermes but I wont go down that road or this will be a much longer post.

I've been polishing my own bags now for some time but it is scary so if you are scared don't do it. I don't use cheapo boot polish, I doubt anyone here does and while the offic'get yourself ial line at Hermes is 'leave your bags alone' the unofficial one get some John Lobb and DIY'!

I think Hermes will be able to sort out the problem with the Kelly, they do like to get all school mistress about it all. Fortunately my homework has been approved of to date by Hermes craftspeople so no behind the blackboard in the corner for me, not yet! Nigh on miracles have been achieved with bags in the past and if there is a leather they can make better it's box.

Hope your Kelly is feeling better soon. Chin up!

BW

Fleurs.

That's pretty funny since they own John Lobb! We get back to something I have said ad nauseum, wouldn't you think that H would have their own polish? I guess the answer is, they want you to bring the bag back into them. I am so with you about forking over $100+ to get a bag polished. That much for a Jige!!!! I would eat more than my hair

 

[WingNut]

Yes Fleur my uncle bought it for my aunt in Paris, it spent most of its life in Sweden with her, but after her passing it was left to me around six years ago, I have thought of selling her to contribute the funds towards a new one but I have decided I just cant I love this bag just so much now, and I think the quality at Hermes is not as it was it cant be there opening so many more stores how can the craftsmen cope with the extra demand?

I have a very good friend who is a master saddler based in Walsall and she has said without doubt my black box is better made than my ten year old Ostrich Kelly.

I love this. What a wonderful history...please don't ever sell that bag (except, ahem, to me! j/k)...I just think it's amazing that it has aged so well and can be passed down through the generations.

 

[cftf]

No you were fine, I just get mad at the store because they get so weird about vintage. I can get the creme at BH. I just never knew it existed. I have to be careful since I walk my bags in for the spa . I have a bag in now and rotate the new ones but after they gave me the evil eye I stopped bringing in the older bags. I shop at another H.

That is just wrong. Do they not tout their items as "multi generational"? I for one plan on my daughter someday owning my H bags....so will she get THE EVIL EYE when she brings them in to refurbish? I get so upset when I read posts about these attitudes from H employees. After all it is the exhorbant amounts of $$$ we spend there that pays their salaries!!

 

[ardneish]

Yes cftf

But there not all like that , for every stuffy one there are 3 lovely ones, so I dont pay any attention to it, its that SA,s problem and there probarly not v nice people outside of H as well maybe?.

I love it that your passing the bags down ( not for a long time I hope) your daughter will take comfort in knowing these where mums bags, I know I do with my aunts.

 

[cftf]

^^^you are right...I for the most part do not pay attention to these type of people in general. And no, my DD will not be carrying an H for a while...she is my youngest at 4 yrs old!

 

[pursenality]

I do feel foolish....I bought a Boxcalf Kelly on Ebay a few weeks ago and it had several scratches so I used Meltonian Neutral Creme Polish on it and the color lightened in certain areas.
Embarrassed me:shame: (and I am very familiar with Boxcalf since I have a Black Box Bolide which is at the spa right now...I never use anything on it) sent the Kelly to NYC for a spa treatment and oh boy I got a yelling from the leather dept. saying that they don't know for sure if they can darken/fix the light areas. I remember a few of you mentioning that you use Meltonian Neutral Creme Polish on your Boxcalf...what did I do wrong??

Do you think Paris can do anything to remedy the Kelly? What do you do if it doesn't turn out perfect?
I hate to discard a beautiful Kelly!

Oh no! I think it's because of the age of the leather plus some other factors. Each batch of Box leather is different in its nature and may take in dyes differently. This probably explain why some people have problem and some people don't have problem with the Meltonian cream.

I hope NYC can fix the dye.

ardneish: that's a very pretty Box Calf Kelly . I the glowing patina.

 

[beaumonde]

Ardneish, beautiful Kelly!

 

[beaumonde]

Ardneish, beautiful Kelly!