My Nearly Vintage Court bag rehab, before...

jane

jane

since '05
O.G.
Sep 28, 2005
8,113
4,056
#1
I just received this 1994 Court bag, it cost $15 on Etsy, yay. I really like it! It's actually brown, not tan as I had suspected. Looks like it needs some work. Any advice appreciated! I really like this little bag. Need a new strap too, hmm.

Here are the before pics!

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#2
It doesn't *seem* dirty, but who knows. Could it be a bad thing to give it a bath if it doesn't truly need it? I would just soak it in warm soapy water for 20 minutes, then rinse well and dry for a few days stuffed with paper towels, correct?
 
#3
I love the Court Bags, they are so stylish and functional, congratulations!

Honestly, if that were my bag, I would give it a bath; it looks like it could really use one! You will be surprise by how dirty it actually is once you wash it. There is always that chance of losing a little color by dunking a bag - but the darker colors generally hold up very well.

Here is a detailed description of the approach I use to rehab an unlined leather bag, read the thread for insights from other TPFers. Good luck and be sure to show us the after pics!

http://forum.purseblog.com/coach/coach-rehab-and-rescue-club-624452-8.html#post18465269
 
#9
Another vote for wash. And yes, soak in soapy water for a short time, then soak in plain warm water for a short time ... swish a little to rinse the soap out well, then pull out, stuff with towels, prop somewhere to dry. Change towels after a few hours, let dry again. Change towels maybe the next day yet, if they're still sucking in water. ... Eventually, just let it sit propped open, to finish drying. Then condition, condition, condition. (It looks dry to me, so I really do mean potentially three rounds of conditioning ;) .)
.
 
#10
#11
Twelve hours into the restoration and it's going well, the bag already looks better, though it still needs another day or so to air-dry.

Some action pics

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rub a dub dub

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rinsed off

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stuffed and set in front of a window for a few hours

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now air drying for the night in a room with a ceiling fan going above it. It's borrowing the black strap from my Willis bag. :smile:

I'm so excited to start conditioning it, probably Tuesday during my daughter's nap!
 
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#12
It's looking great! Be careful about drying it under a fan, you don't want the leather to crack. The leather looked pretty dry anyway. I would put some conditioner on it while it is still damp. Good luck!
 
#15
The fan is on the lowest setting and it so gentle I can barely even feel it, lol. Just want to keep the air moving. But I could just turn it off before bed and keep the window cracked.
 
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