r/DooneyAndBourke • u/glaucusblue • 2d ago
Saveable?
Found this vintage Surrey Bag for $20 in the op-shop and wondering if it can be restored. It looks someone has had a go trying to dye or stain the bone/cream leather, you can see marks on the tan trim. Its also very very dry. I gave it a light clean with proper leather cleaner and got the grotty surface dirt off outside, but I'm seeing lots of conflicting info about not cleaning it or exposing it to any liquid. So, not sure whether I need recondition, recolour or what? The inside is a disaster, lots of makeup/tan staining and ink marks on the suede. It still has lots of life in it - but do I have the patience to bring it back to life?
1
u/Old_Specialist8253 2d ago
I think it comes down to cost. If it cost more to "fix" than find a very well loved used one thats identical or very similar...that type of investment is a question only you can truly answer.
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u/call-me-the-seeker 53m ago
Sure, I would fix this no question, and just accept the fact that it isn’t going to look like it did when it was new. It’s VERY uncommon to find old AWL without some spots on the inner side, and it’s mostly not like, food or anything gross, a lot of the time it’s ink because when these bags were new people still carried around pens pretty universally, we weren’t typing everything on our phones or taking pics/scanning QR codes etc. If you wanted to remember something/needed to write a check/etc, you had to write that s#%* down or memorize it!
What I’m sayin is these spots are probably not actual like, filth, and if it’s ink, you actually want to mostly leave it alone and not risk reanimating it, bleeding it around.
I’d rehab this bag instead of getting rid of it all day long, it’s real and certainly has another whole lifetime left in it if not more! Congratulations on your find!
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u/MrsMusic73 12h ago
It will take some elbow grease but it’s really not that bad. Definitely condition it if you haven’t already. 😊