Featured Has anyone successfully rehabilitated vintage patent leather?

I've tried the obvious, saddle-soap and black leather polish, but this needs help beyond that. It's actually better than it looks in the pics since some of the apparent damage is actually a reflection, but it could use improvement (sorry some of the pics are out of focus). I looked online for suggestions, but didn't see anything that looked promising. I also went to my local shoe cobbler, but he said he couldn't do anything other than clean it (which I've already done now).

I'm not looking for perfection given its age, but would like to improve the exterior (interior is fine after cleaning and sticker removal - the included mirror is a nice touch). I typically like to do repairs myself, but if this has to be sent out I would consider it. I don't know handbags at all, but this seems to be about 60's to me. Any info on age or model would be appreciated too. Has anyone been able to restore the finish on a vintage patent leather handbag or shoes? Maybe @kyratango ?

 

Jeff Drum, I don't know if you have tried a bit of (human use) vaseline rubbed gently/lightly on the outside surface of the pocketbook.

 

Ditto. I was going to suggest Vaseline. That is how i shined up my patent leather "mary Janes" when i was young.

 

As it's a HERMÈS handbag, I suggest you start by contacting them about restoration. Attempting to do so yourself (black shoe polish!), isn't going to increase value.

https://www.hermes.com/us/en/maintenance-repair/

Debora

 

1960s. This vintage HERMÈS has many of the same design elements.

https://www.proantic.com/en/display.php?mode=obj&id=820125

Debora

 

HERMÈS did it in crocodile too. Was on offer on ShopBop for $8,000 according to this.

https://www.purseblog.com/hermes/ever-wanted-some-vintage-hermes-croc-in-your-collection-well/

Debora

 

If you’re selling it, i suggest you sell it as is
with full disclosures and plenty of pictures. I don’t think much can be done. You can send it to Hermes but their spa treatments start at several hundred plus. I paid $500 to refresh one of my bags about 6 years ago (that included a strap lengthening) and it’s probably gone up like everything else.Given the condition and the age the bag IMO is not worth putting hundreds of dollars into it.

The problem is that it’s patent. Patent is basically the process of turning leather into plastic and the plastic is a sealer but it doesn’t completely stop moisture and other contaminants from penetrating. Older patents start to decompose, stiffen, crack, etc. it’s the reason I don’t buy patent. Patent is slso subject to transfer. If any of you have light colored patent that’s has areas of darker distress it means the patent has come in contact with dye or dirt that has permeated that first layer and there’s nothing you can do about it. On black that shows as dullness.

Just clean it up as much as you can and sell it as is.

 

I agree. Even with expert care, condition won't improve much.

Debora

 

So due to the suggestions here and on the internet, I tried vaseline in a corner of the back, but it didn't make any difference after wiping off. And spit, though a good cleaner, can't restore a surface finish once it is damaged.

Debora, THANKS for finding the same model. I had assumed that wasn't possible. Unfortunately they don't have a date or model name, probably none exists.

As to just giving up, that is always an option. My investment is $0 other than cleaning time so nothing lost. The problem is that I like fixing things, and fixing them correctly. I am used to dealing with wood, another organic material that is typically given a hard finish coating. If this was wood, I would want to sand off or chemically remove some or all of the coating, then renew with a similar coating on top. It seems like there should be something available to do this?

I came across a material called "Charles Stewart Patent Leather Restorer" which sounds like it is what I am looking for - described by a reviewer as a "black gel type nail varnish". Would be worth a shot, especially if anyone here had tried it. It is cheap (6 pounds), but they ship only to the UK, either direct from the company or on ebay, so I can't figure out any way to get it here in the US. I was hoping someone here has tried something like this that has worked?

 

It's Hermès, as you've already been advised, not really something to mess around with...

~Cheryl

 

I understand that you’d like to “save” this bag but my opinion remains to just leave it alone. The patent is ruined and cannot be restored and all that can happen is that you further screw it up and totally destroy the finish. If it were virtually any label beside Hermes I’d tell you to donate it but because it is Hermes it still has value and someone will buy it “as is”.

I don’t care what any product claims, the issues of your bag cannot be fixed by you, Hermes, or anyone else.

 

If your objective is to sell it, then our advice is to leave it alone. Attempting to "fix" it will only decrease its resale value. If you're objective is to test your repair skills, you could have at it. But, surely there are patent leather handbags from non-luxury brands out there to experiment with?

Debora

 

Agree!

 

Ha! How frustrating this situation is....
I haven’t (yet!) tried to repair something like that

If it was a generic piece, I’d try a chemical paint striper (no rinse type) to get rid of the damaged varnish, nourish the leather with a specific product (penetrating deeper for hydrating!), then see if the result is satisfying enough for only apply a black polish.
I’d struggle very hard against myself for not trying on an already ruined Hermes piece

All I found is in French about how it is made
https://eikenshop.com/fr/blogs/the-traveller-notebook/what-is-patent-leather

And a commercial YouTube video:

 

People you’re all going to do what you’re all going to do but the number one rule for resale of any handbag let alone the absolute top of the heap brand is to never ever apply a colored polish. Never. You have no clue who your buyer will be if you’re selling on the internet and the possibility that some luxury babe will carry that seemingly refreshed bag against something light colored could be disastrous.

Colored polish on a shoe is another story, but never on a bag unless it’s your own and you don’t care if color transfers.

Sometimes a piece just cannot be restored depending on the issue.

Jeff it’s your bag so whatever but seriously, if you want to try and teach yourself patent refinishing go buy a $20 patent bag on ebay or Etsy or a cheap pair of shoes. Just make sure the patent is leather and not synthetic.

 

Wow, well it's good I only used saddle soap, and not polish, on it yet. But that begs the question, what ARE you supposed to use on vintage leather products other than shoes? Belts, handbags, is there a special polish dedicated to those products? If not, is cleaning the only thing that should ever be done to them?

 

Usually only a neutral polish is advised on belts and bags although a professional leather/shoe repair can use permanent sealed stain but I know I would never ever buy a belt or bag that was disclosed as having been restrained as depending on the quality of the work it could bleed and seriously destroy expensive clothing.

One of my black Hermes bags was restrained by Hermes. I don’t know the process but it never rubbed off. I keep thinking about all the lighter colored designer clothing that I’ve worn with black belts and bags and I’d throw a serious fit if anyone sold me a piece that bled.

My advice would be to never buy bags and belts that needed to be dyed for resale unless you’re willing to drop the bucks to go to a known pro.

 

Just adding that I have touched up corners on some of my own bags with a permanent marker and then a ton of neutral polish rubbing with a white cloth to make sure that nothing rubs off but that’s on my own bags. My husband just dropped off a vintage NA belt for restraining by our shoemaker. I’ll definitely check it when it comes back for any rub off but he wears it on black and jeans only so nothing can really go wrong.