Featured Restoration Idea for this tooled leather box?

Bought it last year, the top has been heavily damaged but tooling on the front and side still lovely, the interior is amazing too, any thoughts on restoring it myself?

 

I have never tried these products, many many years ago as a teenager I’ve tried repairing the leather in old Jaguar XK140 the results were not that great, but that was 50 years ago, products should have improved.

Amazon sells this if you want the inexpensive touch it up yourself.
https://www.amazon.com/Vinyl-Leathe...101273428-B07ZN8JK88-&hvexpln=73&gad_source=1

And another product that might give better results.
https://leatherworldtech.com/produc...aZ2B2ktAeGiNXiNfGGVJbOllzkmHnWcxoCKhEQAvD_BwE

 

Thank you! The advertising is tempting

 

@808 raver Not sure if you restore leather but since it's a box, any advice?

 

Lovely box but leather is very hard to restore, the only way of keeping it original would be to get some leather filler for car seats and a darker leather stain but this would ruin the gilding. You don't have the leather irons for the patterns to re-guild so I'm afraid you are stuck with what you have. This is the reason I don't collect leather boxes, it's ok if they have leather inside but on the outside it's just too perishable. I couldn't resist an antique surgeons medical kit that had leather on the outside but after a while I decided to pass it on for this very reason.

 

raver, I’m asking because I’ve never attempted to restore anything like this box, but I like a little distressed look. If it were me I’d go with a better filler like the second link I posted if the color was close enough and use a razor blade with sandpapers to even out the surface working around the gilding as much as possible and then fill the imperfections. If that came out ok I’d again work around the gilding and blend colors for a look that pleased my eye not for perfection but aged patina look of related colors giving it a soft natural look. May not work or be too much trouble but I enjoy trying if it didn’t work, I learned something?

 

Hmmm, you are right! Maybe it would be easier to simply remove the damaged part in the centre and replace with some antique fabric or print, as many boxes would have Thanks

 

sounds like a plan

 

Sorry I had completely missed your above comment and just went to the tagged comment for me. I recently watched someone restoring a RR on youtube and there was a hole in the leather seat that's why I said leather filler for cars ( ) I've never tried to restore leather before and to my knowledge I don't think it can be done to a reasonable standard if it's to far gone but I'm very happy to be proved wrong as I'll learn something I can later use. Most of the restoration I've seen with leather is it's removed and replaced then patterned irons are used for decoration but on a box like this all the decoration will be new.

 

Lol I've found the video and clip (out of 61 videos) @ 30:30

 

I would just leave it as is, it has charm to it.

 

I agree

 

I may have it forever open then!

 

I am with Raver. I would just leave it and use it. If you place it just above eye level no one would see it !