Small leather pouch purse - help with age?

[zannew]

This is a cute leather pouch purse with drawstring. It measures 7" wide at the base, and 7 1/2" tall. I bought it at an estate sale where I also found some Edwardian clothing. I wondered if you could confirm a date range on this for me? It is unlined and a bit dirty. Any suggestions on cleaning?

Thank you!

 

[Midge]

No idea on age. If it's real leather, I'd try colorless shoepolish/cleaner on the leather, but the drawstrings look like some kinda fabric - would have to be taken out and washed I guess - or replaced by new ones...

Karin

 

[The Vintage Merchant]

if those knots are un-knottable, i would slip out the fabric cord (if,it is fabric as Karin suggests it looks like) and soak them, and use Cadillac lotion to clean the leather; it may take a few attempts, but i've had some good luck with it on leather gloves.

 

[zannew]

Thank you. I am not familiar with Cadillac lotion. Where would I find it?

 

[The Vintage Merchant]

Thank you. I am not familiar with Cadillac lotion. Where would I find it?

i buy mine from our local cobbler/shoe repair guy. i would imagine it's also in like old-time hardware stores, or most likely online, too.

 

[MyVintageCocktail]

Your bag is adorable! Can't help with the age of it, though it does look pretty old. I would use Cadillac, too; I get mine at the grocery store! But, with the amount of soil this has on it, I think you'd be best off using a very good, glycerine-based saddle soap to clean it with, then use Cadillac to re-condition and polish up. I don't think the Cadillac will work sufficiently as a cleaner on what you're dealing with there. You could try spot cleaning the drawstring if you can't get it out--a section at a time, letting that dry before pulling out another section away from the body of the purse to keep the leather from getting too wet (a little bit of dampness won't harm the leather; just don't get it wet, wet--when you saddle soap it, you want a fairly dry, low-suds lather)....