Restoring And Customising A Briefcase

[my63]

Thanks Andrew

It is also my journey as I am learning as I go with most of these projects.

I have acquired another Pendragon briefcase in the same style as the previous one but a lighter colour which I will be starting as soon as I finish the pen case I am making in the other thread.

At some point in the future there may be a blog to provide more details of these projects for those who are interested.

[jsolares]

Can't wait to see the new pendragon

[my63]

Thanks jsolares I was looking at the two cases I purchased recently they are in the pendragon style but are not marked as such. I bought them because they have three compartments inside and I thought I could convert the centre compartment to hold a laptop.

The only thing holding me back is deciding on the colour for the interior I have some red suede and some cognac these suede skins are large so I don't want to buy another colour.

Maybe I should go with the red as the last case was sold before it was finished.

[stonezebra]

Maybe I should go with the red as the last case was sold before it was finished.

 

Oh boy, red suede sounds wonderfully decadent. (Then again, the cognac used on your last creation was lovely.) Glad I don't have to decide but sure wish I could justify one of your gorgeous bags.....

[Anne-Sophie]

Thanks jsolares I was looking at the two cases I purchased recently they are in the pendragon style but are not marked as such. I bought them because they have three compartments inside and I thought I could convert the centre compartment to hold a laptop.

The only thing holding me back is deciding on the colour for the interior I have some red suede and some cognac these suede skins are large so I don't want to buy another colour.

Maybe I should go with the red as the last case was sold before it was finished.

 

I think the last case was a red undertone leather, so red provided a nice blend.

 

However, this one is lighter and cognac looks better with lighter leather.

 

But... some people like high contrast which makes the case a perfect blend of vintage outside look and modern interior.

 

I say go with your gut feeling. You certainly have as much taste as you have talent. A unique talent at that!

[my63]

Here are the two options they are both the same size and are similar in colour

 

I like the style of this case with the oval straps and the little securing tabs on the buckles

 

IMG_0292_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

IMG_0294_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

There are three spaces as you can see I think the centre space will make a good laptop compartment with some padding and some suede of course. One of the two sides would be turned around to allow the leather to be on the outside of the compartment.

 

The second case actually looks more red in the daylight but it is similar inside

 

IMG_0301_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

IMG_0299_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

It would seem logical to use red suede for one and the cognac for the other.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[my63]

I think I may have to admit to a slight oversight I do in fact have another Pendragon case which I had misplaced

 

IMG_0308_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

IMG_0309_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

There is less room on the inside of this case

[jsolares]

Wow, good looking briefcases, and it seems to me they're in better shape than the one you restored before, although i guess you'll have to wait until you take it apart and rehydrate the leather to see how it really is.

 

Can't wait to see how you do with them

[my63]

There are some projects that take longer than others the pink and blue case is one of those there is a lot of sewing and quite a bit of tea drinking and head scratching.

 

The pen slots are almost complete I need to resolve the issue with the bottom there are now 2 options sew in a blank at the bottom or run a line of stitching around and pull it tight

This picture shows how the case will look when open

IMG_0353_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This picture shows how the slots fit together when the case is closed

 

IMG_0356_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Next step is to cut the pieces that join the outer pieces together

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

[stonezebra]

I'm sure it will be worth the wait.

[AAAndrew]

Wow! That's a lot of pink! But if you're into pink, then that should really hit the spot.

 

Random fact for the day: up until the turn of the last century, pink was considered the color for boys because it was a "hot" color, and blue was the color for girls because it was "cool", at least in the Anglo-American cultural context.

[my63]

I don't mind the pink it is really bright I have thought a single pen case with a black exterior and a shocking pink interior would be quite nice.

Actually I have just realised that I posted that update in the wrong thread the rest of the case is in the pen cases thread "doh"

I am sure no one noticed.

[AAAndrew]

We all just marvel at whatever you post.

[my63]

Apologies to those of you waiting for the next project I did not have enough suede of either colour to do what I had planned with the cases.

Once I have sold some smaller cases I will buy the suede for the larger project.

[Anne-Sophie]

There are some projects that take longer than others the pink and blue case is one of those there is a lot of sewing and quite a bit of tea drinking and head scratching.

 

The pen slots are almost complete I need to resolve the issue with the bottom there are now 2 options sew in a blank at the bottom or run a line of stitching around and pull it tight

This picture shows how the case will look when open

IMG_0353_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

This picture shows how the slots fit together when the case is closed

 

IMG_0356_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

Next step is to cut the pieces that join the outer pieces together

 

Thanks for looking

 

Michael

 

Very clever!

[my63]

Thanks Anne-Sophie I got myself confused when I posted this here the rest of the project is in the pen cases thread it is a cross over as it is a case but also holds pens.

[Chouffleur]

[snip...]

 

The Galdstone bag belonged to a Doctor in the UK I know this because his name and address is inside the bag I have resisted the urge to contact him

 

[snip...]

 

 

 

 

 

Michael,

I think you are missing a trick here. In any case where you know who the original owner was of a bag you restore that person is *exactly* the person you need to contact. I have spoken briefly with a professional pen person about fixing a pen I own and asked about cost vs value. She said that it basically boiled down to how I value the pen. If it's just a piece of broken junk I picked up on eBay that makes it different than a piece of broken junk my grandfather wrote letters from the trenches with.

If I were you (I'd be marvelously skilled and) I'd contact the doctor or his offspring because if I wanted to sell the bag it would have more value to them than to anyone. Think of how you'd feel to be offered a lovely piece of work that ties into your family history. The word "heirloom" would not be an overstatement.

Thanks for the pictures and the narrative, great thread.

Edited June 22, 2015 by Chouffleur

[my63]

Thanks Chouffleur

 

I agree the Doctor who owned that Gladstone bag originally would be the ideal purchaser. If I had been restoring it to its original specification then I may have contacted him however.

I think to be honest I had always planned on keeping this bag, I have kept putting off finishing it to do other projects next time there is a space in my job queue I will finish it.

I do have more Gladstone bags in the garage

[my63]

My original plan for this case was to add it to my collection however there is another project that I wish to make and to do that I must clear some space so I have decided to sell this case after restoration.
I have already purchased red suede for the interior but once I have started I am not so sure it is more brown than red something is telling me cognac would be a better colour.

 

IMG_0899_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

IMG_0902_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

IMG_0903_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

After hours of cutting and unpicking and a wash and brush up with saddle soap

 

IMG_0907_1 by my0771, on Flickr

 

If anyone has any thoughts on the best colour for the interior please let me know

 

Michael

[pen2paper]

is the bottom photo is more the true color? shows some yellow, closer to orange than red, perhaps a dark blue?

this will be a very nice bag with your stitching.