Can you revive this beautiful bag?
This vintage Mary Frances ribbon sunflower beaded bag came to me in this condition - perhaps someone creative can fix it up and give it a second chance? The current condition is very rough, but there are good things to note, please also refer to the many photos.
The Good:
The bag hardware overall feels structurally sound - the metal frame & hinges are good, the clear faceted clasp is undamaged & snaps properly, the acrylic-bead handle is securely attached and feels strong. The four bottom “feet” are all present. The interior “Mary Frances” brand and “made in phil” (Philippines) labels are intact & the lining has no rips or tears - looks good inside aside from needing a little bit of a cleaning. The ribbon sunflowers appear to have all their beads and are vibrant. The 6 smaller bead clusters have their yellow center faceted gems. Most of the brown embroidered edging around the frame is in good shape, a loose part here and there. There is a small ziploc bag with extra beads.
The Bad:
Several of the ribbon sunflowers are detaching from the bag, one ribbon sunflower is missing completely (except for the leaves), the cord on many of the leaf edges is coming off (but is still present). Of the bead clusters (3 small and 2 large on each side), the large clusters do not have center gems, many of the clusters are missing the pearl-colored bead outlines, some of the pearl-colored beads are peeling. The brown “leather” (faux?) material on the bag is fragile and peeled off in the areas under the detaching flowers. The inner lining and brand labels are intact but could use a cleaning.
Starting bid is very low given the condition, but I didn’t want to pass up the chance that someone may be up for this DIY challenge to revive this beauty. I saw a new w/tags one exactly like this (so pretty to see it in its glory) in another eBay auction starting at $300, so you can get this one for a fraction of that and fix it to your liking. Perhaps you collect this brand and could make at least one side presentable for display purposes? Or maybe you want to add your own embellishments and make it something new and custom? It could be your next fun project!