How to fix broken mesh on a bag?

Repairing woven metal mesh requires specialist tools to open and close the individual jump rings without scratching the surrounding surface. Jewellers who work with chainmail are often best equipped to reconnect split links or source matching base metal replacements. It's a job that needs patience and good magnification.

I bought an old silk evening bag at a boot fair and the inside is shedding tiny bits of fabric everywhere, what causes this?

The silk is shattering. Nineteenth-century silk makers often treated their fabrics with metallic salts to make them heavier and crisper. Over time, those salts act like microscopic blades, cutting the fibres from the inside out. Once shattering starts, it isn't reversible. You can have a conservator overlay the interior with a fine netting, or simply leave the bag stuffed with acid-free tissue paper to support the remaining structure.

Can I clean antique leather bags?

Wiping the surface with a dry, soft cloth is usually enough to remove loose dust. Applying modern chemical cleaners can strip old finishes or darken untreated hides permanently. A light application of a microcrystalline wax might help protect dry surfaces, but you'll want to test it on a hidden corner first.

There is a faint smell of old perfume and maybe some dampness inside my leather travel bag, how do I get rid of it?

Smells get trapped in the porous linings of older luggage. Airing the bag out by leaving it open in a dry, well-ventilated room away from direct sunlight is the safest first step. Some people place a small bowl of dry bicarbonate of soda inside the closed bag for a few days to absorb lingering odours. Never spray modern fabric fresheners inside, as the liquid will stain antique cottons and silks.