Threw $60 at a used leather bookmark from Etsy and it arrived smelling like a wet dog.

I thought I was being fancy. The listing said 'antique distressed leather' which sounded cool. But when it showed up, it reeked of old basement and something dead. Like, my whole book smelled after one day. Couldn't get the smell out with baking soda either. So now I'm stuck with a stinky bookmark and a book that smells like a thrift store gone wrong. Has anyone else had a random Etsy buy totally backfire like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_laura3d ago

You know, I actually have a leather bookmark from Etsy that I love. $45, a seller out of Portland. It had a strong smell when it arrived too, but it faded after a couple weeks sitting out. Old leather just smells like that sometimes. Maybe antique distressed really meant antique and that's part of the deal. Not saying you should have to air out a bookmark like a wet rug, but some people pay extra for that vintage funk.

evaallen3d ago

@the_laura "vintage funk" is the perfect way to put it lol. I think some people genuinely hunt for that smell on purpose. Leather just has a personality, and not everyone wants the new car version.

annas873d ago

Oh man that is rough. Actually I gotta push back on your evaallen a bit. That "vintage funk" smell people talk about with old leather is usually mold or mildew, not just normal leather smell. Real old leather that's been taken care of has a rich, kinda sweet smell from the tanning oils. What you got sounds like actual grossness from bad storage. I had a similar thing happen with a vintage purse from an online shop. The seller tried to say it was "character" but I had to toss it because the smell got into everything. Some people on Etsy just mark stuff as distressed when it's actually damaged.