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USAAF B-15 JACKET REPAIR


grogsie_86
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Hi, I have a pretty battered b-15 in drastic need of repair! I was wondering if anyone knows anyone/has any tips? The jacket has been shredded on the back below the collar, the sleeves look to have been replaced (so now the colours don't match with the main jacket), and there are numerous holes.

 

I realise it could be a lost cause, but I'm reluctant to just give up. It has a great label intact in perfect condition, zipper works fine.. And it fits me!

 

Oh, and I live in England ;)

 

HELP!

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Eastman doesn't do repairs anymore as I understand it. I have a battered B-10 of a combat vet 38/51 pilot that needs some of the same care too. Very shredded

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It may be the case that the very best one can do with an artifact, as described, is simply to stabilize it in its current state of preservation.

 

Restoration (vs Preservation) is possible, but likely to be very very expensive and time-consuming. If this is the preferred solution, then what one would be looking for is an "Objects Conservator" probably with a speciality in what the profession calls "Costumes" and/or "Textiles."

 

Most major museums world-over will have curators or registrars or actual conservators who can suggest a competent referral. As well, major nations have Conservator groups who will provide the same.

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Yep, it's a good point .. Possibly it's just at the stage of preserving as is. Even just a little Google search, there seems to be no one out there who could do it. And your normal tailor, I've made that mistake before... Let's just say even as much as I stressed how old and precious the jacket was, they didn't take good care of it

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Glad you agree.

 

There just are situations with artifacts when they become "beyond repair" to the original condition, and anything that IS done to "make them look nice" or returned to how they looked when (more or less) "new" is either almost impossible and prohibitively expensive, or not done very well - kinda like most facelifts.

 

I suppose that some Greek pottery we see in museums might be an obvious example of what is meant by

"maintaining the state of preservation" - large areas of the clay body are totally missing, but have been expertly filled in with clay of a different color... or parts of the Venus de Milo are gone, will never be found and would look bizarre (because nobody knows what they looked like to begin with) if replaced with modern materials etc etc etc.

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