Tips for Uniform Restoration

[MajorBonacelli]

Hello all,

 

Recently I have restored two WWII uniforms to their former glory, and I like using an original WWII sewing kit and the thread from it to sew back on patches etc. to keep everything original. However, I may end up restoring a uniform that had green and red thread (of which my WWII sewing kit does not have), and I was curious how many collectors like to restore their uniforms, and how to obtain period-correct thread?

[dmar836]

I do not enjoy it though I have many machines and materials to do so. I could be one heck of a counterfeiter!

To most collectors, a uniform can be original only once but the standard assumption is that the insignia, patches, ratings earned, and ribbons at least are original to the owner - touched by his own hands. It's an assumption on many items sold but to me it is quite another thing to "recreate" what is assumed to have been there. It certainly hasn't the same nostalgia and certainly doesn't hold the same value. This inevitably leads to it being sold as assumed original in the eventual future.

It's as if this type of collecting has an entirely different motivation and challenge.

Dave

[Paul70]

There is a difference between a counterfeit and a restoration. Right now there is a guy on ebay with Marine uniforms. All with ribbons etc.  When I looked up the veterans, the ribbons did not match the service. He just pinned on whatever he had or could find.  Also dealers have been enhancing uniforms for decades, especially before the internet when you could not look up the veteran's name or number. That third army complete uniform, boom 2nd armored with a patch change. The price just doubled. The 8th AF jacket, put a set of wings, price goes up. One website he was doing that when the real veteran was ground crew. I did noticed he stopped the practice about ten years ago.  Too easy to debunk now. When I get a uniform that is missing a patch or ribbons, I look at what the soldier earned and then I look at the holes in the uniform. Was it clutchback or pinback ribbons? and replace with exactly what it had.  I collect for the Veteran and feel I am honoring him/her by restoring the uniform and preserving their little slice of WWII history.  Yes, the idea of 100% straight from the veteran's closet is alluring, but is actually very rare.  I think 25% of my collection is that way.  I have several uniforms direct from the family and they are missing insignia, sometimes lost or sometimes put on a display board. 

 

I look at it the same way with other items. How many WWII Garands or carbines came home untouched? Very very few. You go to a gun show and most are restored back to WWII configuration. Some are easy to tell and have two patterns of wear and color. Yes, the untouched anything should be more valuable, but it doesn't mean the others should be scrapped.

 

Look at it for classic cars.  You buy a Mustang with the wrong steering wheel on it and it's missing the console. You obtain the correct ones and replace.   

 

Just my two cents. 

 

 

[MajorBonacelli]

On 4/17/2023 at 10:40 AM, dmar836 said:

I do not enjoy it though I have many machines and materials to do so. I could be one heck of a counterfeiter!

To most collectors, a uniform can be original only once but the standard assumption is that the insignia, patches, ratings earned, and ribbons at least are original to the owner - touched by his own hands. It's an assumption on many items sold but to me it is quite another thing to "recreate" what is assumed to have been there. It certainly hasn't the same nostalgia and certainly doesn't hold the same value. This inevitably leads to it being sold as assumed original in the eventual future.

It's as if this type of collecting has an entirely different motivation and challenge.

Dave

 

22 hours ago, Paul70 said:

There is a difference between a counterfeit and a restoration. Right now there is a guy on ebay with Marine uniforms. All with ribbons etc.  When I looked up the veterans, the ribbons did not match the service. He just pinned on whatever he had or could find.  Also dealers have been enhancing uniforms for decades, especially before the internet when you could not look up the veteran's name or number. That third army complete uniform, boom 2nd armored with a patch change. The price just doubled. The 8th AF jacket, put a set of wings, price goes up. One website he was doing that when the real veteran was ground crew. I did noticed he stopped the practice about ten years ago.  Too easy to debunk now. When I get a uniform that is missing a patch or ribbons, I look at what the soldier earned and then I look at the holes in the uniform. Was it clutchback or pinback ribbons? and replace with exactly what it had.  I collect for the Veteran and feel I am honoring him/her by restoring the uniform and preserving their little slice of WWII history.  Yes, the idea of 100% straight from the veteran's closet is alluring, but is actually very rare.  I think 25% of my collection is that way.  I have several uniforms direct from the family and they are missing insignia, sometimes lost or sometimes put on a display board. 

 

I look at it the same way with other items. How many WWII Garands or carbines came home untouched? Very very few. You go to a gun show and most are restored back to WWII configuration. Some are easy to tell and have two patterns of wear and color. Yes, the untouched anything should be more valuable, but it doesn't mean the others should be scrapped.

 

Look at it for classic cars.  You buy a Mustang with the wrong steering wheel on it and it's missing the console. You obtain the correct ones and replace.   

 

Just my two cents. 

 

 

This is exactly what I am doing. I’ve restored 3-4 uniforms now, and all have been named and thoroughly researched before restoration. Always follow the original sew lines for patches as well, with the utmost respect for the veteran who wore it. Pinning random insignia to a uniform has never been my intention.
 

For me, seeing named uniforms with buttons and insignia missing is a very sad sight. The least I can do to preserve the veteran’s memory is restore it to its former glory. 

[ThatOneNewGuy816]

Could you possibly give some advice for finding out what patches were originally on the uniform? I have a ww2 ike jacket that had the combat and division patch removed, I can't really tell what the patches were because the wool is great at hiding stitch holes, and there are only a few threads left in the sleeve where they were.

[MajorBonacelli]

8 hours ago, ThatOneNewGuy816 said:

Could you possibly give some advice for finding out what patches were originally on the uniform? I have a ww2 ike jacket that had the combat and division patch removed, I can't really tell what the patches were because the wool is great at hiding stitch holes, and there are only a few threads left in the sleeve where they were.

Send pic. Doubtful without a name though

[ThatOneNewGuy816]

20 minutes ago, MajorBonacelli said:

Send pic. Doubtful without a name though

Yeah sadly there's no name on the uniform, the jacket came from a church rummage sale in Indiana. It's a lot easier to figure out what patches were on uniforms made with sillier liners as they reveal the stich holes unlike this jacket. If you could figure this mystery out I'd be extremely grateful.

[OD-Blue-Top]

On 4/18/2023 at 9:49 AM, Paul70 said:

There is a difference between a counterfeit and a restoration. Right now there is a guy on ebay with Marine uniforms. All with ribbons etc.  When I looked up the veterans, the ribbons did not match the service. He just pinned on whatever he had or could find.  Also dealers have been enhancing uniforms for decades, especially before the internet when you could not look up the veteran's name or number. That third army complete uniform, boom 2nd armored with a patch change. The price just doubled. The 8th AF jacket, put a set of wings, price goes up. One website he was doing that when the real veteran was ground crew. I did noticed he stopped the practice about ten years ago.  Too easy to debunk now. When I get a uniform that is missing a patch or ribbons, I look at what the soldier earned and then I look at the holes in the uniform. Was it clutchback or pinback ribbons? and replace with exactly what it had.  I collect for the Veteran and feel I am honoring him/her by restoring the uniform and preserving their little slice of WWII history.  Yes, the idea of 100% straight from the veteran's closet is alluring, but is actually very rare.  I think 25% of my collection is that way.  I have several uniforms direct from the family and they are missing insignia, sometimes lost or sometimes put on a display board. 

 

I look at it the same way with other items. How many WWII Garands or carbines came home untouched? Very very few. You go to a gun show and most are restored back to WWII configuration. Some are easy to tell and have two patterns of wear and color. Yes, the untouched anything should be more valuable, but it doesn't mean the others should be scrapped.

 

Look at it for classic cars.  You buy a Mustang with the wrong steering wheel on it and it's missing the console. You obtain the correct ones and replace.   

 

Just my two cents. 

 

I like your two cents!  This is an age old debate, and I could write a full page on my opinion, but I will only ask, who wrote the "Rule Book" for military collectors?