Cleaning and restoring sports memorabilia: Sporting patches
By: Stu Bloom
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RAVE FabriCARE restores vintage sporting patch featuring the hydroplane, Miss Seattle, a two-time Gold Cup Winner
A client sent us a vintage, embroidered sporting patch that features a hydroplane. He had removed the sporting patch from a beat up windbreaker that could not be salvaged.
The patch was in poor condition: the fabric was fragile and exhibited rust, grease stains and yellowing associated with poor storage over the years.
[ctt template=”3″ link=”T1OD7″ via=”no” ]With the right skills, time and cleaning processes, vintage sporting patches can be restored close to original condition @ravefabricare [/ctt]In the lore of hydroplaning, Miss Seattle holds a special place.
Here’s a brief history according to “This is Hydroplaning” by Paul Lowney:
“Miss Seattle was built by Jensen Boat Works in Seattle in 1951. Designed by Ted Jones, the mahogany craft is 28 feet long with a 12 foot beam and weighs 4,850 pounds. She is powered by a Rolls Merlin engine. Her first competition was the 1951 Gold Cup Race which she won. She won it again in 1954. In a qualifying run for the 1955 Gold Cup, she turned a complete backward flip and landed right side up, suffering considerable damage. Her retirement was announced at the end of the 1958 season. Her colors are mahogany with red and yellow trim and a checkerboard tail fin and she races out of the Seattle Yacht Club.”
The Hydroplane and Raceboat Museum in Seattle, Washington, features a collection of vintage hydroplanes spanning seven decades, including boats that have won 17 Gold Cups.
Over the years, the museum’s restoration shop has restored 7 of the most famous Gold Cup winners, including Miss Seattle, to full running condition.
With the exception of a small area at the top left and bottom right, the patch restored beautifully.
The following BEFORE and AFTER photographs reflect the transformation:
For even more BEFORE and AFTER photographs on the transformation of this sporting patch, please view our slide show below:
To view this slide show on a full screen, hit the X button with the arrow tips.
What’s been your experience cleaning and/or restoring vintage sport patches? Please share your comments below.
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Filed Under:
Garment Restoration,Memorabilia,Vintage & Museum Pieces
Author
Stu Bloom
Stu Bloom is Founder and President of RAVE FabriCARE. RAVE FabriCARE, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, cares for fine garments, household textiles and accessories and serves clients throughout the USA and Canada. Stu is the author of various ebooks on these subjects, all of which are available from www.ravefabricare.com/freestuff. He is an evangelist for true quality cleaning and is a contributor to and editor of True Quality Cleaning, RAVE FabriCARE’s blog. You can find Stu on Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
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Additional Resources:
https://ravefabricare.com/services/memorabilia/
https://ravefabricare.com/cleaning-and-restoring-sports-memorabilia-major-league-baseball-uniforms/
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