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AR15.COM
1/10/2014 6:15:55 AM EDT
I have a silk(ish?) aviation/nautical map from WWII. It is a military map that was used by pilots during the war in the Pacific to plan missions. My Grandfater flw P-47s over Japan and I think that he re-appropriated this map after the war.



The map was folded up and stuck in a bag and has probably been there since the end of The War. So, as you would imagine, there are some pretty deep creases in it. Otherwise it is in perfect condition. I want to get it framed and hang it up, but I am wondering I can get these crease out first.




Do you think it would be a bad idea to take this thing to a dry cleaner and have it cleaned and pressed? I am thinking that if it came out nice then it would be outstanding, but if they fucked it up I'd be horrified. This is the same reason that I am hesitant to take a steam iron to it myself.
1/10/2014 6:20:54 AM EDT
[#1]
Contact some type of "art restoration" company BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Not worth the risk of damage to such an important document.
1/10/2014 6:23:25 AM EDT
[#2]
Needs pics.

Wouldn't trust a dry cleaner.
1/10/2014 6:26:15 AM EDT
[#3]
Holy Christ, don't do that !


Put it under glass so the creases are flattened.  

Afaik, a silk map wouldn't be used to plan missions, it would be part of your escape/evasion gear.


It wasn't necessarily re-appropriated.   The military gives you lots of stuff.  
1/10/2014 6:41:05 AM EDT
[#4]
Silk maps on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/ww2-escape-map
1/10/2014 7:16:26 AM EDT
[#5]

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Quoted:


Silk maps on ebay.



http://www.ebay.com/bhp/ww2-escape-map
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Kinda like those, except it is a map of the South China Sea on one side and the East China Sea on the other. There are portions of Japan and China, but the are largely ocean.
1/10/2014 7:20:06 AM EDT
[#6]
Take it to a conservationist that has worked with silk.  Don't try fixes yourself.
1/10/2014 7:21:07 AM EDT
[#7]
Don't know where you are in Texas, but most bigger universities with an Art Dept. may do the restoration/preservation for you as a class project/teaching lesson.  Good luck, great piece of history.
1/10/2014 7:27:42 AM EDT
[#8]

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Quoted:


Holy Christ, don't do that !





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