How do I care for an antique flag?

May 23, 2008 11:42 AM

Antique Flag Care: How do I care for a WW I era flag?

I recently received the flag that covered my great-grandfather's casket. He was a WW I POW [twice!]. The flag is roughly folded in an old cardboard box. I'd like to get it cleaned and cared for before I have my local Veterans Service Commission fold it properly so I can display it in a flag case.

How should I go about cleaning and caring for it? Is getting it drycleaned going to harm it? What else should I consider?

posted by sciurus to grab bag (6 comments total)

The Smithsonian has some general advice on handling and storing antique textiles here. A much more detailed guide can be found at the Henry Ford.

Drycleaning is not recommended. Clean it with a soft brush or a vacuum (gently, and with an appropriate attachment) if you want to avoid damage, or get it cleaned by a professional conservator if it seems to need it. Store it somewhere dry, dark and clean, wrapped in acid-free paper, and check periodically for any signs of mold or insect damage.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 11:59 AM on May 23, 2008

If there's a largish art or history museum near you, they probably have a textile conservator on staff who could give you some pointers. I used to work in the textiles department of an art museum, and we got pretty frequent calls along those lines, and always routed them along to our conservator.
posted by COBRA! at 12:08 PM on May 23, 2008

Yes, a professional should have a look at it, assess the condition of it for you and recommend how to care for it.
posted by beagle at 12:17 PM on May 23, 2008

If you can't think of a local museum with a textiles conservation lab, the American Institute for Conservation has some information about finding a professional conservator in your area.
posted by doift at 2:11 PM on May 23, 2008

What else should I consider?

Think about how you want to display it and how it will be lit. UV rays can harm old textiles rapidly. The standard for fabric is no more than 5-10 footcandles for a maximum of 5 hours a day. Keep in mind that the footcandles include daylight too- you should definately keep it away from sunlight and if you have track lights or other fixtures that will be lighting it, you should see if you can install UV filters. You can get them from just about any good lighting store- I usually use Lighting by Gregory.
posted by Thin Lizzy at 4:36 PM on May 23, 2008

I would recommend against the flag case, but if you do, line the inside with non-buffered acid free tissue and be sure the glass is UV protected (a framing store has this glass and can cut to fit).

Personally, I would recommend loosely folding with non-buffered crushed tissue packed inside the fold lines to prevent creases. Then wrap the entire thing in tissue and put it in an archival box.

This link provides just about everything you need to safely archive most textiles at home.
posted by pokeedog at 7:45 PM on May 23, 2008