Cleaning old uni shirt
 

I have a uniform shirt from the 1936 Pirates, worn by coach Jewel Ens and purchased from his estate. It's covered with spots that, if they were on paper, would be called "foxing." It's also very stiff.

Obviously I'd like to live up to the Hippocratic oath: "First, do no harm." But I need to know what to do to improve its condition without messing it up.

Please offer advice. (When's the last time you heard that?!) Are there specific processes to avoid?

It is actually called foxing for clothing too. You probably would want to find a conservationist to clean the jersey, although the staining could be permanent. I have been told that the process of wet cleaning can cost anywhere from $400-1000 with a professional, but that is just a rough estimate. I guess you would have to talk with someone and get a quote.

Good luck!

Chris

Be careful
 

Hi. I am a collector of old flannels and have seen way more harm than good done by folks trying to clean. You have a thing which has value. What i would do is fine a fabric conservator and assess first if the stuff on the jersey is threatening to it. If the answer is no, then just leave it. If the answer is yes, then there are many good solutions that can deal with cleaning. Generally, if you search fabric conservators you can find people. I have a 1940's dodger jersey which had some issues and someone decided to clean. the combination of what was on the jersey and what was used to clean it has resulted in a browning of the jersey that has made things much worse and threatened the jersey. You will read a lot of things about jersey care that quite frankly will lead to less rather than more conservation for your jersey.
dan

Thanks for the help
 

Thanks to both of you. I've made arrangements to send the jersey to Museum Textile Services in Andover Mass. They sound like they'll respectit for what it is -- emphasis on conservation, not cleaning.

I'll post when I learn anything, since I'm betting there are others out there who'll need a service like this.

TRUTH IN TEXTING:

I am not related in any way to anyone at MTS, nor do I own any portion of it, nor had I ever heard of it before this afternoon.

Bob,
This is an interesting topic. I see on the MTS website, they have already worked on a vintage uniform. I hope it all works out well for you.
Please post some before photos before you send it off.