clean an old embroidery?

[framanista]

A customer has an embroidery piece from 1934 that is discolored and she thinks it needs to be cleaned. I haven’t seen it yet, but she says it's behind glass. Is having something this old dry-cleaned even an option? Will it fall apart if I touch it? Thanks in advance for any information.

 

[Ron Eggers]

If it's behind glass and it's yellowed, it might be stretched over a wooden shingle or something equally sinister.

So, yes, it might fall apart if you touch it.

We call these SOS projects. I wouldn't touch it.

 

[JPete]

Wait until you see it. A textile conservator would be a place to start. I always have the customer watch when I open something up for them.

 

[BUDDY]

framanista ;Great advise thus far. The only thing I have done is to attempt to open the piece intheir prescence . I say attempt if ANYTHING even starts to go wrong stop and send it to the conservator.

the only reason for trying to open it is sothey can see what may have been done wrong to cause the "YELLOWING" thi. this allows them to seethat the harm was done BEFORE you touched it.

However It is a lot safer to send it straight to a Textile conservator for removal and then have it returned to you AFTER it is Cleaned by the conservator.

We don't even Clean NEW work anymore. The risk far out way the good will you gain from the customers . There is no Profit in this and there area lot of things that CAN go wrong that this forum and even needleart classes won't prepare you to cope with.
BUDDY