Naval flag

This large silk flag dates back to the Second World War, and is a piece of family history for the client. One of my biggest projects to date, the flag measured 170 × 133 cm! The main problems with the flag were creases and tears. Upon inspection, I found that the white parts of the flag were more fragile than the other parts, with tiny tears that could grow larger over time without intervention.

The first stage of the treatment was to reduce the creasing by humidifying the flag. This reduced the fold lines that appeared after the flag was stored folded up for many years, and the creasing from general wear and tear.

Because all of the white parts were vulnerable, I decided to do a full support of the white stripes as both a restorative and preventive measure. For the large tears, I also camouflaged the damage to improve the appearance.