Looks good to me.
I'll not rabbit on about leaving it as is, but I support the conservation rather than restoration suggestion.
A really nice item.

I totally agree with leaving as much original material as possible with very sympathetic, non invasive treatment to preserve originality. To remove material could be a major mistake. While not doubting your skills Mac such a nice item merits a conversation with a professional before embarking on DIY. Patience in gaining good advice always pays off. You can not go backwards once you start, and the end result could be stunning. Great to have the portrait and other items, in fact exceptional!
Regards and good luck
Mike

21st
 

Well I did some TLC and it looks a lot better .The tin needed a rescue package as it was very rusty which I have delt with and a like of paint to house the Czapka I will conserve for now. The painting / portrait is great he was the signals officer in the Sudan and the plume is cleaning up well all in all I am very happy.

Mac

Czapka update
 

Well I took onboard all points
I decided to conserve and repair and keep as much of the original as possible I tried a few experiments with different compounds and structure support. As I write this the sides are drying but heres a picture of before and two after of the top of the initial repair still some fine work to do. This has been a most difficult exercise due to the fine and delicate nature of the leather

Hiya Mac,

It really looks great !!!

"Superb"

Thanks for showing us, I really enjoyed following & watching watch you did.

I think you should now have a few drinks to celebrate, ........ hic, Buuuurp !! Sorry :o:o

Ken (The Fattish One)

Having a Beer now
 

Thanks Ken
Admiring my handy work with a Beer heres the update and I think its fair to say ive cracked it and very pleased with the job so far. Not been easy and I don't like doing it ,but it was a must to save it. So Capt Clerks Czapka Foul weather is saved and can parade with the collection.

Hello Sean

Very well done mate, an excellent piece of sensitive restoration.

Rob

Thanks Rob
 

Tried my best Rob and glad I listen to the forum on the way ahead


Mac

What a stunning item and well done on the restoration work. A difficult choice to restore or not.

Thanks
 

Thanks Jerry
Iam glad I did what I had to do and kept to a minimum but I spent a few weeks feeding the leather then a few weeks letting it stand and looking at .Then eventually having the bottle to have a go I had worked on thicker leather on another Czapka project but this was so thin, Any way done know and can be displayed thanks again.

Mac

Mac,

I have seen some restoration work done on peaked caps where they gently shaved the fuzz from the surface of the cap and mixed it with glue to fill in moth homes, amazing work and not something I would have the patience to undertake. Thankfully only one cap in my collection has significant moth damage and I have not attempted to restore it as it is a sidecap and the damage is mostly in the crown fold or at the back so it displays quite well as it is.

moth
 

Yes the old moth is a problem I had a few damaged bits one was really bad that's gone to be repaired by a professional we all have our limits I just picked this up 2 small moth holes to repair on this 16th.

Mac

Hard work
 

Mac,

Well done on the restoration of the czapka, I know who to see if I come across another wounded soldier .

Cheers for sharing your work of art

Tony C


UOTE=mac mcconnell;338790]Thanks Ken
Admiring my handy work with a Beer heres the update and I think its fair to say ive cracked it and very pleased with the job so far. Not been easy and I don't like doing it ,but it was a must to save it. So Capt Clerks Czapka Foul weather is saved and can parade with the collection.[/QUOTE]

Well done. A stunning piece of work.

GTB

Thanks
 

Thanks GTB glad you approve

Tony no probs you have helped me a long the way in my first few years of collecting

Mac