I read a lovely article in the Rock County Star Herald this week about Jim Brandenburg, the nature photographer who grew up in Luverne. Jim wanted to give something back to the community, as he has felt so supported by people there.
Luverne was one of the communities featured in the Ken Burns Documentary The War. Jim found an American jeep in a barn in France near Omaha Beach that had been driven during the D-Day invasion. The Jeep had been stored in a shed and hadn’t been used for 72 years, Jim sponsored the restoration of the jeep, costing about $100,000, in time for it to be driven on Omaha Beach for the 80th anniversary of D-Day invasion. Relatives of two local men who served in the war and who were featured in the documentary were there and drove the restored jeep through the streets of Normandy. The jeep, named Willy, will arrive in Luverne in September. I don’t know where they will display it. There is a military museum in Luverne at the courthouse, so perhaps there is room for it there. Here is a photo of Willy.
I guess that in France, the restoration of WWII memorabilia is quite a popular pastime. I know that people in Luverne are so excited about this jeep. What a wonderful gift to the community!
Ever restored anything? What would you like to restore if you could?
Trail Baboon 
Books. I’ve restored lots of books, some of which were in pieces and unreadable.
I have a friend who has a restored military jeep. Apparently there is a community of people who have restored military vehicles and they convoy together periodically. Not my thing, I must say.
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My cousin was a specialist in document and book preservation at the libraries of Ohio State.
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This old, fat body needs restoration.
While in high school, I attempted to restore a 1949 Champion Studebaker but the squirrels in the barn got to it first. Once the interior was trashed, there seemed little reason to get it running.
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I guess rescuing and refinishing some antique chairs, or small bookshelf is a form of restoration… I’ve done that, still have one of the shelves.
I have repaired books, but I wouldn’t say restored…
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Among professionals, book restoration has a specific meaning where the repairs are undetectable or nearly so. My repairs, which often entail replacing a missing part, are not technically restorations. I just make them readable again.
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…but I do it without tape, using traditional methods.
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Like what (if it isn’t too technical) – I suppose I could look this up.
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Resewing, using rice starch and rice paper to mend tears, using archival glues on interior repairs.
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Maybe the jeep can be displayed with a nutcracker in the driver’s seat.
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snort fromJacAnon
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Or a nutcracker hood ornament.
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I’m missing something – I don’t get it…
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Luverne has a Nutcracker collection museum.
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Ah, yes…
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How many major tourist attractions can one town stand?
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I’ve helped to restore landscapes using native species. I’ve helped restore both prairies and woodlands.
I’ve repaired books. I’ve restored some of my grandma’s crochet pieces. I look at some of my furniture with good intentions but no skill whatsoever. So I can’t say that I’ve ever really restored anything.
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Rise and Shine, Baboons, from JacANon,
I have re-finished many pieces of furniture in my day, but I understand that there is a big difference between restoration and re-finishing or re-modeling. The development of water proof varnishes (polyurethane) changes furniture and is very different than the old-style varnish. It makes furniture more usable, but is not considered restoration. So, I have not restored anything in the same way Bill restores a book.
(BTW, Bill, I still have a fairy tale book to bring you for repair)
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PS, I would like to restore public political dialogue to some basic level of civility.
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Hear, hear!
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I haven’t forgotten.
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…about the book repair, that is…
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Merry Solstice!
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Hey Clyde! The Dickinson Big Sticks split games with the Mankato Moon Dogs!
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I have been at every one of them. Sitting in a rain delay at the park at the moment
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some refinishing but no restoration. Unless you count restoring all my grass to flowers!
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I restored furnature years ago with that formbys that would take the hide off you as you peeled off the old shellac.
I spilled a bottle of tequila on an old piano with a checked finish from age and it cleaned it down to the ribbon mahogany I had no idea was there
I’ve got two 1970’s bmw motorcycles in boxes I hope to get to and restore back to original condition
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they came out with refinisher that is non toxic I will use on all future restorations
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Clothing – I have resurrected a number of garments over the years, altered or recreated them. This Saturday I’ll try my hand at mending at our (fairly new) Fix-it Clinic here…
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I have a book titled Mend It Better, about techniques that restore the functionality of clothes and textiles without attempting to hide the repair, but instead making it a feature.
Like Bill’s work on books, some “restorations” are not attempts to bring an item back to its original state, but simply to restore its usefulness.
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I don’t have the patience to do restoration work. I lost all of that in my 20s, when I tried to keep a 1959 MGA running as my primary car on the freeways of Los Angeles. I spent almost as much time keeping up with repairs as I did driving the thing, but I thought I looked “cool”.
If, at my advanced age now, I were to attempt restoration of anything, it would be more “spiritual” than an MG. I’d work on restoring confidence, faith and hope.
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