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Under each of the windows in the ladies' cabin
there is a cavity in the wall so that the windows could be raised
or lowered for opening. Over the Moyie's long career all kinds of
objects had fallen into these spaces. Occasionally, a tie used to
hold back the curtains fell in. These provided restoration workers
with a faded but accurate sample of the material used.
Ladies' Saloon Restoration
Project
Modern synthetics seldom look or feel like
those from the late 1800s or early 1900s. Colours, patterns, weaves
and textures can be very different. Choosing the right fabric can
be difficult, and at times expensive.The restoration crew faced
yet another challenge—restoring the setee.
Careful removal of the outer layers of the settee
revealed the original tufted mohair that had been installed in 1898.
The beautiful crimson colour was faded in some places, but the workers
were delighted to find that in other places it still sparkled like
new.
The frames of seats were original, but the upholstery
was not. On removing it, they saw they clear outlines of where armrests
had once been. They would have to be replicated. A beautiful, near
perfect match to the original mohair was available in Holland. A
picture of the setee in the steamer 'Kokanee', built two years before
the Moyie, provided an excellent reference for how exactly the setee
was upholstered. However, restoring each seat was an expensive proposition.
A "Sponsor a Seat" program funded the upholstery, and
a Canadian Parks Partnership grant made it possible to buy the fabric.
With the new upholstery and armrests, the settee was finally returned
to the state it was originally meant to be in, and another key part
of the restoration fell into place. Information provided by "SS
Moyie Memoirs" Memoir #2.
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