I collect vintage clothing from the 1810s through the 1920s.  Can anyone
recommend a good dry cleaner who does hand cleaning, in the San
Francisco Bay Area?

I have used G.F. Thomas for many years but over the past year or so have
become dissatisfied with their service.  Recently they always want to
take out linings--even cut out dress underlinings with scissors, thereby
destroying the underlining--to make cleaning easier for themselves.  I
just got back an 1880s cape where they unpicked the bottom half of the
lining without my permission (evenly on both sides, enough to turn the
garment inside out).  I had gone over the lining/cape seam by hand with
new thread immediately before I took the cape to the cleaners, so I know
this was not the "accident" or "weak thread" they claimed.  Last time,
when I took them an 1880s dress, it came back without any of the
original buttons (which had been in great condition), and I received no
explanation of what had happened to them.

I also tried Virginia Cleaners in Berkeley which people have recommended
for hand cleaning, but Virginia Cleaners themselves say they haven't
done it for years.  All they will do is put the garment in a mesh bag
before machine cleaning.

Anyway, recommendations would be very helpful.

Frances Grimble
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