You must be so disappointed! My only advice is to find a company that specializes in cleaning, repairing and restoring vintage rugs. There are a couple in my city and I'll bet there's at least one in your area. They should be able to give you options and cost estimates. Gotta love those puppies!

Thank you for the response. Yes, in reply to your advice, I have a found a place that does repairs.

I came here in hope of hearing experiences or seeing images from people who have done this type of repair before. I am not sure how much improvement there can be, so I’m trying to gauge that before deciding whether or not to approve the repair.