Jimmy Flowers Putters

Dear Mr. Flowers:

I am writing concerning restorative work on my model #444 Jimmy Flowers putter, which was a hand-me-down from my father.  I first realized the putter had some value as a golf memorabilia item when I noticed the #444 in the hands of Ben Hogan in some photographs of the great man in his prime.  As for my Jimmy Flowers putter, the top of the rubber grip has eroded slightly, and the yellow paint along the top-line (which appears to an exact color match of the yellow stripes on the ferrule) has virtually disappeared (only a smattering has survived on the toe side of the blade near the base of the shaft). 

Several questions come to mind, as follows:

1.  Does the putter have more value in its unrestored state? 

I am not really a collector of vintage golf clubs, and so I am leaning toward restoration with the ultimate goal of giving the putter to the son of a good friend on the son's 16th birthday (2 years away).  The young man in question is one of the best golfers in his age group in the Southeast (the little turkey threw a 68 at his father, older brother and me this past Saturday), and a walking golf history maven - sort of a Peter Kessler of the teen set.  I don't expect that the boy will park his Scotty Cameron in the closet and putt with your grandfather's equipment, but I know he would treasure such a gift, especially as the same model was used by The Hawk.   

2.  If restoration is the way to go, then who would you recommend for that work, and is the same yellow paint available?

Thank you in advance for your attention.

Sanford Mullins