This dresser was made by the West Michigan Furniture Company in Holland, Michigan, in 1927. It was among many hundreds of artifacts in the Holland Museum that were subject to flood damage in June 2009. In addition to the immersion damage to the veneer layers and finish, mold and mildew have taken hold in the piece.
After stopping the fungal invasion and cleaning the piece, Miller Fenwood assessed the overall condition. The plywood elements were nearly completely delaminated; some of the drawer sides and backs were cupped; and slides attached to drawer bottoms were warped.
Miller Fenwood disassembled the drawers, flattened the parts as required, and replaced elements as needed with new mahogany and white oak. Finally, the finish, which was worse for wear from the flood, was reconstituted with period-appropriate materials.