Category Archives: Flood Damage

Holland Museum and Historical Trust Disaster Reclamation

Posted by millerfenwood in Flood Damage, Works on Canvas

In 2009, a severe flood found its way into the basement archives of the Holland Museum. Clothing, silverware, dolls, furniture, paintings: over a thousand objects were damaged. A reclamation project of this scope required many people with various work experience, ranging from volunteers to professionals, and a lot of time, two years.

Some of the paintings, predominantly a collection of Dutch Painters, looked like they had sustained irreparable damage; there were large cracks, and severe cupping, and actual loses of paint; but, in fact, they were not too damaged to save.

C.C. Dommershuizen (1842 – 1928) painted this oil on canvas, Departing Fishing Vessels. The flood damage had caused a ghastly ridge to form down the middle. With the proper techniques, we were able to remove it. We think the restoration turned out truly amazing. This will be the first in a series of flood paintings that we’ve done for the Holland Museum. More to follow. . .

 

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Flood damage reversed on 1927 dresser

Posted by millerfenwood in Flood Damage, Furniture Restoration

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.

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