Practical suggestions for salvaging
Water Damaged Artwork and
Collectibles
In the wake of the recent
hurricanes in Florida
and south-east USA, ConservArt continues to receive many calls
inquiring what
to do with wet and damaged artwork, books, documents, photographs and
collectibles. As a public service we have compiled a short list of
suggestions
to help lessen the damage to these often irreplaceable belongings by
taking early and aggressive action. Home owners and
insurers will both benefit by reduced losses and claims and the
survival of more cherished possessions.
We are
working with the assumption, that most people would have no access to
sophisticated freeze drying, or vacuum drying facilities, or access to
industrial dehumidifying equipment, therefore we will discuss only what
can be
readily accomplished at home without specialized tools or equipment;
the air
drying of possessions. Drying will help reduce or eliminate mildew,
which is one of the most common causes of damage to artwork and
collectibles.
Since the range of damaged artifacts is limitless and often each item is unique, the suggestions below must be considered only as means of temporary salvage and certainly not as a substitute for item-specific advice from a professional conservator. It is important that you follow up and have your valuables inspected and treated by a conservator as soon as possible following the flood, so that any damage may be corrected. We, at ConservArt, will continue to respond to telephone and email inquiries and offer in-studio consultations at no charge.
First things first
Find a secure area or room where
you will
store your valuables until they can be treated. This room should be dry
and
cool, with good air circulation. Temperature should be about 65 degrees
with as
low a relative humidity as possible. If possible, obtain and install a
window
air conditioner and some large, slow box fans to keep the air moving to
prevent
mildew growth. The expense is more than justified by the number of
rescued
objects. In an ideal world open wire shelves would be best to permit
air access
to all sides, so do whatever you can with the materials you have at
hand to simulate
that environment. Example; old window screens placed on top of a
support made
of two by four lumber make good drying trays and they may be stacked
with more
lumber, cement blocks, or bricks. Remember
to work slowly and carefully,
thinking out each step before actually handling any of your
property.
Wet
artifacts are more vulnerable and can get damaged very easily. Proceed
with
caution! Remember to remove from your secure area any wet or damp paper
towels or other material you use in the drying process and
inspect your progress frequently.
As a general rule, take care of articles you consider most valuable first. These could be items that have the highest monetary value, as well as documents with high sentimental or evidence value like birth certificates, deeds, passports, etc.. Follow the suggestions below, but plan to take these belongings to a conservator as soon as possible, time is of the essence and often a few days of delay may make a big difference in the chances of survival of an artifact and the cost of necessary treatment.
Next, deal with articles which survived in with little, or no damage and may be relatively easy to fix, then proceed to increasingly damaged pieces, leaving those in the worst condition to the end. Items in this last group will need most of the work and resources and have the least likelihood of acceptable restoration. Their chances of ever receiving treatment is slim, due to the unfavorable Treatment Cost / Value ratio.
Paintings
Dry Immediately! Don't touch the surface! Do NOT Blot or wipe! Keep it in the frame!
Maintain painting face up in a horizontal position, especially if you notice flaking. Transport with minimum of vibration or shock to prevent any losses of detached paint film. Do not stack anything on top of a painting, or allow anything to poke into the painting from the back. The canvas can become easily stretched out, torn or punctured.
Never lay a painting face down, or attempt to press down lifted paint. Don't touch surface even after painting is completely dry. Call a conservator for specific instructions for transport to the studio, you need a professional's help here.
Framed prints, watercolors, drawings, documents, works on paper, etc,
If the artwork is damp, remove it from frame and any damp mats or backing boards, place paper towels, or plain unprinted newsprint between the individual works. Change frequently and allow to air dry flat.
Stacks of ledger sheets, manuscripts, loose papers, etc. if possible, spread out on absorbent paper towels, or newsprint to absorb excess moisture, then stack with a dry paper towel between every five to ten sheets and store flat. Keep replacing paper towels as needed and flip stacks over each time you do.
Books
Stand damp books with their spine facing up, supported by their covers slightly apart and pages fanned and hanging. Every few hours fan the pages. When mostly dry, lay book down and make a stack with cooking parchment paper separating each book and weigh down, so the books may dry flat. Soft cover books may be handled like manuscripts above.
Unfortunately books printed on coated papers with pages already stuck together have very little chance of salvage. If you can separate the pages, insert wax paper sheets between each page and fan frequently until dry.
Books with leather bindings and rare books
Isolate covers from text pages by inserting a sheet of plastic between them and put paper towels or newsprint between pages, changing frequently. Don't try to force the book shut, because you will damage the binding. Consult a conservator as soon as practical.
Photographs
Remove photos from frames immediately while still wet. Do not wipe or try to blot photos, the emulsion will be damaged. If the photos were damaged by dirty rising water, rinse them gently in with clean cold water in a tub or the sink. Place them on paper towels Face Up and allow to air dry. Do not stack photographs!
If already stuck to the glass, let dry, don't try to remove. Remove photos from albums if possible, dry as above. If a formal wedding album with bound, double sided pages, place wax paper between each page and alternately expose each page to the air until the album is mostly dry, then close album, weight and allow to dry completely. Make sure the pictures are NOT touching each other, else they will stick together ruining the album!
Negatives
Take care of prints before negatives. If negatives are wet and dirty, rinse them in cold water, but be careful not to touch the emulsion side. When clean, place them on dry paper towels with their emulsion side up. Do not stack as they will stick together and become un-salvageable. Medical x-rays can be rinsed in cold water and air dried face up on a paper towel.
Movie film or microfilm
If the film is wet, fill the film can with cold water, or put film in zip-lock bag with cold water and take to a film processor for washing and drying.
Daguerreotypes and ambrotypes
These are old photographs are usually in a velvet and brass case and are made on two sheets of glass, or one glass, one metal. If water has penetrated between the picture, it will need to be taken apart and air dried with emulsion side up.
Frames
Preserve all broken fragments or ornaments. Move frames by handling them from their underside only. Do not wipe, touch the surface, or any softened ornament. See directions for oil painting for more handling tips. Keep the frame face up and allow to air dry. If surface develops cracks or begins to flake, consult a conservator immediately.
You never actually own a work of art
you merely take care of it for the next generation
8177 Glades Road #16 Boca Raton, FL 33434 U.S.A.
Telephone: + (561)482-7292 - Facsimile: + (561)482-6787