A day working with the collection

14 March 2024

In a basement in Melbu we have rolled out all the photo wallpaper we have left. The object we are going to photograph today is so large that there is really not enough room on the paper. The hand-painted Dannebrog flag of Peder Bruun (1737-1799) covers almost the entire floor. Gro pry gently where the fabric has curled. The flag is from the period Christian the Seventh (1749-1807) was king of Denmark-Norway, and is worn by weather and time.

It’s hard to get the whole flag in. Photographer Eirik stands at the top of a ladder and holds the camera all the way up under the ceiling to get as much of the flag in the frame as possible. In addition to the monogram of King Christian 7. we also find Peder’s monogram in the lower left. Peder Bruun traded from Børøya in Hadsel in the second half of the 1700s. After measuring and registering the flag, we cut lays and carefully roll the dannebrog on a roll, so that it will lie safely inside our textile magazine.

No two days are exactly the same at the museum. We laboriously work our way through the collection, object by object. One week we’re studying and documenting little Dorothea Bruun’s doll from 1882, and her impressive wardrobe. Other times it’s needle houses and liquor caskets, or love letters and beautiful jewelry. Everything is retrieved, recorded, measured, photographed, packed and stored. Afterwards, every item is published on Digitaltmuseum.no