I live in a house built between 1848 and 1860. Your statement, "The materials reveal economic conditions of the time" rings true for me. When we moved in my son and I decided to strip the woodwork in a room he was using. We got down to what we thought was wood grain only to discover it was faux painted oak. Pine was plentiful, but not considered classy enough for the New England sea captain who the house was built for. Doing some research I discovered itinerant painters traveled through our town painting the plain pine molding to look like oak. Our house has many stories to tell and I love each time I discover a new one.
What a great story about the painters traveling through!! I love that- thank you for sharing. I have always wondered about these skills ever after in my old house I realized one of our fireplaces had under it's headstone still traces of fake marbling. It wasn't visible on the rest of the mantle anymore, as a previous owner had lovingly stripped a coat of pink paint applied in the 70s and with it the underlaying faux marbling. Also- New England Sea captain ...oh my - there must be many stories connected with your home!
I live in a house built between 1848 and 1860. Your statement, "The materials reveal economic conditions of the time" rings true for me. When we moved in my son and I decided to strip the woodwork in a room he was using. We got down to what we thought was wood grain only to discover it was faux painted oak. Pine was plentiful, but not considered classy enough for the New England sea captain who the house was built for. Doing some research I discovered itinerant painters traveled through our town painting the plain pine molding to look like oak. Our house has many stories to tell and I love each time I discover a new one.
What a great story about the painters traveling through!! I love that- thank you for sharing. I have always wondered about these skills ever after in my old house I realized one of our fireplaces had under it's headstone still traces of fake marbling. It wasn't visible on the rest of the mantle anymore, as a previous owner had lovingly stripped a coat of pink paint applied in the 70s and with it the underlaying faux marbling. Also- New England Sea captain ...oh my - there must be many stories connected with your home!