Louise Corderman The Historic Interior's Blog

A Helping Hand

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:16:07 -0700

Recently I spent some time with the young lady who was an intern for me and, as she was talking about her bleak job outlook, I found myself trying to strategize with her about her future-perhaps looking in the "mirror" in a different way, taking control and making her own opportunities.

She and her peers are so excited at this point in their lives and they have just accomplished a great feat-graduation! I would never want to shut them and their enthusiasm down with a curt, "Well, you know, NOBODY is hiring right now, have you thought about the food services industry?" So, I say to those of us who they turn to for advice, help them think outside the box. Don't say you don't know anyone who is hiring (that's probably true in the curatorial field), but tell them to create a job by selling their knowledge to someone who does not usually think they need a person with this education helping them with their business.

Thinking outside the box, as it were, is the best way to come up with a job or business that will match their skills. Real Estate, local government, and Historic Preservation Societies are the first place one would think of that would need the skills of a young historian, especially if they are willing to piece together their jobs in a small "chunk" size that will be more affordable in today's economy. For example, tell them to pitch to a real estate office that often has historic properties to sell, a service researching the information about what is available tax wise to someone who purchased this property. They could also add a history of the house for another fee-the trick is to keep the fees small and make money by volume. These days a simple, "You know you can get a tax break by buying this house," does not cut it, people want to see a report or evidence that it can benefit them tax wise to purchase this home. A new graduate could charge a flat fee and work for many realtors. Or how about contacting a set designer or art director through the website, www.setdecorators.org and send a letter offering to do research for them for their next project that features historical interiors, architecture or material culture.

Deciding where their interest lies is a major component in this next piece of advice. The best way to find out their passion and gain valuable experience is to volunteer at a historic site near where they live and get to know the staff so that they will be the first in line when a job does come around. Suggesting that they hone their skills in grant research and writing is something else that is currently very needed and with few people schooled in the proper way to go about the process. They have just graduated with the skills to research and analyze historic properties so connecting with a local appraising office is a place they could give out their cards and sell their ideas.

To her credit she was very respectful and listened as I came up with two or three ideas that she could put into action immediately. I am sure I sounded like I was very naïve as I spun the ideas and tried to get her excited about their potential to, if not make a living wage, at least be something to keep her active and engaged in her quest to find the perfect fit for her.

I have been very lucky in my career and I think it is because I have always done what I wanted to for the most part. I was blessed with an optimistic outlook no matter what befell me. I forget that lots of people do not have an entrepreneur's constitution, and to be successful you certainly need a strong one.

This being said, I have also learned that when you float an idea that seems "out there" you definitely are blessed to have someone listening to you who takes the idea and without prejudice helps you flesh out the pluses and minuses of the proposal. These people are few and far between and I have found that when you find someone with great patience and listening ear, hang on to them as a friend or contemporary...or marry them as I did.

I have no idea whether or not she has gone on and taken any of my advice. I do know, however, that she knows that she can always find a willing listener in me if she needs one.

The Aesthetic Interior- 1870-1895

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:28:05 -0700

I have many visitors to our site asking about this beautiful period . They will find design elements throughout their Victorian homes especially carved on the fireplace mantels that are expressly Aesthetic in origin and baffle the homeowner as to what inspired this design.

I thought you might like to learn a little about this period overall so I have taken the text on the period from my website,www.thehistoricinterior.com and placed it here on my blog. The text is by Judith Gura, a very talented writer and scholar who also wrote a must have book “The Abrams Guide to Historic Interiors” from which this text is attributed. Hope you enjoy and that this helps you find Aesthetic period details in your home.

The Aesthetic interior is beguiling in its exoticism, and almost dizzying in its mix of color, pattern, and decoration. It resists classification, mixing elements from diverse sources in idiosyncratic renderings according to the designer’s whim and client’s preference, but it invariably provides a surfeit of visual stimulation. It is either the subject of instant attraction, or immediate dislike.

Wallpaper is at the height of fashion for Aesthetic interiors, in coordinated patterns that enable designers to create intricate decorative effects. On walls divided into three sections—dado below, field or filling above, and frieze just below the ceiling—a different pattern and variation of color is applied to each area. The dado pattern is the most intense, the frieze the most elaborate, and the field the most understated, since it also serves as background for hanging paintings or prints. The frieze is often defined by a wood rail that serves also as a shelf for china display.

Colors, in wall covering, textiles, and carpets, lean toward deep, subtly shades, such as dull greens, browns, and blues, with citrine as a frequent accent. Often there are shimmery accents.

Window treatments probably have patterned fabrics, often in motifs that suggest the Asian influence, which is a common theme of this period.

In accessories, Japanese and other Eastern sources provide many of the forms as well as the decorative inspiration for striking ceramics and metalwork—the Aesthetic era produced many objects of exceptional charm and originality.

Chandeliers and lamps are as important, or more important, for their decorative value as for their efficiency as illumination. The concept of “art” furniture, rejecting the commercialism of most industrially made design, is an important contribution of the movement. Aesthetic furniture generally avoids the weightiness of most Victorian-era pieces, and its light-scaled forms reflect the influence of the Eastern aesthetic. The silhouettes of chests, exemplified by William Godwin’s Anglo-Japanese designs, may suggest Japanese cabinetry. Others might be painted or incised with images of stylized birds and foliage. Many items of furniture are painted or lacquered black or, later in the Aesthetic period, made of light-toned mahogany or satinwood. They are often carved with openwork motifs drawn from Oriental objects.

- text by Judith Gura, author "The Abrams Guide to Historic Interiors"

Great Blog to Check out on Historic Textiles

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 12:17:43 -0700

I ran across this blog while going thru my notes recently and after checking it out I was so impressed with the scholarship and information that I felt it was important to give everyone a chance to visit it and learn from the authors impressive knowledge base. I do warn you that you need to be prepared for getting lost in the wide breath of information on not only historic textiles but textiles in general. Enjoy! The Textile Blog: Interior Textiles of the Mid-Nineteenth Century

A new look for Locust Grove

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:25:31 -0700

I am really excited about the new restoration going on at Locust Grove in Louisville, Kentucky. From the looks of the images on our Featured Museum page the work was beautifully done and the symposium on the weekend of June 26-27th sounds like it should not be missed. It is always a daunting task to a museum’s staff to undertake such a large project, and this one was handled by some of the best professionals and companies in the business. If you have a chance, take the time to either attend the symposium, or visit this wonderful mansion. I know I’m going to.

Historic Adobe Homes

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:35:05 -0700

I want to draw your attention to the beautiful trio of articles in the latest Early American Life Magazine concerning the wonderful adobe homes in Santa Fe, N.M. In celebration of their 400 year old anniversary this year Santa Fe is holding many events to showcase these historic dwellings that are among the oldest in our nation.

Written by Jean Marie Andrews, Honoring His Ancestors”, Larry E. Johnson “Colonial Santa Fe” and Victor A. Walsh, “Preserving Adobe” these informative and very interesting articles do such a good job at shining a spotlight on these historic structures. Early American Life does a great service by giving us an opportunity to learn about a very important part of our American House History. I loved reading about these beautiful homes and their history. I also want to add that the articles are accompanied by very beautiful photographs taken by Peter Ogilvie, Ed Richardson, Larry E. Johnston and Melvin Sweet.

Seek out a copy of Early American Life and read these great articles you will be wanting to book your trip to Santa Fe to see for yourself how America truly is so diverse and beautiful in so many ways

Visit the 1768 Jeremiah Lee Mansion

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Mon, 17 May 2010 16:42:17 -0700

The historic seacoast town of Marblehead, Massachusetts is privileged to have in its midst one of the finest late colonial homes in America. A flourishing seaport, colonial marblehead was about the tenth largest in Britain’s North American colonies just before the Revolution and the second largest town in Massachusetts. The downtown area includes nearly 300 houses built before 1775 – the largest concentration on this continent, along with Newport, RI – and nearly 800 built before 1840. The mansion built in 1766-68 for Colonel Jeremiah Lee, the most affluent merchant in the province at that time, was one of the largest and most elaborately decorated homes of its time in America, and still retains nearly all of its original structural elements and most of its original decorative finishes. These include intricate woodwork carving in the rococo style and a soaring central stair-hall lined with mahogany wainscoting that is unique in its use as an opulent wall treatment, and two sets of rare original mid-18th century wallpapers: a block-printed pattern with Chinese scenes (the only example of that type still on the walls of its original home) and a set of magnificent hand-painted English grissaille mural papers that were unusual at that time and are the only such wall treatments in the world surviving in place. (The other surviving set is one of only two others known from that time, both formerly in homes in Albany, NY; it is installed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s American Wing.) Emulating an aristocratic English mansion built of stone, all four facades of the Lee Mansion are faced with long wooden facing boards, 10” tall, with long beveled edges and vertical scores every two feet that visually simulated cut stone ashlar blocks. To further suggest the appearance and texture of stone, grains of sand in colors ranging from black to almost clear were thrown or ‘strewn’ onto the surface of the paint while still wet, creating a rough surface that would sparkle in the sunlight like cut stone. The grand residence was visited in 1789 by General George Washington during his inaugural tour of New England. Newly elected as the nation’s first President, the Revolutionary War leader came “out of [his] way” to Marblehead to thank the townspeople for their service and inordinate sacrifice during the war, which left the maritime town economically devastated, with failed businesses and nearly 500 widows. The Mansion was preserved because after 1775, no families owned it to make changes, and for a full century it was a bank and commercial office building before the Marblehead Historical Society purchased it in 1909. The Mansion comprises over 10,000 square feet of living space in 18 rooms. All but one are open to the public. They are filled with a museum-quality collection of 18th and early 19th-century decorative arts, paintings and artifacts with Marblehead history and connections. Visitors are captivated by the Mansion’s striking appearance, the magnificent painted wallpapers, the high-quality collection on display, and Col. Lee’s intriguing story. The Lee Mansion is open June through October, Tuesday-Saturday. 10-4. For further information contact: www.marbleheadmuseum.org Guest Blogger- Former Curator Judy Anderson

“Boscobel “ an American Federal Treasure

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:02:04 -0700

Recently I had the opportunity to visit “Boscobel”, widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Federal interiors in the country. Boscobel was originally located in Montrose, New York, about fifteen miles south of the present site, with views overlooking the Hudson River at Haverstraw Bay. It was built by States Morris Dyckman (1755-1806), a descendant of one of the early Dutch families of New Amsterdam. As a Loyalist during the American Revolution, States became a clerk for the British Army's Quartermaster Department in New York. He and his family returned to England to wait out the War and after receiving a pardon from the new American Govt. they arrived back in New York in 1804. He immediately started the work on his mansion and sadly he died before the foundation was finished. His widow carried on and “Boscobel” was finished in 1809. Although no architect has been identified for the building, it has long been considered to be an outstanding example of Federal domestic architecture in America. One can assume that States was influenced by what he had seen in England, particularly the designs of Robert Adam (1728-1792) and his contemporaries. It is possible that he had the architectural plans for his new house drawn in England since construction was started within six months of his return to the Hudson Valley in the summer of 1804. Boscobel is distinguished by its delicate neoclassical detailing on the exterior, as well as for a unique architectural feature on the front facade--the carved wooden swags of drapery with bowknots and tassels installed between the columns supporting the pediment above the second floor balcony. Several other architectural refinements are used to help convey a feeling of lightness and airiness that make the house seem more elegant and graceful than many of its contemporaries. About one-third of the front facade is glass. The three part windows used on the first and second stories are slightly recessed to accent the central pavilion. Recent technological advances in the manufacture of stronger crown glass enabled the builders to use larger panes of glass and much thinner glazing bars. Another architectural feature worth noting is the closely fitted matched boards on the front facade, in contrast to the overlapping clapboards used on the side and rear elevations. This provided for a smoother surface probably meant to simulate masonry rather than wood on the dress front of the house.

The house was almost lost in the 1950s when it was declared "excess" by the federal government and sold at auction to a demolition contractor for the sum of $35. In a dramatic, last-ditch effort led by Benjamin West Frazier, funds were raised to acquire the remaining portions of the structure, dismantle it, and move it piece-by-piece to its new home in Garrison, New York. It was stored in barns and other vacant buildings until a twenty-six acre tract of land with sweeping views of the Hudson River, West Point and Constitution Island came on the market in Garrison in 1956. An anonymous donation of $50,000 received in June 1956 allowed the newly incorporated Boscobel Restoration, Inc. to acquire the property and begin the restoration. The original anonymous donation of $50,000 received in 1956 for the purchase of the land came from Lila Acheson Wallace, who, with her husband DeWitt Wallace, had co-founded The Reader's Digest. The Wallaces became Boscobel's most prominent and generous patrons. But in addition to her financial backing, Mrs. Wallace served on the board of directors and took a strong personal interest in the restoration. She was particularly influential in the landscaping of the grounds and the furnishing and decorating of the interiors. In 1959, she brought in the Roslyn, Long Island, landscape architectural firm of Innocenti and Webel to provide an appropriate historic setting for the restored house. She also brought in William Kennedy and Benjamin Garber, the interior designers who decorated the offices for The Reader's Digest, to furnish the house. Since both concerns worked for The Reader's Digest Corporation and for Mrs. Wallace personally, they reported to her and her advisors as they proceeded with their plans. The intent of William Kennedy and Benjamin Garber was not to accurately furnish the interiors of Boscobel based upon historical research. Instead, they tried to create elegantly decorated rooms that complimented the beauty of the architecture. The items they selected represented the very best of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries to conform to the taste and standards of States Dyckman as established by his own purchases in London. Because States lived in England for such a long time, they also felt it would be appropriate to The intent of William Kennedy and Benjamin Garber was not to accurately furnish the interiors of Boscobel based upon historical research. Instead, they tried to create elegantly decorated rooms that complimented the beauty of the architecture. The items they selected represented the very best of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries to conform to the taste and standards of States Dyckman as established by his own purchases in London. Because States lived in England for such a long time, they also felt it would be appropriate to furnish the house mainly in eighteenth-century English and European antiques, which they acquired over several years both in America and abroad selecting and assembling appropriate personal and household effects for each room. By the mid-1970s, new information came to light about States Dyckman's original furnishings that led to the decision to totally redo the interiors of the house so they were more historically accurate. Information found in the Dyckman family papers, States Dyckman's recently discovered household inventory of 1806, and from examples of surviving furniture owned by the Dyckman family revealed that contrary to the Kennedy and Garber assemblage of mostly English furnishings, Boscobel was originally furnished with pieces made by New York cabinetmakers of the early nineteenth century. Berry B. Tracy, Curator-in-Charge of the American Wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, was hired as a consultant to research the new interiors and oversee the installation. Mr. Tracy worked closely with Frederick W. Stanyer, executive director of Boscobel. The English pieces were replaced by an outstanding collection of Federal period furniture made mostly in New York City. The reproduction carpets, paint colors, wallpaper, fabrics and window treatments used were all based upon documented period examples. The objective of the reinterpretation was to restore the house to the way it would have looked while Elizabeth Dyckman lived in the house from 1808 until her death in 1823. When the house reopened to the public in June 1977, after six months of intense restoration work, Boscobel was featured in a cover article by Rita Reif in the Home Section of The New York Times on July 21, 1977. The headline read, "The Tour de Force Of Redecorating Boscobel."

Today, Boscobel is considered to be one of the nation's leading historic house museums. It features an important collection of decorative arts from the Federal period with high-style furniture by Duncan Phyfe and other recognized New York cabinetmakers of the day. Many of States Dyckman's original purchases of English china, silver, glass and part of his library have also survived and are on exhibit in the mansion. I was so fortunate to be given a tour by the acting curator Judith Pavelock, she was generous with her time and I was enthralled with the amazing history of this beautiful house. Bosobel is, as all historic house museums, a challenge to fund and operate, from what I experienced, the Dyckeman’s would be so pleased with the stewardship of the staff. I urge you to visit and support this American treasure, it is so worth the effort and if you are a student American Decorative Arts it is a must. much of the above text was taken from a history written by Charles T. Lyle. www.boscobel.org

A kitchen full of memories

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 14:15:42 -0700

“A the symbolic center of the home, the kitchen gives meaning to family life. It is a place where parents nurture their children, families gather at breakfast and dinner, share chores, and discuss the world outside. Women especially see it as the space that connects them to past generations.”

“America’s Kitchen”, Nancy Carlisle and Melinda Talbot Nasrdinov

I visit many historic homes and museums and most of them have restored kitchens set up as they would have been, depicting whatever period and station in life of the family represented. As I look over the exhibit I often think about who the family was that lived in this house, what were they concerned with, how old and how many were their children, did they even have any children? What stories would they tell to us if we had the ability to hear the conversations around that kitchen table.

I think I feel this so personally because of my own history of growing up in two historic houses with great kitchens that were the center of life for our large family.

So many of our memories are centered in the kitchen---coming together to celebrate or simply being together around a convivial meal is the stuff that gets us through tough times. All families have their own styles, but the kitchen is where most family traditions begin. Whether it is a favorite requested meal your mom made for you on your birthday or when you get home after a really bad day the crockpot is there on the counter holding something ready for dinner---you hold on to the traditions that worked personally for you, and discard the rest.

I am from a family that does EVERYTHING around food. We use it to celebrate and comfort. Coming from a large family of seven, I think that because our mother had to come up with inexpensive, hearty meals that fed five children with leftovers my mother (we called her “Moo”) would cook with an eye toward something that we would eat with the least amount of fuss. It also would have to be reincarnated into something that could stretch to another meal or lunch for us. We lived in a very old (1780) house that had a huge hearth, and though it could probably still be used for a fire, had an electric range placed inside.

My earliest memories are seeing my mother stir something on the stove with another baby on her hip and no doubt one underfoot. Even at the age of 38 she had very gray hair, which she wore in a bun at the nape of her neck. Being a poor professor’s wife gave her nothing to spend on glamour, yet I don’t remember that she looked anything but beautiful as she bustled about our small house cleaning, doing the wash in the FREEZING root cellar with a wringer washer, or hanging the sheets out on the line. To this day, sheets that are devoid of the scents of added softeners ---that just have the scent of the clean air are sooo sweet, and I much prefer them even though they are “scratchy.”

We had simple celebrations and our birthdays were centered on my parents putting penny candy in a brown bag and hanging it from the branches of our apple tree. We screeched and yelled in excitement as the birthday boy or girl got the first crack at the swinging bag with a cutoff broom stick.

Even when my father was lost in a car accident in the early ‘70s, the atmosphere about the large house (we moved to a very large house in Shepherdstown eight years earlier) was still much like a party instead of a wake. My dad had a great sense of humor and was very witty and the house murmured that day with his friends and students retelling many stories about him. The dining room had many beautiful stained glass windows, and I remember the look of the sun shining through them onto the large dining table gleaming with all the dishes the neighbors brought---all given in love and kindness in the tradition I grew up with.

Many more stories could be told of all the celebrations that my family has had over the years and the meals now are even more important to us as we gather without our beloved parents. Right before Moo died we were blessed to have her live with us and one evening her nurse wheeled her into the kitchen to sit and watch me make dinner. She loved to watch me cook, a pastime she missed very much, and she did not hesitate to let me know that I should “turn down the fire under the chicken” or add more seasonings to whatever I was cooking. This particular evening I remember (in retrospect it turned out it was right before she died ), she sat watching me move around the stove and suddenly she loudly called to me raising her glass with her nightly drink, and said, “Louise, do you know what the great thing about being terminal is?” Puzzled and a little horrified I responded “No, Moo what is it?” She threw back her head and laughed heartily saying, “The great thing about being terminal is that your green vegetable for the day can be the olive in your martini!” Her nurse slid out of her chair laughing and through my watering eyes Moo never looked more gorgeous.

She soon quietly died in her small little room filled with windows and sun and we still call our family room “Moo’s room,” but the kitchen is where I remember her the most and on a regular basis I wish that I could “channel” her grace and kindness that she showed to everyone she met, and her ability to make any leftover into a meal fit for kings or more importantly her beloved children.

As I have often mentioned, your historic house has had many memories formed within its walls. You really need to be aware that you have the opportunity to make memories with your children, friends and family. To this day, I cannot get myself to paint over the Doxology a friend painted for me in the kitchen after Moo died. My friend had performed a really profound act of kindness and comfort for my 45^th birthday by painting this around the ceiling of the eating space in my kitchen. She was inspired by hearing me say that I was reluctant to attend church because I could not seem to get through the offering without crying as I had such a vivid memory of my mother in church, and for some reason the opening bars of the Doxology always made her seem so close. So one day I came home to find this beautiful hymn painted around the perimeter of the kitchen eating area, and now everyday Moo is there at my table.

Make your own families memories in your kitchen. Now more than ever, our families need to connect in a space that binds them with memories and traditions that are part of their family’s customs and history.

The Victorian Society in America

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 00:19:52 -0700

I wanted to bring your attention to a great resource for those among you who are Victorian Period enthusiasts. The Victorian Society of America is an organization that promotes the understanding of the American Victorian Historical context through preservation, education, promotion and generally the enjoyment of the Victorian period.

This organization was founded as a sister organization to the British Victorian Society in 1966. Since then the society has grown to be THE word in all things Victorian in America.

On the organization’s website you will find a very large resource list, important books about the period, summer schools for the study of the Victorian Period, a list of all the chapters around the U.S., and actually more information than I can relate on this limited space.

I love this site, you should visit and oh, don’t forget to leave your calling card!

www.victoriansociety.org

Take a moment and visit Thistledew mercantile

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 03:51:12 -0700

There are many great things about this job but one of the best is finding wonderful artisans who are revitalizing the art of the past with talent and innovation. I am so proud to announce a new “Feature Artisan” to the site. Thistledew Merchantile is a lovely site that sells the historic scissor art by Kim Frey. One of the 2009 artisans featured in the Directory of Early American Craftsman that is published by Early American Life magazine (another one of our favorites) Kim is a very talented addition to our growing list of American Craftsman. Since 1990, the Freys’ artwork has been shown at local Art Leagues, in traveling exhibits with the Guild of American Papercutters, in special exhibits with Delaware State Museums, and in museum and gift shops across the country. Thistledew Merchantile can produce the “very thing” for your gift list and is a wonderful historical addi tion to any historic house museum’s gift shop. The site features the following historic scissor art genres- Scherenschnitte …a Pennsylvania German folk craft, literally meaning “scissors snipping.” Scherenschnitte was used to create Valentines, Christmas tree ornaments, cake stencils, artwork for the home, and shelf decorations. Fraktur… …an artistic form of important documents such as birth, baptismal, and wedding records. Fraktur were also given as rewards of merit for good students, house blessings, and bookplates. Silhouettes… …sometimes called “shades” or “shadows,” silhouettes were the common man’s portrait before modern photography was invented The Freys live in Delaware with their daughter Katelyn, two goats, a whole bunch of chickens, and Oreo the cat. (Daughter Jordan, son-in-law Luke, and grandboys Jackson and Derik are staking a claim way out west!) Their artwork…and often the Freys themselves…can be seen in person at Hudson’s General Store, in Clarksville, Delaware I urge you to take a moment and visit this site it is truly a new american treasure. thistledewmercantile.com

Thank you to all local museums

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:09:23 -0700

It is that time of year again, every spring there are conferences for national, regional and state museums to gather and learn from noted experts in different relevant subject matter and see the latest from the trade companies that cater to the museum world.

Such an event I just attended in Richmond, Virginia. The Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) held its conference from March 14^th-16^th and I was privileged to attend and sit in on some of the events. On the drive home I was again struck by the amazing dedication to this profession that these true public servants displayed. Amid announcements of lost funding, cutbacks in budgets and lay-offs, I heard imaginative ideas to deal with the current events that are impacting them so powerfully.

I thought that I would reprise my blog from last year’s conference experience. I again urge you all to support your local museum with your donations or please find a way to donate your time to help replace in part the lost workforce.

When I was a little girl, my mother took me to our local small museum which was in the basement of the local library. We walked down the aisles filled with the odd assortment of objects and memorabilia that are often displayed in such museums. We stopped in front of a large case that had a woven coverlet draped in such a way, so the viewer would have the best look at it they could in the small space it was consigned to. I remember my mom saying something like” President Van Buren gave your Great, great, great grandfather this as a present, they were very good friends”. Now, this sparked two reactions in my young mind. That’s a lot of GREATS, and he must not have liked him that much cause that is one UGLY spread. The point of this little story is that had it not been for that small museum in that little town in West Virginia, I would have never gotten to see something that was a real link to the past, to MY past. I have, as do all of us, a small museum to thank for that.

There are people all over this country that have visited like museums and seen the proof of their ancestry on display conserved at various levels of expertise I’ll give you, but saved nonetheless. They walk through the doors and there is Uncle Joe’s WWI helmet and the letters filled with longing he sent home to his wife or the glove and parasol of someone you vaguely knew you are related to and as soon as you see it you are again determined to call your Great Aunt and not only ask those questions about the family you always wanted to but you are also going to WRITE IT down. Thus a family’s written history is born.

We have the small museum director and its board or if really lucky a curator to thank for this…They are dedicated professionals who work with little or no budgets and constantly fight to preserve the tangible bits of our history that otherwise would just slip away. I recently attended the annual Small Museum Conference and observed some of the most talented and educated people in this profession grapple with the new challenges this economy has given them. Luckily for all of us, I heard enthusiasm and excitement from most, if not all of them that I spoke to. They remain focused, dedicated and determined to recommit, rethink and even redesign the small museums that we as the public entrust to their care. Please support your local small museum or local historical society, they are supporting you every day in preserving our shared history.

Visit the Culpeper Museum of History. www.Culpepermuseum.com

Using Antiques in your historic home

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:14:47 -0800

Of course the use of period antiques are the best way to furnish your period home, but how do you know if what you are buying is authentic or period correct. Finding a reputable dealer in antiques of the period that you are interested in is the best way to find your way through the intricacies of appraisal and purchase.

Some periods are more affordable than others And certainly much easier to find. The Victorian period is the most prolific as many of these pieces were machine made and mass produced. The arts and crafts period is next having been fabricated in the early 20^th century and there are still many fine pieces to be found. The Colonial and Federal periods are the ones that I feel you will be paying the most for although it is true, one of a kind handmade items will be costly whatever the period. Search the web for appraisers and dealers that have professional affiliation with either of these two organizations.

http://www.isa-appraisers.org

http://www.appraisers.org/ASAHome.aspx

these organizations will give you the names of antique dealers that are reputable and knowledgable.

The following is a short list for what to keep in mind when shopping for antiques.

Although bargains and good deals may be had when buying certain antiques, the first rule of thumb is to be highly suspicious of bargains when shopping for antiques. This is the initial and sometimes the most costly lesson any collector needs to learn. You must not set out to haggle with the dealer.

Step 2

The antique you buy should never be solely for investment purposes. Most antiques have proven to be a solid investment for most antique collectors. In addition, the items have been historically a wonderful hedge against inflation. The thing to remember, however, is the increasing value of the item is dependent on changing preferences within the market.

Step 3

You must be wary of heavily restored antiques. It goes without saying that most antiques need care as well as periodic restoration. However, an antique that has been excessively restored will show no signs of its age and thus cannot be fairly judged in determining the authenticity and antiquity of the piece. It is therefore advisable to stay clear of items that have been overly restored or excessively refinished.

Step 4

Be leery of reproductions or fake representations. Consider the demand of particular items. When demand rises to very high levels, reproductions and fakes are the by-products of such demand.

Step 5

Do not barter over price. Most dealers consider their prices rigid and firm. Today's dealer marks her prices up according to a fixed percentage in order to secure a profit. Wrangling over price is part of the old business of antiques. Unless you find such a rare situation, it is advised you accept the dealer's price as established with no room for flexible negotiating.

Step 6

In order to attain the best value, it is highly recommended you learn all that you possibly can about antiques. You may do so by subscribing to periodicals and reading books on the subject. Visit museums and well-regarded antique shops.

Step 7

Manage your range of collections. In other words, it simply is not possible for you to collect antiques in every category. Narrow your focus to a reasonable level. Choose one or two eras and one or two preferred collectibles within an era. If you collect too extensively over too broad a range, it will only prove to take away from the enjoyment you'll find as an organized collector.

Step 8

Many times you may be journeying about and find a monstrosity of an antique you greatly admire far from the area of your home. Resist the temptation to purchase it, unless you have access to a truck. Moving such an item can be more of a problem than you may have anticipated.

Step 9

It is important to trust your initial instincts. This step, of course, comes with experience as well as persistence.

Step 10

Collect solely for pleasure. Collecting and owning items of rare or great beauty should be your only motive. Men throughout history have collected antiquities. If you choose to be a collector of antiques, do not resist. There are few hobbies more rewarding--even if you must do so on a budget.

How much fabric,paint or wallpaper do I need?

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:07:06 -0800

I thought since many had written me and asked about the basics of what they needed to “do it themselves” for either drapes or wallpaper and also paint I decided to use the blog for this week to give you this basic information. You can find so many fabric sources on the web, either use one of the ones featured under “Textiles and Trim” or “Window Treatments” on our site www.thehistoricinterior.com or use the company’s products as a guide to find similar fabrics at your local fabric store.

I hope this helps you for whatever project you might have, don’t forget to email me if you need any other advice, I am always happy to help if I can

How much Fabric do I need?

For Throw Pillows:

The general rule of thumb is half a yard for 14 to 18 inch pillows and 1 yard for 19 to 24 inch pillows. If you want to add a ruffle, you will need at least another half yard.

For Upholstery:

CHAIR SEATS: 3/4 yard of 54" wide fabric is enough to re-cover 2 standard chair seats. So 3 yards will be enough for 8 chair seats. Each 3/4 yard gives you two 27" by 27" pieces of fabric to work with. If the repeat is large or a pattern has to be centered, you may need more.  SOFA WING CHAIR TRADITIONAL CLUB CHAIR 3 cushion with arms 5 to 7 yards CHAIR 5 to 6 yards 6 ft sofa 10 yards Upholstered Back 7 ft sofa 11 yards and Seat 8 ft sofa 13 yards 3 yards add an extra 2-3 yards if you want a ruffled skirt or if the back is taller than usual   LOVESEAT CHAISE OTTOMAN 6-7 yards 7-9 yards 2-3 yards

For Curtains and Draperies:

For curtain width, measure window or door plus any additional coverage outside of casing. For fullness the window/door width should be, at minimum, doubled. For extra fullness and a custom look, multiply the width by 2.5 or 3. Add another 2 to 3 feet for hem and to match pattern repeat. (The larger the repeat, the more you need to add.) Divide your final width measurement in half to get the finished width for each panel. If the width per panel is wider than the fabric (usually about 54 in.) you may have to sew two lengths of fabric together to get enough width. For example, if you are making draperies for an 82 in. wide window area, you would need 2 pieces of fabric for each panel, and 4 pieces for the pair.  For length, measure from the top of your rod to the point where you want the panel to end. Add approx. 30 in, to this measurement for the rod pocket, heading, and hemming. To measure for the rod pocket or casing, take the diameter of the rod and add 1 inch. To add for the heading, or the part of the panel that sits above the rod pocket, take the height you want it to be, double that and add an extra half inch for seaming. So if, for example, you want a 1 inch header, you need to add 2.5 inches. For a 4 inch header, you would add 8.5 inches.  For Round Tablecloths with 10" drop: For Round Tablecloths with 29-30" drop:  30" diameter Fabric = 1.5 yards Trim = 4.5 yards 30" diameter Fabric = 5 yards Trim = 8 yards 36" diameter Fabric = 3.25 yards Trim = 5 yards 36" diameter Fabric = 5.5 yards Trim = 8.5 yards 48" diameter Fabric = 4 yards Trim = 6 yards 48" diameter Fabric = 6 yards Trim = 9.5 Yards

Estimating How Much Paint to Buy

Before you begin painting your home's interior walls, ceiling, woodwork, doors, or windows, you need to estimate the amount of paint you'll use. Estimates require specific calculations for each surface you want to paint.

To estimate the amount of paint you need in order to cover the walls of a room, add together the length of all the walls and then multiply the number by the height of the room, from floor to ceiling. The number you get is the room's square footage. Is that math class coming back to you now?

Now you have to determine how much of that square footage is paintable surface area. Because you use a different paint on the doors and windows, subtract those areas from the room total. No sweat, just subtract 20 square feet for each door and 15 square feet for each average-sized window in the room. You end up with a number that is close to the actual wall area you have to cover with paint.

In general, you can expect 1 gallon of paint to cover about 350 square feet. You need slightly more than a gallon if the walls are unpainted drywall, which absorbs more of the paint. You also need to consider whether to paint more than one coat. If you're painting walls that are unfinished, heavily patched, or dark in color, plan on applying two coats of paint

When painting a dark color, pros often add a color tint to the white primer. Tints for both latex or alkyd paints are available at most paint stores. For best results, choose a tint shade that's closest to the top coat color.

Now for the clincher of the math problem. Divide the paintable wall area by 350 (the square-foot coverage in each gallon can) to find the number of gallons of paint you need for the walls. You can round uneven numbers; if the remainder is less than .5, order a couple of quarts of wall paint to go with the gallons; if the remainder is more than .5, order an extra gallon. Of course, buying in bulk is usually more economical, so you may discover that 3 quarts of paint cost as much as a gallon.

Examples:

The following examples walk you through the calculations for determining how much paint you need for a 14-x-20-foot room that's 8 feet tall and has two doors and two windows.

Ceiling paint estimator

Use the following formula to estimate the amount of ceiling paint you need. Double the result if the ceiling requires two coats.

1. Multiply the length of the ceiling times its width to find its area.

14 × 20 = 280 square feet

2. Divide that number by 350 (the estimated square feet covered per gallon) to figure out how many gallons of paint you need.

280 ÷ 350 = .8

For this example, you want to buy 1 gallon of ceiling paint for a single coat.

Wall paint estimator

Use the following formula to estimate the amount of wall paint you need. Double the result if the walls require two coats.

1. Add together the length of each wall. 14 + 20 + 14 + 20 = 68 feet

2. Multiply the sum by the wall height, to find the total wall area. 68 × 8 = 544 square feet

3. Subtract 20 square feet for each door (20 × 2 = 40) and 15 square feet for each window (15 × 2 = 30) to find the actual amount of wall area you're painting.

544 – 70 = 474 square feet

4. Divide this figure by the paint coverage (350 square feet per gallon), and the result is the number of gallons to purchase. 474 ÷ 350 = 1.4

For this example, you want to buy 1 gallon and 2 quarts of paint for a single coat.

Woodwork paint estimator

Measure the length of the trim in feet, and multiply that number by 1/2 foot (.5), as a rough size for the width of the trim. Include all the trim around doors and windows, at baseboards, along the ceiling, and for any built-in furniture.

As an example, imagine that you have ceiling molding running around a room that is 14 feet wide and 20 feet long.

1. Determine the total length of molding around the room by adding together the length of all the walls that the molding covers.

Round the numbers off to the nearest foot.

14 + 20 + 14 + 20 = 68 feet

2. Multiply the sum by .5 for an estimated width of the molding.

68 × .5 = 34 square feet

3. Divide this number by 350 to estimate the gallons of paint required to cover the molding.

34 ÷ 350 = .09

The result in this example is much less than a quart, but you may paint other woodwork in the room the same color, so buying a full quart may not be terribly wasteful.

Door and window estimator

Use the same figure for estimating door coverage as you use in your wall-area calculations — 20 square feet = one door. Multiply the number of doors by 20, doubling the answer if you plan to paint both sides. Wall paint estimates allow for 15 square feet for each window. Use about half that window area to figure trim and inside sash — the glass isn't important to the calculation.

For the room in this example:

1. Multiply the number of doors by 20. 2 × 20 = 40 square feet

2. Multiply the number of windows by 7.5. 2 Windows × 7.5 = 15 square feet

3. Add these numbers together. 40 + 15 = 55

4. Divide the result by 350 (the estimated square feet covered per gallon). 54 ÷ 350 = .16

Often, you end up needing to buy only a quart of paint, which goes a long way on doors and window trim

How much wallpaper do I need?

1. Step 1

Determine the square footage of the room. Measure each wall in the room and multiply the length times the width of each wall to determine the square footage. Subtract the square footage of the windows and doors to determine the actual square footage of the room.

2. Step 2

Determine the square footage of a single roll of wallpaper. The square footage of your wallpaper roll will depend on the width of the roll with varies from designer to style. If you order your wallpaper from a design center, they will be able to tell you how much square footage each roll covers. If you are purchasing stock rolls of wallpaper, the square footage will be on the label of the wall.

3. Step 3

Divide the square footage of the room by the square footage of the wallpaper to determine the number of rolls you need.

4. Step 4

Consider the pattern of the wallpaper. The pattern on your wallpaper roll will determine how much extra wallpaper you need in order to ensure pattern match from panel to panel. A subtle or small pattern means you will need just the normal 10 percent extra wallpaper. A large-scale pattern or bold plaid or other pattern will mean you need another 10 percent of extra wallpaper

1. 5

Remember that wallpaper is always sold by the double roll. This is important when you are ordering wallpaper from a design center. If you determine that you need 11 rolls of wallpaper, you will need to order 12 double rolls.

Welcome Heritage Lace Into Your Home

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:49:21 -0800

We are so pleased to announce the addition of a wonderful company to our Featured Artisan's page. Heritage Lace has been around for awhile providing beautiful lace products for the home for over 50 years. I love companies that are based in long standing traditions of community and customer service and this is one of them.

Our site has a wide timeline for historic interiors from 1680-1930 and as such has only a handful of artisans and companies that have products that can span all the periods from Early American Colonial to Art Deco. Heritage Lace does this and beautifully too. These products could certainly be used for a Historic House Museum in any number of sites around the country and because of their affordability they are great for product placement in Museum gift shops. I really liked that so many of their products were under $50.00 and that they are 90% made in the USA is also important to me.

I have always said that a simple lace panel will give you a beautiful inexpensive look that will dress your window and give you the time to decide how or if you want to do a more formal treatment.

The nice thing about Heritage Lace is that even if you decided that you didn't want to or could afford to add more to the window you wouldn't need to, it is really that pretty a product.

Please take a moment and visit them on our Featured Artisans page or go directly to their website,

www.heritagelace.com but make sure you block off some time for your visit, I warn you once you get on it is hard to get off, you just want to see everything!

Visit the Historic Home Show this weekend

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:27:39 -0800

This Saturday I will be speaking at the annual Historic Home Show and Designer Craftsman show in King of Prussia, Pa. The show runs from Thurs. Jan28th-Sunday the 31st. A wonderful collection of exhibitors from Architects and Designers to period appropriate building materials, hand-crafted decorative accessories and antiques can be found there this weekend.
My topic title is "Living with History, making your historic house a home". I am very excited about the opportunity to share with so many my philosophies of design and living. I feel that no matter what your means your house can be a warm and inviting home that your friends and family love to visit. As you have read before in this blog I have learned to make the best of wretched floors, roughly plastered walls and limited space.
My 25 plus years of design experience has taught me that even though you are itching to transform your house quickly into your vision of design and style, the best way to have a truly rich multi-layered "look" is to take your time and slowly get to know your house and its many quirks and delights waiting for you around every corner.
Your historic house has no doubt seen many periods and usually more than one owner or two in its lifetime and you are in the great position to keep some of the adaptations to its structure that have come before you and to discard others giving you the ability to make your own mark upon it in your own time.
Remember, whether your house was built in 1720, 1856, or 1930 you have the opportunity to tell the next generations to come how we of the 21st century restored and interpreted our houses and how we hopefully passed on the best of the past history of the house to them.
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www.goodrichpromotions.com
www.heritagelace.com
www.vintageprintgallery.com
www.newenglandcopper.com
www.wooleytymes.com
www.aslpewter.com
www.acropolis.com

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What to suggest to clients buying an older home with "awful" floors.

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:08:27 -0800

Front Hall

Family Room

Kitchen

Refinishing your floors in your historic home may not be an option at first. You may have more important renovations to take care of and certainly floors are the last to be redone as you would not want to have to redo them yet again if a careless contractor spilled paint or scratched them. My problem was that our floors in our Dutch Colonial had never been restored since the house had been built in 1930.

I was faced with the problem of floors that were stained, scratched and worn with the traffic of a family of two children and a backyard pool. What to do? If we had invested in having them redone, the constant stream of football players, little brownies and small wet feet would surely undo the effort and yet as a designer I needed to come up with something other than just throwing a pretty rug down.

My solution was to start with a small (4×6) area painted by a friend directly onto the floor in the front entrance hall. It has lasted for 12 years now and I feel it has just the right mix of vivid color and the contrast of the worn floor beneath.

Next was the kitchen and I found a local artist to paint a historic stencil design on it with a heavy polyurethene coating over it that has handled all the kitchen traffic and activity easily.

Our little family room also got a great simple "border rug" from the same artist and it has held up great for many summers as the steady stream of wet feet made their way from the pool to the bathroom.

Think "outside the box" when you have a design issue and very little money. Refinishing the floors at a later date, whether they had been touched by an artists brush or not, would have cost the same in time and money and not been nearly as special.

Merry Christmas from our house…

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:38:05 -0800

Merry Christmas from our house…

It has been 13 years since we moved into our house here in Fredericksburg,Virginia. We loved the house early on even before the addition of a new kitchen with a fireplace and a backyard pool. Built in 1930, the Dutch Colonial has had many reincarnations since the first family lived within.

I was not so jazzed about the house at first, it faced a parking lot , the only one on our otherwise quiet street. It was in semi-restored state the previous owners had decided to start from the top down so even though the attic had been wonderfully converted into two charming bedrooms complete with eaves and built-in bookshelves. The rooms on the first floor however were in a sad state. No kitchen to speak of and roughly plastered walls ( I laughed to myself a couple of years later as more than one client paid a great deal money for craftsmen to replicate an effect that I was so eager to get rid of) the floors in very bad shape and a really hideous living room fireplace mantel.

Through the years we have slowly made it our own, from our “Aubergine” ( designer-speak for purple) painted dining room to the new mantle in the living room, the house has slowly become something that feels “right”. Having married a public servant, all projects had to be done on long slow schedules, and my patience and design vision sometimes did not fall in step with the reality of our meager purse-strings.

However, this wonderfully quirky house had become our home and with two children we have had many wonderful memories here. Some of our best times in this home have been during the Christmas season and we have been honored to have been on the local Historic Homes Christmas tour as our home is one block from the famous “Sunken Road “ of Civil War fame. I have long been teased by friends and family for the 15 plus boxes of decorations in the basement. However once they have been brought upstairs on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving , the tissue papers are unwrapped, boxes emptied and as everyone sees beloved decorations that have been a part of our Christmas memories for the 29 years of our marriage the grumbling soon stops . As the decorating progresses and ideas flow, I must confess usually after I get my hands on the newest issue of “Southern Living Christmas”, the house takes on the glow and shimmer that only Christmas reflected by candlelight can achieve. I usually take a moment at some point during the month of dinner parties, cookie baking and manic gift wrapping, and walk quietly through and savor the beauty of this wonderful house that has been such a blessed home.

Remember, your house should take many layers of memories and life in order to create the perfect home for you and your family. Patience does truly rule the day when decorating your home whether it is a historic home or your first house. Hopefully life is long and the story of your family and your own traditions need time to develop and take hold within the walls of your home .Whether you are the first family to live there or one of many families that have hung stocking s from your home's mantle, your story is but one more chapter in your homes history.

Reach out a helping hand while celebrating your historic home

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 11:32:15 -0800

Sharing the season with friends and family is what this time of year is all about. Many of us know someone that have neither friends or family or are alone because of distance and /or circumstance. Those of us who are lucky to own a historic home can do much to make those who are alone or needy have a Happy Holiday and Merry Christmas.
Most of us who have a historic home have decorated it to the hilt. Sponser a tour of the first floor of your home for the local Senior ‘s home or organization, especially if you do not have a local Historic Homes tour. Provide treats relevant to the homes history and give the Seniors an opportunity to add to your understanding of your home's place in the history of the town by asking them if they knew or had memories of the families that lived in the home when they were young.
I f you have a home that is not suitable for a tour, then bake treats again from your houses history and give them either to your local Meals on Wheels or the Seniors home. Seniors are not only the ones at this time that are in need. Many of the needy with small children or teens need support also.
You can combine a history lesson with your outreach when you give to the local toy drive a historic toy with a handwritten explanation accompanying it. Children have not changed that much over the centuries and something small, especially that they can easily carry with them, will always be a good choice. Teenagers are another issue. Those of us who have had our own teens know that even though they hate being different than their peers, they are also striving to be different. Give a young girl a small gift of needles, yarn and a simple intstruction booklet. Tuck a modern tube of lip gloss in your gift so if you have a child that truly is not interested in any type of craft, your gift is not a complete bust. Teenage boys are no less challenging. I suggest a leather journal complete with pens and a small book of historic quotes that focus on success and personal growth. I think that one of our greatest gifts we can give a child is the expectation of excellence. By showing them the world that came before they can see their place in the world to come.

Using pewter in your historic home

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:21:13 -0800

One of our most talented and celebrated artisans is Tom Hooper of ASL Pewter in Louisiana, Missouri. His work is very beautiful and can be found in homes of any historic period from Early Colonial to Arts and Crafts. Assisted by his lovely wife, Pat, the Hoopers have carved out a niche for themselves that is to be envied by anyone in the historic artisan field. They make their own molds and use them for casting pieces unique to ASL Foundry. They have also acquired and use a collection of historic and antique bronze, aluminum and steel molds. Using traditional lathe work, they create their own plates and goblets. That process includes cutting their own wooden forms to each desired shape. The result is an inclusive line of wholly innovative and exceptional pewterware that is functional as well as decorative.

The Hoopers emphasize that all of their pewter is 100% lead-free, so it can be used with food without worry.
By using a variety of marketing venues from print ads to showing at many of the historic home shows, their company is largely regarded as one of the best, if not the best of the practicing American Pewtersmiths.

The prices for their work is very reasonable and I love the heavy, smooth beauty of their pieces. They are often featured in the magazine, "Early American Life" and has been featured in that publication's "Directory of Historic Artisans". This Christmas take a moment to explore their site for the perfect affordable gift for that person "who has everything". Chances are they don't have a piece from this very special artisan.

www.aslpewter.com
ASL Pewter
123 South Third St.
Louisiana, Mo. 63353

Home
573-754-3435
(fax) 573-754-3461
1-866-3Pewter

A Historic Civil War Thanksgivng

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:40:59 -0800

A Historic Civil War Thanksgiving

With the 1864 proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln making a day in late November as a day of national thanksgiving, he gave the nation a unique holiday found only in America. One that is based on a nation that though in bitter conflict , wanted to celebrate the blessings of the gift of America that most felt was a gift from God.

We are a nation that is hemmed in prayer and hospitality. This day which is so truly American is one that gives us a glimpse of the true American spirit. One that is , no matter what side a soldier of the war found himself on, celebrated the same taking a brief moment in time to bow his head and give thanks for the gift from God that is AMERICA!

Giving Thanks in Wartime November 24, 2004, 8:51 a.m. James S. Robbins/The National Review
The Soldiers' and Sailors' Thanksgiving of 1864.

When we sit down to our Thanksgiving meals this year, we should take some time to remember the men and women in uniform who are unable to spend the holiday with their own families. We might also remember that Thanksgiving became a national holiday in time of war, and largely due to an effort 140 years ago to ensure that our soldiers and sailors in the field enjoyed some of the comforts of home.

Thanksgiving originated in Massachusetts and on the eve of the Civil War was still not observed nationally. In the 1850s, Thanksgiving was celebrated in about ten states in New England and the midwest. It was a time both of feasting and of charity, acknowledging the blessings of plenty while remembering those who had little. "Eat the fat, and drink the sweet," counseled a New York Times editorial in 1851, "and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared." When war broke out the observance became more widespread, and in 1861 the number of states celebrating Thanksgiving doubled. Troops took their traditions with them to the front, and the soldiers of Massachusetts regiments in particular held grand feasts in their field commands. Massachusetts Governor John A. Andrew decreed such a celebration during the first November of the war, hoping that "military duties may not be inconsistent with their observation, in some fitting manner, of the day annually set apart for the renewal and enlivening of the domestic affections."

President Lincoln declared a number of thanksgivings, for example in April 1862, and July 1863 after Gettysburg. Two months later Lady's Book magazine editor Sarah Hale wrote a letter to Lincoln urging him to proclaim a national day of Thanksgiving reflecting the traditional holiday. Lincoln soon issued a declaration asking that the blessings bestowed upon the country "be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people" and inviting Americans at home and abroad "to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." This was the first general Thanksgiving observance, but the following year the holiday became the occasion for a national show of unity and support.

In October 1864, the president again decreed that the last Thursday of November be set aside to offer up prayers "for a return of the inestimable blessings of peace, union, and harmony throughout the land which it has pleased Him to assign as a dwelling-place for ourselves and for our posterity throughout all generations." Shortly thereafter, on October 27, a citizen of New York City known first only by the initials GWB (belonging to noted editor George W. Blunt), used the occasion of the holiday to propose a great national endeavor. Blunt suggested that "something be done for the Army and Navy" for Thanksgiving, "not only to aid them in keeping the day properly, but to show them they are remembered at home." He proposed to send the troops "poultry and pies, or puddings, all cooked, ready for use." He estimated it would take 50,000 turkeys and a like number of pies to feed the 220,000 men of the Army and Navy in Virginia then besieging Richmond. "This seems to be a big undertaking," he wrote, "but I do not see any difficulty in carrying it out." The food could be prepared and boxed up by those who could afford it, and shipped from New York a few days in advance, in time to be distributed the day before. If the idea has merit, he wrote, "I am ready to do my best with others to put it through."

A committee was set up to organize the effort, their goal being that on Thanksgiving Day there would be no soldier or sailor in the eastern theater "who does not receive tangible evidence that those for whom he is periling his life remember him." They felt it was particularly important to reach men who had no families back home. Blunt served as the committee's executive director, and the treasurer was Theodore Roosevelt, father of the future president (then six years old). "Will not all who feel that we have a country worth defending and preserving," the committee wrote in the Times, "do something to show those who are fighting our battles that they are remembered and honored?" The appeal was reprinted in many papers and the proposal caught on immediately. Contributions began to come in from all over the country. Within three weeks, with little publicity and no direct solicitation, the committee had collected $50,000 (almost $600,000 in today's dollars). The Times reprinted some of the letters sent accompanying the contributions. One contributor, signing "Little Mac" in homage to recently defeated Democratic presidential candidate and former Union General George McClellan, noted in verse,

Although I voted a Democrat,
But it has nothing to do with that.
It only shows a man can be
A Democrat and love sweet liberty.

Public stores were made available for the turkeys and "other good things for the soldiers and sailors on the James." Goods were to be cooked, wrapped in white paper, packed in straw in boxes or barrels, and marked "Our Defenders, City Point." Private transport companies volunteered to ship the materials by rail and steamship. The food drive was emulated in other cities. Ladies of Jersey City contributed $1,500 for the purchase of cigars and tobacco for the troops. The citizens of Orange, New Jersey, sent bags of tomatoes for sauces. There was a proposal to send 1,000 barrels of apples to soldiers, and the Army Apple Fund was born. The governor of Ohio suggested that the Saturday following Thanksgiving be devoted to helping the families of servicemen, especially those suffering privations by the absence of their men. It was called "a day of gladness for the wives and children of our brave defenders," and is an idea that still has merit.

As the day neared, the foodstuffs were collected and shipped out. Steamers took meals to sailors and Marines in the blockade forces, and in the ports and fortifications along the eastern seaboard. Trains headed south to predetermined distribution points. Blunt believed the effect of the outpouring of public support would inspire the troops to "hit the rebels a harder lick than ever." Meanwhile Jefferson Davis also declared a Thanksgiving day, for November 16, 1864, a day "specially devoted to the worship of Almighty God," that the people of the Confederacy would join together in prayer that God would, inter alia, "restore peace to our beloved country, healing its bleeding wounds and securing to us the continued enjoyment of our right of self-government and independence." But when the day arrived, Atlanta was in flames, Sherman started his march to the sea, and Lee's men huddled in their trenches around Richmond. Confederate War Department clerk J. B. Jones dryly noted in his diary that the Confederate Thanksgiving was "like Sunday, with an occasional report of cannon down the river."

November 24 dawned cold, bright, and brilliant on the eastern seaboard. General George G. Meade reported to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, "Nothing new or important this morning except the arrival of deserters, who report the occupation of Macon by Sherman." Sherman's Army continued its march, sadly unable to be reached with the Thanksgiving turkeys, but not having time to pause. In Virginia and North Carolina, Union troops were "relieved from all duty not essential to the safety of the command." Turkey feasts were enjoyed by Union troops in camps, on the siege lines, and in the rear areas. Seventeen thousand meals were served in Washington, DC, to troops defending the city and convalescing in hospitals. A large banquet was held in Alexandria, Virginia, followed by a grand ball. In Baltimore, the Union Ladies' Committee distributed meals to Union soldiers and rebel prisoners alike. At Camp Parole, in Annapolis, roast turkey had been the primary topic of conversation for days. That morning "every face wore a joyous aspect, in anticipation of the good things in preparation for the dinner." Orderlies set long tables of turkey, pies, bread, butter, tea and cider. Fourteen hundred men sat down, Federal soldiers and paroled Confederates, men from every state in the Union, probably the first such all-American Thanksgiving meal ever.

Shipments sent to the Shenandoah Valley were coordinated with the city of Philadelphia. When transportation arrangements broke down at the last minute, Reverend George F. Noyes personally undertook the mission to get the food delivered. "The want of proper appliances compelled most of the men to broil or stew their turkeys," he wrote, "but everyone seemed fully satisfied, and appreciated the significance of this sympathetic thank-offering from the loyal North. One soldier said to me, 'It isn't the turkey, but the idea that we care for,' and he thus struck the key-note of the whole festival." Fearing shortages, General Sheridan ordered the food first be distributed to enlisted men, but some officers had made independent arrangements for their units guaranteeing there was plenty for all. "Joy and festivity were the order of the day," a correspondent wrote, "and you may depend upon it that our brave fellows in the field knew how to do justice to the occasion." Near New Town, Virginia, the officers and men of the Ninetieth New York regiment sat down to a feast of turkeys, chickens, cakes and fruits, "more evidence that we are not forgotten, nor can we ever forget those who, while they are enjoying all the comforts of home and plenty, still think of, and by their noble deeds testify that they remember the soldiers."

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Thanksgiving united the country in the spirit of giving, gratitude, and patriotism. It showed the troops at the front that the country was behind them, and solidified Thanksgiving as a national observance. So please take a minute to remember those who are giving so much for us, or better yet find a way to let them know that you care - www.americasupportsyou.mil is a good place to start. Let's give our service people all the support we can, so they will be able to say, in the words of a Union soldier, "When we are asked, 'Do they think of us at home?' our own hearts can willingly and gladly respond, 'They do.'"

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Historic Hauntings

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 10:29:09 -0700

A Famous Ghost Story

As many of you who follow my musings know, I am from a small town in West Virginia. Shepherdstown has been my family's home for years, ever since I was ten. We moved there when our little house in "Clippe" (a small village also in Jefferson County) burned and my parents decided to move to the town where my father was employed as a history professor at the local college, Shepherd.

But back to "Clippe" (odd name for a place and, in truth, that is not this village's true map name), now known as Middleway, which definitely has an 18^th century air about it. When I was little we were not allowed to celebrate Halloween as most of the children we knew--- oh no--- we were brought up by a father that thought "Trick or Treat" was a form of blackmail. Instead, on Halloween night he would form his band of raiders from the slim pickings of his five children. He would take us on raids throughout the terrified village as the word spread that the dreaded Hafer children were out! From flour thrown on Mr. Wyncoops (yes that is his real name) car, blowing out jack o'lantern candles and running through the ancient old church graveyard with its upturned crypts and leaning gravestones, we thought that no one was more terrifying---not to mention more terrified than we were.

In the handmade costumes that my dear mother had fashioned from old clothes (I always wondered how she came up with pink tulle at the drop of a hat) and things about the house, we have Halloween memories that most of our generation do not have---truly homemade memories filled with excitement and fun and more than a hint of DANGER. Mostly our "raids" ended with our Dad or older brother carrying a little pink princess or cowboy home on his shoulders and the rest of us trooping behind.

The name of our little village that I knew at the time was known by locals as "Wizard Clippe" or just "Clippe" if you lived there. The site of a very famous 18^th century ghost story, "The Legend of Wizards Clippe" was one that we were brought up with. The sites in the story we passed on our way to school every day (yes we walked to school and it had TWO rooms not one) and there is still an air about the place that is "other worldly" not somewhere that you have to stretch your imagination to see the events of the story before you.

I'll close with the famous story as told to me as child and documented in the papers of the time.

The Legend of Wizard Clippe

In the Southern part of historic Jefferson County, West Virginia, nestled among the foothills of the Blue Ridge, lies the ancient village of Wizard Clippe. The land upon which the village is located was included in the grants made to Mr. William Smith in 1729 by Sir William Gooche who was proprietor of that part of Virginia at that time. In 1732 the pioneer home of Mr. Smith was built. Surrounded by majestic hills, this, the first home of Wizard Clippe, was placed in a gloomy hollow, near a bottomless lake.

Among those who obtained land grants from Mr. Smith was a man named Livingstone. Mr. Livingstone selected land lying along the Opequon Creek, but also adjoining the village.

One night when the sky was inky black, the rain descended in torrents, and the winds rushed through the desolate pines with a wild bellow, a weary stranger presented himself at Mr. Livingstone's door. With genial hospitality the traveler was welcomed.

In a few hours after retiring, the Stranger sent for Mr. Livingstone, and told him he was ill unto death. He requested that a Catholic priest might be sent for at once. Now, Mr. Livingstone was a bigoted man who hated the Catholic Church, and he swore no priest should enter his house. The Stranger (to whom no name has been given), begged again and again that a priest should be brought, but his host was obdurate. At the weird hour of midnight, while the elements fought their terrible battle, the soul of the Stranger, unblest and unshriven, took its flight. The next day his body was buried in unconsecrated ground. For many years his grave was pointed out to the curious.

Then a curse seemed to rest upon Mr. Livingstone and his possessions. A murrain seized his cattle, strange and mysterious sounds were heard about the house, and things were as though ruled by a demon. More dreadful than ought else was a clear, distinct, insistent clipping, clipping, clipping which went on day and night. The bed-linen, the clothing of the family and of visitors, the saddles, bridles, and harness were all clipped, and always in crescent or half-moon shape. Nothing was sacred from the terrible shears. The witches and wizards were now holding high revels. Mr. Livingstone, pursued by the horror of all this, dreamed a vivid dream in which he saw a man who promised to help him. On Sunday his wife, a devoted Catholic, persuaded him to go with her to a Catholic service at Shepherdstown. The instant Mr. Livingstone saw the priest, he cried out with streaming eyes, "That is the man who can rid me of the witches." The priest was told the story and the next day he visited the home of Mr. Livingstone at Smithfield (Middleway), sprinkled holy water on the threshold of the house, prayed fervently, and consecrated the ground wherein the Stranger lay buried. He declared deliverance had come. Sure enough the clippings ceased, "the witches were laid," and Mr. Livingstone was free.

Moved by gratitude he gave to the Catholic Church forty acres of land lying along the Opequon. The Church still owns this land and receives rent from it. It is known as the Priest's Place. For four or five generations it was in the care of the Minghini family. Recently, however, the Church assumed control. A chapel has been erected on the site, and outdoor meetings are held frequently. It is an ideal spot for camping, and the Church has extended the use as such to all.

The "spell" cast upon the old village of Clippe still lingers upon it, and the bottomless lake through which the witches are said to have rushed when the priest exorcised them is still here; and the Opequon flows on, now calmly, now wildly, by the lonely grave of the Stranger.

Is it any wonder having spent my first years in this village that Halloween is my all time favorite holiday? I have copied verbatim from the text written by R. Helen Bates and printed in 1936 by the Middleway Historical Conservancy.

Artisans/Farmers, the original "Green" Industries

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:19:14 -0700

I was recently struck by the thought that the majority of the artisans listed on my website thehistoricinterior.com are practicing a "green" industry.
The commercials and ads that are in the media about "natural" and "organic" evoke the principles and properties of a past world when the main energy used was the physical effort of the farmer or craftsman and the forces of nature. By its very definition, green industry or the ability to produce a beautiful or useful product with a near zero carbon footprint is worthwhile and beneficial to our environment.
As is usually the case we have a lot to learn from our ancestors. No matter whether they are many generations behind us, their knowledge stands before us much of the time. I have often smiled at the newest kitchen gadget that really does the job no better (and sometimes worse) than the old tool that our grandmothers used (now I will concede that the dishwasher, stove and refrigerator are blessings our grandparents would be beaming over). But it is true particularly in today's political climate that "artisans" perhaps deserve an outright grant or at least a tax break for these businesses that bring so much to our modern world by producing worthy and authentic "green" products.
I am thinking in particular of an old hometown friend who has a farm that his family has owned for more than 200 years. He had the foresight to start organic farming years ago before "it was cool" and his farm produces the best beef I have ever tasted (his vegetables are also wonderful). Knowing this friend as I have all my life I have the impression that he probably was farming as his family always did taking good care of the land, it's just that the trends finally caught up with ancient wisdom.
His cousin owns a natural trout farm next to his which is equally innovative and whenever I go home I find my way to the Tudor Hall stand at the local Farmers Market. My point in sharing is recognizing that, no matter what you are doing-be it cabinetmaking or farming-is a nod to the original "green" artisans-our forefathers.

Tudor Hall Farm Market
6280 Middleway Pike, Kearneysville, WV, 25430
304-725-3149

Aqua Green Trout Farm
Rte 51, Kearneysville, WV, 25430
304-725-6518

Craftman Style Home

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 09:44:18 -0700

If you love Craftsman style…
 
 
Loving Craftsman design? Then you are drawn to warm colors that are
inspired by nature and beautiful woodwork, built in cabinets and handmade
textiles and tiles. The lines of the woodwork whether furniture or
millwork is made of simple lines with exposed joints and often metalwork
embellishments.
 
 
The American Craftsman style is deliberately rustic combining
almost-modern design with the warmth of the handicraft tradition. In this
style you will find elements of Japanese and some Gothic styles. On the
white plaster walls you could often find decorative stenciling running the
perimeter of the room and also on pieces of furniture and simple textiles.
Many times, especially in the more expensive homes you would find
interesting and unexpected use of stained glass accents.
 
The flooring was usually hand-hewn planks and covered with simple rag rugs
or hand-knotted Orientals.
 
Most of the time, the colors of the home would reflect nature with
soothing greens, subtle browns, and strong gold’s. A popular and
affordable accessory of the time was the use of plants thus bringing
nature literally inside.
 
Many of the lighting fixtures are brass, copper or wrought iron and this
was repeated also with table lamps. The main room often featured a
fireplace of simple lines that could be faced with handmade tiles.
 
One of the most important elements to come out of the Arts and Crafts
movement is the ceramics that were produced by both amateur and
professional potters. This was a natural byproduct of the interest in
handicraft that the period inspired.
 
To find inspiration for your vision of your Arts and Crafts home, just
look outside to the beauty of the natural world, there you will find the
color’s, lines and elements that make your Craftsman house a home.
 
To find out more about the style or to find today’s craftsman working in
this style, just go to the Arts and Crafts section of my website
www.TheHistoricInterior.com and you will find all the resources you will need
to reproduce this beautiful look in your home.

Restoration of Your Home - Do it Right

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:52:03 -0700

It is important to remember in these economic times that when faced with the sometimes overwhelming job of the restoration of your home you do not become dispirited with the project. The hiring of specialists and contractors is the most important aspect of the process, for even with the best researched plan for your home, if it is not carried out professionally and ethically you are in for a lot of heartache.

Now, if you were afraid of a challenge you would not have bought the house in the first place and much emotion is at play. Trying to find these professionals can be daunting and who to trust with your baby (not to mention your pocketbook) is scary.

Turning to the local yellow pages is not really where you should look for help; one of the best places to rely on is your local historic house museum. The curator will have a list of experts that they have relied on to help them with their various projects and whether the museum is the same period of your home or not, the artisans/ experts they refer will still be able to help you.

From paint analysis and color selection, to period correct flooring and window treatments, you will find these experts not only knowledgeable in their field but also more than willing to talk with you on how to start your project whatever it is.

Another great source is the nearest college or University that has a historic preservation dept. The faculty often is one of the experts that you seek and if not they definitely will know who to call; they also could help you with research in the form of a student looking for a project.

One of the nicest things about the field of Historic Preservation is that I have always found everyone so helpful, perhaps because they know that anyone who is willing to help preserve a lovely home is to be encouraged, supported and most importantly listened to.

Visit www.TheHistoricInterior.com for more information

Keeping the Vision of Your Historic Home

Louise Corderman The Historic Interior (The Historic Interior) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 13:37:58 -0700

Schuyler Mansion

What is it that makes a historic property speak to you, make you put all reason aside and see the beauty beneath the usually horrible add-ons that have followed the house like a very bad haircut. With time and the right expert you can overcome it. Those of us who deal with historic properties either in our professional lives or are lucky enough to live in such a property, can understand the emotional and sometimes irrational pull to take on the many challenges that only an old house can provide.

Especially in these tough times your home is your refuge. I am saddened by my many colleagues and friends who speak of their house now as a burden, a bad idea to have invested in at the time. "If only we knew then what we know now." Etc,etc. Might I suggest respectfully that they need to look at the bigger picture. I know that many have found themselves in horrible finanicial situations and I understand, what it is to worry about a mortgage. Even though the perceived "value" of the property in which you have invested everything has "tanked", I suggest that maybe you could take just a minute to look at this seemingly impossible situation. If it is feasible to remain in the property, please take time to look around and see again for the first time the elements in the house that called to you.

Time to take a moment to reevaluate, take a breath, and move forward. Remember, the house, depending upon the age, has seen many an impossible situation resolved within its walls. Try and think of those walls as sheltering instead of a prison. It is just life. It happens whether we are an active paticipate or not. There is a quote by Francis of Assisi, "Start by doing what is necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible".

Many times I have designed a home for a client that is in the position to afford anything the project calls for. No matter what the finances of the cilent, I always counseled them to give the house an opportunity to tell them exactly how to live in it. Where does the light fall in the morning in this corner of the room? It can give you the perfect place to hang a beloved piece of art. You cannot know this for sure however if you have not lived in the house for at least a year. You need to see how different the light is in May than in January. Never knowing until a really good chunk of time has passed, that you don't really need a sofa in this room, a loveseat would be just fine. As is usually true, time is an asset that we all have and rarely value. Don't fret about the loss of capitol in the context of when to redo the kitchen or change that bathroom, think of the situation as giving you the time to make thoughtful decisions about the house, it is how you make it in to a home.

Visit our website at www.TheHistoricInterior.com