Artiques

History of Artificial Lighting in the Home

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 03:37:51 -0500

History of Artificial Lighting in the Home
History of Artificial Lighting in the Home

In the history of artificial lighting, Ami Argandâ€™s development of the central draft burner had as much impact in the late 18th century as did Thomas Alva Edisonâ€™s harnessing of electricity did in the late 19th century. His burner creation affected lighting devices in the first half of the nineteenth century. In the second half of the century, this new burner was used with both lighting and heating devices. In fact, the benefit of his design can still be observed in the circular burners of contemporary gas cooking stoves.
Ami Argand, was a Swiss inventor and philosopher. He developed and introduced an improved lamp burner that revolutionized interior lighting. He developed a glass chimneyed central draft burner that produced light equal to that of six to eight candles. â€œIt also improved oxygenation at the burner, reduced consumption of oil, and practically eliminated the need for snuffing (snipping away partially burned wicks to reduce flickering).â€*

Argand's new burner not only led to the development of new lamp forms but also eventually affected both how people used their living spaces and how they arranged their furniture in those spaces.

Though gas lighting was used early in large interior spaces, smaller domestic spaces benefited dramatically from the development of the central draft lamps. Prior to Argandâ€™s development, lighting relied on hand-made candles and many types of opened oil containers to which cotton or rush wicks were inserted. Tallow, alcohol, and any available oli (fish, seal, whale and vegetable) provided the fuels. Although Argandâ€™s lamps required high grade vegetable or whale oil and was therefore costly to use, it remained popular among the well-to-do during the first quarter of the 19th century. By 1830, more and varied lamps became available to those of the more common classes.

Expensive lamps, typically made of heavy metal, continued to be manufactured. A popular variety was the freestanding table lamps that were newly introduced at this time. There were â€œSolarâ€ lamps, thus named because their light seemed to be as bright as the sun; â€œsolâ€ being the Latin name for sun. Again, originating from Latin terms, were the â€œAstralâ€ lamps; meaning stars. Sinumbras drew their name from sine umbra, or without shadow, since the large diameter reservoirs produced a bright light with fewer shadows than those casted by earlier lamps.

Artificial lighting also affected room use and the placement of furniture. With the introduction of the sinumbra lamp in the 1810â€™s and 1820â€™s, tables were placed in the center of front parlors instead of removing them when not in use to the outer perimeters of the room. A sinumbra lamp placed on a center table provided enough light so that several people sitting around the table could benefit from the illumination. It is also suspected that it is around this time that the familyâ€™s main eating table evolved into a round-shaped design for this very same reason. Prior, the refectory, or rectangle-shaped table, was the common shape.
In the late 1850â€™s kerosene was introduced as a more viable and economical fuel alternative. However, the sinumbra, solar and astral lamps did not go by the wayside. Many were retrofitted to accommodate the change in fuel.
Argandâ€™s contribution to artificial lighting was vital to many aspects of how people used and design the interiors of their homes. His impact is still as relevant today.

*The Central Draft Burner: Ami Argand's Contribution to the American Home by Mimi Sherman

Tips to Help Determine The Age of Antique Furniture

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:11:19 -0500

Tips to Help Determine The Age of Antique Furniture

When considering the purchase of antique furniture, it is important to be able to determine the age of the wood in order to help age the piece of furniture.

Saw Marks or Kerf Marks

Pit Saw

The marks left by this saw were irregular, uneven cuts made from strokes of this large saw used by two men. One man stood in a pit and the other man stood on top of the log above the pit sawing the log between them. The men changing hand and body positions caused the irregular cuts.

Gash Saw

This saw, which dates back to the Pilgrim days â€“ mid-1600â€™s, was water powered with multiple up and down movements, leaving marks that are regular and parallel. It was large, cumbersome and often far away from the house lot, therefore it was easier to use the pit saw rather than haul the logs to the mill and then haul the sawn lumber home.

Circular Saw

This saw, invented by a Shaker woman named Sister Tabitha Babbit in 1813, but was not in general use until 1840 when steam engines came along. The marks were circular, so it is a pretty sure bet that if you see circular saw marks, you know the board was sawn some time after 1860.

Nails

Hand Forged Nails before 1800 were tapered on four sides and pointed. The head of the nail was pined with 4 to 5 hammer blows into a flower petal shape, hence the name â€œrose head nailâ€.

1791 Cut Nails were sheared or cut from thin plates of metal. Twenty-five cut nails could be made in the same amount of time as one hand forged nail.

1900 Nails were made of wire like they are today.

Wood Screws

1720 was the earliest that wood screws were used. They were rarely greater than Â½â€ long and had hand-cut threads and an off-centered slot cut on the face. The end of the screw was flat. Due to the shortness of these screws, they usually only appear as hinge screws on drop leaf tables. These handmade screws are individual in the pitch and size of the threads. If they ever must be removed, be sure to replace them back into the hole whence they came, each having their own unique screw hole.

In 1869 screws go from square end to pointed with a mechanically cut slot in the center.

OVERALL QUALITY OF THE WOOD - How to Determine the Quality When Buying a Piece of Old â€œAntiqueâ€ Furniture

Quality

Look for dry-rot. Dry rot is wood that is soft and punky from getting wet and drying too many times. Insects are an issue; quite often Powder Post Beetles leave piles of sawdust called frass. They can be exterminated by putting the piece in an oven until the wood reaches a core temperature of 135 degrees for 30 minutes or the boards can be chemically treated.

Room to Move

Wood must be allowed to move so check to make sure the panels of furniture can still move and tops are secured in a way that they can expand and contract with the seasons or they will crack. Very often, during deconstruction, mishandling a board can cause it to split so much that it doesnâ€™t warrant gluing.

Learn about Patinas

As wood ages, it will turn various shades of brown to black depending on how much the wood was exposed to air and light. When a piece of furniture is sanded and refinished, often times that patina is taken away which then diminishes the value of that piece.

Different Types of Woods

Specific woods were used for their strength and durability. Below is a listing of common types of wood used in furniture making, their characteristics, and typical uses:

Maple - Commonly used in furniture making because of its hardness, but not often found in old buildings except perhaps for flooring in mill buildings and stair treads in early homes

Poplar - A medium hardwood that is often found in furniture and sometimes used as wainscoting in homes. Very often poplar wood will have a natural dark green color.

Cherry - A hardwood that was revered as a furniture wood and was too expensive for use in buildings.

White pine - A soft wood and very prolific in New England, therefore, it was widely used.

Longleaf Yellow Pine - Also known as heart pine, is a very dense, hard pine often used for factory beams. These beams are now re-sawn for furniture and flooring.

American Sweet Chestnut - A strong, beautiful wood that grew to huge proportions in the eastern forests. It was used to build much of colonial America and can be found today in old barns that were framed in chestnut. Unfortunately, in 1904, a Japanese freighter brought in a blight that wiped out every chestnut tree within a few years. After the trees died, they were inhabited by wood borers leaving holes, hence the name â€œwormy chestnutâ€. Trees sawn into lumber after the blight will have the worm holes cut on a cross section which is a giveaway that the trees were dead when cut. This is another clue to establish the age of a building or furniture. American Sweet Chestnut is considered an extinct wood.

A History Of Styles

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 06:51:39 -0500

A Brief History Of Styles from Medieval to Modern

A History Of Styles

MEDIEVAL

Romanesque Imported to Britain by the Normans following the conquest in 1066. Rounded arches - a typical Romanesque feature - occur on chests as late as the 17th century. The few examples, still in existence which date from earlier than 1300, are simply constructed and mostly carved with roundels bearing little relation to Romanesque architecture.

Gothic About 1300 to 1550. The change from Romanesque was gradual. Paneled construction from dates from about 1480, the panels were often carved with linen-fold. The coronation chair at Westminster Abbey has a back with a pointed arches made in 1296 by Master Walter of Durham, it was the first English piece firmly attributable to a named maker. The Gothic style was revived in the mid-late century and again in Regency and Victorian times.

ELIZABETHAN

Renaissance When Elizabeth' came to the throne in 1558, most furniture was functional and plain. After 1570, a version of Renaissance style owing more to France and the Netherlands than to Italy found expression in fat turnings surmounted by Ionic capitals, solid inlay, carved caryatids, strap work, split baluster turnings.

JACOBEAN

Strictly speaking, the reign of James I, (1603-25 ) but also used to cover that of Charles I (162549). Geometric moldings, split balusters, bobbin-turnings; popular until about 1720.

RESTORATION

Sometimes known as Carolean, in reference to Charles II, restored to the throne in 1660. Also covers the reign of James II, 1685-9. Dominant style is baroque but more Franco-Dutch than Italian. Twist legs, carved scrolls, caned seats and veneering. Skilled French workers sought refuge in Britain when Louis XIV of France ceased to protect Protestants, 1685.

WILLIAM AND MARY

More foreign craftsmen (Dutch and French) arrived in Britain following the accession of William of Orange and his wife Mary, the daughter of James II, in 1689. Fine cabinetmaking, walnut and ebony veneers and floral. Legs are turned to trumpet shapes or scrolled and scroll develops into cabriole leg by the end of William's reign in 1702.

QUEEN ANNE

During her reign, 1702-04, the cabriole leg dominaated; surfaces were veneered with walnut, but marquetry became less evident. English craftsmen, having acquired foreign skills, adapted these to their own style.

EARLY GEORGIAN

George I and early years of George II until about 1730; mainly a continuation of the Queen Anne style, but rather heavier. Claw-and-ball feet became the fashionable termination of the cabriole leg. Architect William Kent designed Italianate baroque furniture as a dramatic contrast to cool Palladian interiors.

MID GEORGIAN

George I, 1730-60 and the first year's of George III. Mahogany replaced walnut as the fashionable wood. In 1754, Chippendale's designs appear; Ribbon-back chairs, ornate gilt mirrors and con sole tables expressed the English interpretation of Rococo. Some designs loosely followed French (Lou is XV) fashions. Gothic style revived.

LATE GEORGIAN

The George III period lasted from 1765 to I 1800, but the term is sometimes extended back to 1730. First came the neo-classical style led by Adam -- vertical lines, ovals, circles, columns, urns, disciplined carving, gilding and painting related to the Louis XVI style. Those of Sheraton 1791-4, providing a domestic, middle-class version of neo-classicism.

EARLY VICTORIAN

Much furniture made in 1830-50 was still neoclassical, but heavier than Regency; some affinity with Charles X (French Restoration). Paralleled with this are the Gothic revival led by Pugin and the Rococo revival by commercial manufacturers making balloon-back chairs, asymmetrical chaises lounges on cabriole legs. Increasing use of machines.

MID-VICTORIAN

The Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace, 1851, brought Continental exhibitors to London, stimulating an eclectic taste for revivals of almost all historic styles, and imitated in poorer quality, mass-produced furniture. Mass dining and bedroom suites; but parlor pieces more elegant, with some sofas and chairs fringed and deep-buttoned in Napoleon III style. There were serious attempts at reviving medieval craftsmanship by reformers, such as Morris. Burgess, Talbert. Godwin who experimented with Japanese concepts.

LATE VICTORIAN

Heavy Victorian styles persisted until about 1910, along with reproductions of English, French and Italian historic types, but the Arts and Crafts Movement, led by Mackintosh, Ashbee, Baillie Scott and Voysey introduced new ideas in sympathy with some aspects of European art nouveau, to which are often married commercial products that are partly an offshoot of the Edwardian revival of Sheraton styles in mahogany with inlaid decoration.

MODERNIST AND ART DECO

The period between the two world wars, marked by genuine desire for greater simplicity and honest, economically made furniture of the type produced by Heal and Russell, but in competition with mass-produced junk on the one hand and finely made but expensive products on the other. The term Art Deco - like most stylistic labels - was unknown at the time the furniture was being made. It derives from the 1925 Arts Deco exhibition in Paris, and only came to be applied to the style in the 1960s.

NAPLES RESIDENTS OPEN NEW CANANDAIGUA BUSINESS

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:20:33 -0400

Quality Consignment Home Furnishings, Heirlooms and Art. June 2008 ï¿½ The summer of 2008 marked the opening of ARTIQUES, a unique shop that offers homeowners of all genres creative and budget-friendly options for home decorating. Be it a small accessory, a piece of artwork or a large furniture piece, ARTIQUES has it all from Primitives to Post-Modern.
Owners Matthew and Cindy Burt considered the opportunity to buy the business (formerly known as Changes Everything) as both a fortuitous and natural progression in their careers. Matthew currently owns and operates two other successful Naples-based businesses: Comstock HVAC and All Merchant Services. Cindy has a tremendous love for and many years experience with researching, buying and selling antique and vintage items for both private and professional purposes. She is quick to point out, however, that she is ?not a professional dealer or appraiser?.

Opening a retail venue where their combined skills and talents could be showcased was an easy decision for them to make. ?When we were approached by the former owner,? stated Cindy, ?we just knew this was meant to be. It is so important to make the most of everything we use, especially considering the economical and environmental issues we all face right now. By consigning beautiful, useful, one-of-a-kind items an important connection is developed between the consigner, our shop and the customer. We are able to work together towards more conscious solutions to these issues and make our homes more attractive in the process!?

Whether shopping for yourself or for a gift, it is sure to be found at ARTIQUES. Items found in ARTIQUES are quality antique, primitive, vintage, kitsch and contemporary. Among the artwork available for sale are the current works of local artisans. Each month features an individual artist who gets full display of one of the shop?s main street windows. Customers are invited to top off their visit with free cups of coffee from Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters while they browse. Many varieties of the coffees are available for purchase.

ARTIQUES, located at 37 S. Main St. in Canandaigua, shares space adjacent to Teschner?s Decorating Center which sells high-end paints, upholstery, fabric and wallpaper. This perfect pairing of ARTIQUES and Teschner?s. meets customers? needs, which are often fulfilled and typically inspired by the services offered by both businesses. Interior Decorating, Redesign and Real Estate Staging services are also offered through both shops? resident designers.

Various in-store classes will be offered starting in January 2009. When in the shop, be sure to add your name to their list and indicate which class(es) would interest you. Among the many choices will be ?How to Choose the Right Colors for Your Home?, ?Reupholstery?, ?Interior Redesign?, and ?Repurposing Furniture and Accessories?.

Don?t forget ? If you are looking for extra cash ? ARTIQUES can help! If you have a quality household item that is unique but gathering dust, call Cindy at 585-396-1890 for an appointment to arrange consignment.

ARTIQUES is opened Mon-Wed 10am-6pm, Thurdays 10am- 8pm , Fridays and Saturdays 10am-6pm and Sun 12am-4pm. Please call 585-396-1890 with questions or inquires.

Entertainment Centers of an Era Gone By

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:18:53 -0400

It used to be that it was vogue to have a massive piece of furniture, called TV Armoires or Entertainment Centers, claiming both real estate and visual importance in your living room. Now, even though we all admit to still loving our TVsï¿½ and DVDs and CDs, we try our best to camouflage them so as not to make obvious what we do in our spare time ï¿½ or perhaps that we even have any free time at all. Whatever the case, many of us are stuck with those looming pieces of furniture. Being of substantial bulk, they usually make it as far as the garage. Then there they sit. What to do? Here are some ideas that may help you reclaim that mighty piece in different areas of your home.
If it is already being stored in your garage, half of the task is already done. Next take it a step further and put it to work for additional tool or garden storage.. Large, bulky items can be stored in the wider, open space. Add hooks or smaller storage bins to the cubbies for all sorts of tool storage.

Create additional pantry space in your kitchen. Add hooks and shelving to hang pots and store baking trays. If there are doors on the armoire, post a cork or whiteboard to post grocery lists or phone messages. Even a coat of blackboard paint will allow you to make those important notes. Expand on that idea and create a mail station, a hobby storage unit or computer workstation.

Are all of those sporting goods a constant source of aggravation when trying to keep them out of the way? Transform the armoire into a sports locker. Add coat hooks and shelves. Jackets, bats, balls, and hockey sticks, etc will be organized and within easy reach whenever your kids needs to grab them for their next game.

If you like to entertain guests in the warm weather, refinish the armoire with weather resistant paint and varnish. Install a small refrigerator, wine cubbies and glass rack for a spacious and protected outside service bar. You can even install a ready made granite or slate counter top onto the main TV shelf for added function and visual appeal.

In a guest room with a too-small closet, add some cedar liners. Extra blankets, towels and sheets can be stored and kept fresh for use anytime. Keep a few cubbies sparse so guests can have their own storage spaces for their toiletries or change of clothing.

By thinking beyond an itemï¿½s original function, you will not only save money and space at the local landfill but also be rewarded with a piece of furniture that can be beautiful and purposeful at the same time.

All Over The Map

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:17:49 -0400

One of the latest trends in decorating is incorporating old maps into home accessories. Antique and vintage maps are ideal for this but newer ones can also create visual interest. With technology as it is today, globes have become a thing of the past. But donï¿½t dismiss their usefulness! They can still be quite handy around the home.
If you are lucky enough to have an antique map, I recommend having photocopies made of it so as to retain the integrity of the original. While you are at it, have some of the copies enlarged and even shrunk so with the varied sizes, you create a number of decorating options with them. Very large prints can be pieced together as wall coverings. If you do not want to cover an entire wall, then frame out an area with inexpensive molding and paste the map inside.

Do you have some unique picture frames but no photos or art to display in them? Maps make for eye-catching art especially when showcased within an interesting frame, be it old or new.

Serving trays become real conversation pieces when decorated with map images. Simply place the map under the existing glass in the tray. If there is no glass, you can decoupage the image right on top. Any local crafts store has decoupage glaze that is used to easily affix the map onto most any surface.

The items that can be adorned are endless! For instance:

-Book covers

-Lampshades

-Transfer the image onto fabric to make one-of-a-kind pillows and sheets; even T-shirts

-Luggage

-Vases

-Lighting switch plates

-Photo albums ï¿½ especially those of vacations pictures ï¿½ use a map from your own travels

-Note cards

Globes can also be used creatively. When cut in half, the result is a perfect vessel that lends itself to various uses.

A wall clock can be easily made with the purchase of a clock kit. These are inexpensive and available at any box store or crafts store. Insert the clock mechanisms and hands into the hole that once supported the globeï¿½s stand. Mount it on the wall and you have appealing wall dï¿½cor as well as another timepiece.

While at the box or crafts store, pick up a light kit, which are also inexpensive and easy to use. Half of the globe could also be used as a hanging light fixture over a desk or side table.

Mount one hemisphere onto a base of your choosing, paint or lacquer the inside and you have a bowl that can be used for almost anything depending on the original size of the globe. If it is on the smaller size, it would serve as a perfect catch all on your desk for paper clips. Larger ones can even be used to hold a centerpiece of fruit or flowers on your counter or dining room table.

As you can see, when you look beyond an objectï¿½s original use, you can come up with a myriad of ways to repurpose it.

Reusing Relics

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:15:39 -0400

If you have ever renovated or rebuilt portions of a house, barn or maybe even an old church, chances are you ended up tossing away items that seemed useless other than for what they were originally used. Perhaps some of the items even caught your eye but you simply had no idea what to do with them. The key is to think out of the box by looking beyond the objectï¿½s original purpose.
Architectural items like old columns and balusters can be used in many creative ways. For instance, beautiful table bases can be made with old chimney pots. Old porch balusters can adorn the front of base cabinetry in your kitchen or bath. Depending on the height of a column, it can lend itself to be used as a unique pedestal for a plant or piece of art.

Antique or vintage wooden doors offer numerous repurposes. Tables and headboards become real conversation pieces when made from these. A kitchen islandï¿½s look can be totally transformed by laying one of these old beauties on its side horizontally and turned into the islandï¿½s main face piece.

Metal items, such as old ironwork, if sized appropriately, can be refashioned into room dividers or backdrops behind furniture, like a sofa. Smaller gates can be mounted on the wall or ceiling to use as pot racks. Old metal heat registers can be quite ornate. Used on tabletops, they can be decorative in their own right. Or put them to work as hotplates. One person I know even used one over a recessed area on the front wooden landing outside their front door as a place to wipe dirt and grime off of shoes.

There are countless possibilities for smaller items like cornices and brackets. They can be used to serve practical functions such as drape swag holders or bookends. Instant art can be achieved by showcasing them in a prominent area of your home. Add an up light and voila ï¿½ youï¿½ve created a gallery in your home.

Listen to your creative instincts and run with them. There are no rules other than to have fun and express who you really are.

Fun With Findings

Tue, 19 May 2009 12:14:18 -0400

Ideas for Those Odds and Ends
Hang onto those odds and ends you find in your garage and attic. Here are some ideas for just a few of the items you most likely have hanging around gathering dust.

Wooden Ladders ï¿½ Paint an old wooden ladder and prop it up against a wall in your home. In your living room or den, it can serve as a magazine rack. In a bath, the shorter stepstool versions, whether hung or freestanding, can easily become towel racks. If your kitchen dï¿½cor tends to be more country, primitive or rustic, hang one horizontally from the ceiling. The result is a unique rack to hang all sorts of pots and pans from. This works especially well over a kitchen island.

Picnic Baskets ï¿½ Stack a few to create a quaint and practical end table. Store extra throw pillows or magazines inside for quick and easy access when needed. Storage items also help to add a little extra weight, which help to keep the baskets from tipping over.

Vintage Wooden Rakes ï¿½ Whether the handle is still attached or not, old wooden rakes offer a lot of charm and purpose when hung by a back entryway. Keys, small baskets, jackets and scarves can all find homes hanging here.

Antique Furniture Hardware ï¿½How often do we find mismatched hardware from old furniture tucked here and there in junk drawers? Put them to use! Loop-handled pulls from old bureaus work great as eyeglass holders. Mount one or more on your wall or inside a cabinet and you will always know where your glasses are! Attach a metal O-ring and a clip and these can also be used to hang spare keys.

Wooden Shutters ï¿½ If you find yourself with one or more old shutters, they can be repurposed in a multitude of ways. Depending on the particular style of the shutter (louver, flat front, etc), these can be used as magazine racks when propped along a wall. If you have two or more shutters, they can be hinged together and used a room screens or room dividers. Adorn them with the paint color or dï¿½cor of your choice to create an innovative and practical accent to any room in your home. Or perhaps mount them to the wall behind your bed to create a one-of-a-kind headboard. In your living room, they make for an interesting backdrop or wall treatment behind the sofa or buffet.

Vintage Doorknobs ï¿½ Anything displayed in a group creates visual interest. They can also serve a practical purpose. Mount 3 or more doorknobs (the old glass or porcelain ones look especially charming) onto a board and create an instant rack to hang just about anything from jewelry to hand towels to your doggieï¿½s leash!

Dresser Drawer ï¿½ Regardless of the size of the drawer, it can be refashioned very easily for various uses. Attach casters to the bottom and you have instant under bed storage that can be easily accessed and rolled back into place. Or, create a base from wooden crates for instance, and turn that drawer into a coffee or side table topped with either glass or a wooden board cut to size. When done with more than one drawer, they can be placed next to one another to form a modular table whose size can be configured according to need.