Victorian Period Design: Egyptian Revival

Egyptian Revival is perhaps the 'rarest of the rare' in terms of Victorian Period Interior design. Egyptian Revival ran concurrent with Renaissance Revival. In may ways Egyptian revival was "fad" but it was typically a fad reserved for the very rich. Manufactures like Pottier & Stymus, Marcotte and Herter Bros. Cabinet makers Kimbus and Cabell and the Allen Bros produced high end pieces as well.

The opening of the Suez Canal really inspired people to acquire "things Egyptian" the style found its way into jewelry, and stained glass and art. Today Egyptian Revival pieces are the most sought after and coveted by serious collectors. The style was an "American Thing" and did not catch on in Europe.

Stylistically most pieces follow standard Renaissance revival forms but with Egyptian ornamentation. The Richard Ruetlinger House in San Francisco may have one of the best Egyptian Victorian parlors in the country. The style featured a resurgence in 1922 when Tutankhamen's Tomb was discovered.

Now most will never own a Pottier and Stymus Egyptian parlor set or chairm but it is possible by mixing Renaissance revival furniture with Egyptian busts, Tapestries and Egyptian reproduction accessories to recreate the "look" of the Egyptian Revival.

Victorian Egyptian Style was the rarest of the rare, just like the Egyptian artifacts that inspired it.

Annual Antique Sale a Sucess

Comfortable 'Non rainy" weather, brought out people to attend the annual Woodruff Place Flea Market and we therefore had a good turnout for our annual antique sale. It was allot of work lugging things in and out for the two day sale (we worked on the Cincinnati house on Sunday) and I could have easily brought out more merchandise. We offered a variety of merchandise antique furniture, art and estate jewelry.

Of course I am looking forward to the day when we can get some shop space and get open in Cincinnati and I need to redouble my efforts to locate the right building for our purposes.

Our Annual Antique Sale June 5th and 6th

Friday and Saturday will be our 5th (and Final) Indianapolis Antique Sale, Held at our home in Indianapolis 417 N Arsenal, Indianapolis 10-6. We will we selling a variety of items. We hold this sale at this time every year because the annual Woodruff Place Flea Market is just two block away and draws a national audience. The good stuff sells quickly!

Items Include: Fireplace mantle, Victorian Newel Post,Victorian Parlor Chairs, MT table, Stenciled top victorian table, Dining room Buffet, Victorian baby buggy, Stained glass Windows, Antique books including a complete set Library of standard Literature circa 1895, Back issues Old house Journal, This Old House, Victorian Homes Magazines, Murano art glass bowl, Hundred of Antique Lithographs from the 1880's, Sterling silver, estate jewelry, Oriental rug, ESTEY Pump Organ, Misc chairs, Upholstry fabric, Vanity mirror, Lighting fixtures: 1930 Lincoln ART DECO chandelier, Rare 1920's crystal three drop chandelier. Noritake bowls, Staffordshire English China, Antique table lamps, EMPORER Mantle clock, Craftsman Andirons, Arts and Crafts table, and boxes of small items, statuary and Bric a brac.

Always a well attended sale and Additional items will be brought out on Saturday

Historic Courthouse Fire in Madison Indiana

The dome and the courthouse's central tower of the 154-year-old Jefferson Country Courthouse appears to be severely damaged in a fire yesterday.

Fire crews from across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky were called to the Ohio River town to battle the blaze that was reported around 6 p.m. Smoke billowed hundreds of feet into the air as flames shot out the top of the building.

Contractors had been restoring the dome and had just finished painting it in preparation for Madison's bicentennial, June 6-14. . As of this morning the building is deemed too dangerous to enter until enginners and firefighters can inspect the building.

The courthouse is in designated a National Register Historic District.

Restoration Resources: New Period Wallpapers

Mason & Wolf Wallpapers http://mason-wolf.com/main.htm has just released a new wallpaper called Osaka

"A delicate dusting of glittering leaves and starbursts decorate this Japanese-inspired paper. Gold, copper and bronze inks on a creamy yellow ground produce an effect that is positively celestial. Osaka can be used on walls or ceilings. Hand-printed in a historic 18 inch width in authentic colors, Osaka comes with two companion borders. "

This company has an outstanding line of Period design wallpapers in the Dresser tradition and the Aesthetic movement. More information is on their site and you can now order samples Online.

Extreme Home Makeover comes to Indy and why I am not excited

Well the Extreme Home makeover folks are in Indy and I'm not really excited. I guess the only fortunate part of it is that they are tearing down a house that historically has no value. That's a good thing. The bad thing is that the house will be worthless in the neighborhood they are building it in and they will "saddle' the family with a home that they will never get any "real Money" out of should they need to ever sell. A property tax bill of 3-4000.00 or more a year not to mention the fact that the neighborhood is a war zone and homeowners insurance will cost them a mint if they can even afford it. Also do not forget the IRS tax to pay on all of this .

For what will be spent building the house, the man hours involved, and for those of you who care about such things, "the carbon footprint" of this project. (You should see the Rows of luxury RV's that the staff and crew have parked near the site), Extreme Home Makeover could have gone to the burbs bought 20-30 foreclosures in a great, low crime, neighborhood and relocated the entire neighborhood that is frankly one of the few parts of town most people will drive out of their way to avoid.

For all their "Good Intentions" it is amazing how many recipients of this " good will" have had to file bankruptcy do the upkeep and maintenance costs.

I know this isn't a populist viewpoint, but I have to think there is a better way of helping people other than parading them on TV so the viewers can "feel good". Interestng that they dont followup on what REALLY happens to teh recipients of this generousity.

An article about the "downside" of "Winning" a makeover:

http://www.freemoneyfinance.com/2008/07/two-more-extrem.html

Class Action Lawsuit could result in Drywall Recall

A class-action lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Miami against a manufacturer of Chinese drywall, follows at least two others and may result in an eventual drywall recall.

This high-sulfur Chinese drywall installed in homes during 2005 and 2006 has been linked to more than 100 complaints at the Florida Department of Health Complaints include an odor of rotten eggs, sickness and metal corrosion in air conditioners. The drywall 'outgases" the sulfur and causes major deterioration to electrical wiring and electronics in the home.

One consumer agency has stated that this drywall has been found in 41 states. America's Watchdog, has said that 250 million feet of the drywall came into the United States from China. The drywall entered into ports located along the West Coast - including Long Beach and Oakland, California, and Seattle, Washington. It also entered from ports in New York, New Jersey and Florida, the group said.

This drywall appears to have been sold in Ohio.

Many U.S. drywall manufacturers could also be affected because Knauf Plasterboard - the Chinese company that manufactured the drywall - sold the material to U.S. companies through a "private label" program, America's Watchdog said. Under such an agreement, Knauf supplied drywall would be re-labeled and distributed under the U.S. manufacturer's name.

This could potentially affect contractors or even home remodelers who purchased drywall. Often there have been complaints of a rotten egg smell on humid days. Some of this drywall was stamped KNAUF on the back. Signs of a problem will include black 'smudging" on electrical wiring. Exposure to the Chinese drywall has also been reportedly linked to potential health problems, like insomnia, nosebleeds, headaches and breathing difficulties and estimated 300,000 homes built or remodeled between 2005-2007 could contain this product.

In addition to the smell of rotten eggs, these are other signs that your home may be defective:

Frequent replacement of A/C system or refrigerator components (such as air coils)DANGER: If you have experienced loss of "Freon" or refrigerant from your A/C system, it may have leaked into your home from sulfer eaten pinholes in your equipment. Wiring that has turned black and/or is corroded. Piping that has turned black and/or needs replacing. Silver jewelry turning black.Electrical problems. Respiratory problems

This is just the latest of a series of issues with Chinese manufactured products

INDIANAPOLIS: Historic Landmarks Office safe after 28 Million dollar fire next door

The Indianapolis Office of Historic Landmarks appears safe after a a fire engulfed a 28 million dollar luxury apartment building under construction next door. The 3 Alarm fire broke out about 3:30 this morning in the "Cosmopolitan on the Canal" apartments on Michigan. Fire Trucks zoomed past our House early this morning and I could see the light in the sky downtown from our house. I got in the car and was able to get around the area to the western side of the canal to snap this shot before they closed everything down around the area. On the left is the historic mansion which is the site of Historic Landmarks. Due to the urban nature of the area this fire was dangerously close and thanks to the work of local firefighters who responded quickly this structure was saved.

At this point it appears that the Historic landmarks offices building which is right next door to the Cosmopolitan may have suffered only some minor damage to the roof on the newer structure than was built behind the historic mansion which was moved to the site that house offices for the foundation.

The Charles J. Kuhn House, is a local landmark . Kuhn, a German immigrant who owned a successful meat-packing business, built the Italianate home for his family at 413 West Michigan Street in 1879. Landmarks moved the home from its original location and moved it to 340 West Michigan Street Back in 1985. The mansion had many years of rough use and many had suggested that it should be bulldozed. The home was restored as part of a 2.1 million dollar project that included the construction of the new addition that houses offices for the foundation. Few people remember that this house was actually moved to this location and it was quite a site to see it lumbering down the street back then.

The Cosmopolitan on the canal is a luxury mixed use building, a Flaherty & Collins Properties development, was under construction and expected to open this summer. Many streets downtown are closed to traffic.

Our home in Indianapolis is about 1 mile east of this development and from our house right now at 7:30 AM the downtown area is still covered in smoke. Fortunately the wind is blowing in the other direction! Cause of the fire is not yet known and the building was unoccupied.

Historic Homes: Review your Homeowners Insurance

Spring is just around the corner and like most of us you may be planning this summer's "Big Project". Maybe you are updating a kitchen or adding a carriage house. Chances are you may be hiring help this summer on projects.

Now is the perfect time to take 10 minutes and pull that insurance policy out and take a look at it. Insurance is a necessity of life and as most Historic Homeowners will tell you , often hard to find. Insurance companies don't like to insure those big old houses and often the premiums are high.

Now is the time to look at your coverage. If you have been having your insurance automatically updated you might be "over-insured". Property values have dropped dramatically as well as labor costs for repairs. Some parts of the country have lost 20-40 percent of value. See just how much your home is insured for. One thing to remember, If you have a claim it is often very expensive to repair. For example a slate or tile roof can run 50-75 thousand or more to replace. Make sure you coverage is adequate to cover that worst case scenario and if something catastrophic happened that you would have enough funds to repair or find another similar home in the event of a total loss. Also look at the size of your deductible and review to See if its too high or too low.

Most Historic Homeowners also collect antiques. Do you have riders for valuable items such as pianos or rare art? Review you policy carefully. Now is the time to take that video camera or digital camera and take photos of every room in your house. Save a copy of this off site or online in a password protected secure site. If someone steals your home computer there goes your proof.

Many homes now have security systems and if you have added one you may qualify for a discount. Also if you insure your car with the same insurer you may also qualify for a discount.

THE FINE PRINT: If you are planning on hiring a contractor see what the liability of your insurance is in event of a problem. Any contractor you hire MUST be licenced, bonded and have liability insurance and Workman's comp. Permits area necessity and often an insurer might deny a claim IF permits were not pulled and the work was not inspected. Adding a bathroom or a major remodel such as a kitchen should be reviewed by you agent as your home value may have increased and you may need more coverage. Events caused by your negligence may not be covered. For example of you take a blowtorch to remove paint on the outside of your house and you cause the fire you may not be covered! Do you have fireplace or added a woodburning stove? You may not be covered in case of a chimney fire? Check the fine print. Own a dog? Many companies now have clauses on Pitbulls,Rottweilers and other "attack dogs" and may not cover you if you own one of these breeds. If your municipality has passed laws against keeping these breeds your insurance company can deny your claim! Do NOT assume you have dog bite coverage.

Also look at infrastructure. Has the city added a fire hydrant near you or maybe built a new fire station or police station closer to your home? Those can affect your rate. Also if crime has significantly decreased in your zip code you may qualify for discount.

Do you have flood insurance or earthquake insurance? Now is time to review that and if you do not have it what are the costs of adding it. have you added more smoke detectors or now have a wired in system, or a sprinkler system, then often can get you a discount.

AVOIDING A PROBLEM: Do a Inspection of your home. Have any old trees that might be a problem? If so cut them down NOW, Don't wait for a problem later. Now is good time to inspect your windows and doors and the overall security of your home. Do you have adequate lighting on the outside. Are trees and bushes providing a possible place for an intruder to hide. If you do not have neighborhood crime watch talk to you local crime watch coordinator about starting a crime watch for your block.

A little review, a little planning and some common sense can make sure both your home and your family are safe and protected.

Urban gardening: Spring is coming!!!

It is not far away! We have already experienced that occasional warm day. Now is the time to be planning your spring and summer gardening projects. Urban gardeners face unique challenges from those in the burbs. Gardening space is smaller and you need to get the most bang for the buck. One thing you should do now, in preparation for spring, is look at your gardening tools. Clean shovels, make sure the tires are good on that wheelbarrow. If you have a wrought iron fence or picket fence use those first warm days to scape and paint it. It is much easier before your plants go in and much cooler than the dog days of summer.

Now while we all might like that grand Victorian estate garden like this one at Biltmore, most of us have to deal with a small lot and planning is the key. Urban homes usually have small front yards. Think of your front yard as a "entry way". Long before your guests are at your front door they have really already entered your home. Your front garden should be bright and inviting. If space allows consider an arbor over your front walk. Flower boxes are great for those who have no front yard and you should look for low maintenance plants.

Many homes in an urban setting often are by busy streets, consider using water to create" white noise". Fountains are great and can take the shape of a grand fountain like this Victorian 4 tier or a smaller urn with a bubbler.

Done in phases, most people can achieve low maintenance attractive garden and while you neighbor is out mowing the grass and trimming, you can be relaxing in your garden. Most urban homes have two, sometimes three "outdoor rooms" The front, the back and sometimes a side garden. By treating these as separate projects it is easier to get a sense of satisfaction in a hurry. Gardening is a great "Urban Revitalization" tool. You will find when you fix up your yard the neighbors become a little jealous, gardening is infectious and don't be surprised when that neighbor whom you thought didn't care at all starts keeping their place a little cleaner.

Don't forget that your porch can be an enjoyable outside room, Today there area variety of Victorian era furniture, Wicker is a great option and the new resin based products are very durable to the elements. Consider using an outdoor "rug" on your porch space, especially if you have a concrete floor that you would like to hide. Porch swings are "very victorian" and you can even find them at your local "big box" home depot or Lowes. Hanging baskets add a colorful accent.

Whether its a small "vignette" or a grand garden space. A garden can be a relaxing way to slow down at the end of a busy day. Soon we will begin our series on the Gardens at Knox Hill. We have extensive plans for our double lot that includes ponds, a sunken garden, a side formal courtyard with fountain and an outdoor gazebo space with formal gardens. It should be an exciting summer at Knox Hill.