If you have perhaps not yet spent quite enough attention planning out your mouldings, I ran across this book: "Furniture Moulding... to 1820" by Warne (published 1923).
If you enjoy English furniture, you may enjoy a quick look!
If a plain box is good enough for cigars, it is good enough for me!
I found it interesting tht there is a formal book on it. Just one of those thing I never thought about. You just go to the lumberyard and pick out some window trim in the style of the day.
We have some interesting buildings in this country, but I marvel at buildings in Europe that are 500 or a 1000 years old that are so elaborate and ornate. To my wife's chagrin, I can sit and admire the details for a long time.
We take it for granted today to buy or make a molding quickly shaped by a machine. Just push this board through. Take away our power tools and then make and install crown molding.
I wasn't aware of a formal book, either. I like viewing the ideas and con cepts. Thanks, Bill, for posting it.
Yep. Some years ago, I made some astragals and T astragals by hand. Tha t was quite a challenge, for me. I particularly noticed, plates 35 (I thi nk) and several others (plates 76, 77, 78 or there abouts), the similar mol dings between cabinet doors, were similar to astragal moldings. I thought those moldings must be pretty delicate and prone to breaking, easily. Bu t then again, nice cabinets as that may not have been subject to too much a buse.... but 'cepts maybe for liquor cabinets.
If you are interested in this stuff look for "The Gentleman & Cabinet Makers Director" by Thomas Chippendale on Google Books.
I've got a reprint of it that was put out by Dover Press some time ago.
Thank you, John. I'll look for the book on Google Book! I have the following book which contains three closely-related books.
Yeah... No matter what I do it seems to cost me at least $40-50 every time I leave the house!
I am not directly addressing you, Ed. The development of moldings represents quite a lot thinking (think of architecture--as you did). Think of churches, Greek architecture and many other buildings and things that we wish to "distinguish" to the "very best" of our capabilities. Then one begins to see that they are intrinsically related to the human spirit and that they are a reflection of the people who made them.
By sharing a copy of the book, I was not suggesting that it's a book that should be read, I was merely propagating the values you already have that make you able to marvel at at buildings in Europe 500-1000 years old. In the year, 3000, will anyone marvel at those built circa 2000?
No kidding! Centuries old buildings still in use today and in the US with so called better new building technology we tend to tear buildings down long before they reach the end of their lives.
The National Cathedral in DC is pretty unique. It took around 100 years to build and was relatively recently completed, IIRC in the 1980's. Craftsmen worked their entire carriers on that building.
I have to wonder how long it took to make moldings with out power tools.
Since most of the wood is removed with a rebate plane or other means, not too long--assuming a "sensible" type of wood.
I'm curious about maximum lengths that they found to be efficient? 4', 8', 12'?
Henry Ford's mansion (completed in 1916) is packed-full of beautiful molding.
While I don't know for certain whether it is or isn't, that's late enough time frame to have been machine-moulded, not necessarily handmade.
Hmm.. It didn't occur to me that they might have done some of the carving off-site--duh! There's a lot of wood in that place--especially around the staircase. I'll see if I can locate some photos online to jog my memory.
The A.S.& J. Gear Co. and the Combination Molding and Planing Machine Co. were having a series of courtroom battles over the patents for the shaper in the 1860s. By the time Henry Ford's mansion was built machine-made moldings would have been commonplace.
Pretty much all, if not all, of the Victorian homes used off the shelf moldings, doors, railings, windows, etc.
The Shakers were using a lot of machines in their factories by the later half of the 19th century... bandsaws, jointers, thickness planers, table saws, mortising machines, lathes, etc.
And I am sure it is all relative, certainly the moldings were a profitable venture.
I can't say any of the houses I've lived in have been all that spectacular in terms of molding or details. They've been nice houses, sure, well except that one that was held up by 2 2x4s screwed together, but no big loss to see them torn down and rebuilt with modern electrical and insulation.
What I don't understand is why surface-run electrical either looks ugly but is cheap (PVC pipe) or looks ok but is expensive (wiremold). Can't we come up with a nice looking retrofit system that looks decent and is inexpensive?
Office furniture edgebanding (PVC, T-profile)?
How much will it cost to paint the interior of my house?
updating wardrobe doors - a simple question !
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What do you consult for design inspiration?