Historic Paint Finishes Report: The Original Finishes of the Verandah House, Corinth, Mississippi
Room 104: Conclusions and Finish Schedule
All of the original woodwork was completely stripped of all of the original paint finishes, and showed the same layering, beginning with the ca. 1921-1929 finish. The door frames, closet doors door to hall 100, window frame and baseboard all appear to be original woodwork elements, but have been stripped of the accumulated paint. The results from the Door to Hall 100 is the guiding sample, indicating that the woodwork was painted with the same white enamel that was used in the other rooms.
There are three elements that have been added to the room:
Mantel: added during the 1921-1929 renovations
Entablature: wood elements that were added during the 1921-1929 renovations
Center medallion: this is a plaster/composition element that appears to have been added within the past twenty years.
The Mantel should be removed and the wall surface examined: it is very likely that a smaller mantel was original to this location. Once the outline of the original mantel is found, a suitable restoration of the mantels might be done.
The Entablature is entirely 1921-1929 and should be removed. It is possible that better examples of the original wall and ceiling finishes may be found under the entablature.
The center medallion is relatively new and should be removed.
The window casements may also be replacements from the 1921-1929 renovations.
Recommended finishes:
All woodwork:
White: Benjamin Moore 0C-57 Gloss level: Semi-gloss
Ceiling:
White: Benjamin Moore 0C-57 Gloss level: Flat
Walls: Benjamin Moore: Light gray 1612 Gloss level: Flat
Alternative Wall treatment for Room 104: Wallpaper
The examination of the physical evidence in Room 104 does not preclude the possibility of the use of wallpaper in 1857. The physical evidence showed that the plaster was sized with a thin solution of hide glue, which could have been the initial application for installing wallpaper. It is also used in many cases when the walls are to be painted.
Two distinct finishes were found under the 1921-1929 canvas installation, which was part of the installation of the dado treatment in this room. The examination of the remaining woodwork finishes (primarily those under the escutcheons) indicate three finish periods indicating the early history of the house, as follows:
From the doors, under escutcheon plates:
1857: White enamel
1875: Oak graining Mary E. Curlee period
1878: Walnut graining Leroy Montgomery Huggins period (in some locations a second walnut graining was observed)
1921-1929: escutcheon in place
The corresponding finishes for the walls of Room 104 may be interpreted as follows:
1857: Light gray
1875: Moderate blue (largely washed off)
1878: Wallpaper (removed) or later distemper finish removed.
1921-1929: Canvas installed as part of the dado treatment
OR it may be interpreted as follows:
1857: Wallpaper
1875: Light gray
1878, and post: Moderate blue (largely washed off)
The physical evidence would have been the same in either case. In the writer’s opinion, the fact that Room 104 has no original cornice treatment as in the case of Rooms 101 and 102, that it seems equally likely that Room 104 would have been papered also.