Preserving the Past
A decade ago I did a post about wallpaper discoveries. It was all very exciting and urge you to read this post.
In short, this is what the upper stairhall was papered in. The miraculous Bo ascertained the maker (!!!!) and found a pristine sample:
The Cross House paper though had a silver background. Courtesy Historic New England
But, did the paper continue down to the lower hall?
Several years elapsed before the above question was answered: YES!
I have preserved and painted around a fragment of the 1894 wallpaper in the South Hall. This will help inform future owners of the house (assuming I do not live forever).
Recently, I discovered this paper behind some base in the South Hall. It looks like reptile skin, right? I have not found this anywhere else in the house. I assume the paper is circa-1950 because that is when this wall (under the main staircase) was altered and replastered for the motel conversion.
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By leaving a fragment of the paper unpainted won’t it detract from crispness?
It is a lovely fragment!
Love the Cross House posts!
Ross will find a way to frame it or something to make it crispy.
Thank you, Candy.
Ohhh! Ross, you should frame that fragment with flat, clear glass and make a half-frame from the leftover Gesso trim.
Love the idea of leaving the original paper in situ. If you wanted to be very extra, you could frame it in some way as others have suggested, and then add a discreet little museum-style plaque explaining its provenance!