Want To Earn A Million Dollars?
The Cross House has eight fireplaces. All were originally coal-burning (but I am not sure why they were ever used as the house had a new-fangled radiator system).
Each opening is surrounded by an artful array of figurative tiles by the American Encaustic Tiling Company. A few have gone missing over the years.
So, here is the deal. If you ever come across matching tiles, I will pay you a million dollars! Yes, a million dollars!
In the Octagon Bedroom, one tile is missing, and was infilled with a plain red tile. The adjacent tile was at some point reinstalled upside-down. The tiles are 6×6. The color in the image is not accurate.
The upside-down miscreant.
I have righted the image. Again, I need one such 6×6 tile. The color is accurate.
The 6×6 tiles in the Sewing Room. I need two.
One wonders what happened to this poor dear?
After a whole year of a daily eBay search, at last matching tiles were found. Whoee! But, darn, the color does not match. Poo.
Oh, this will confirm that I do, indeed, have a million dollars.
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Couldn’t you just replace the sewing room tiles with these others, and just make a pattern of sorts, color-wise? I know it wouldn’t be exactly right, but it would be the same laurel wreath pattern and still using antique tiles. Just a thought. Not sure how many original tiles are in the fireplace, but you might be able to make these five good replacements work.
You may have luck with these three salvage yards that don’t have big websites or use ebay – if you send them pictures they’ll keep an eye peeled… Pinch of the Past in Savannah, Architectural Antiques and Design in Charleston, and Architectural Accents in Atlanta. I’ve been to all three, and the last two especially have astounding tile collections. Which reminds me, I need to do the same…
OK! I contacted all three salvage yards! Crossing my fingers….
Ross: I’m not sure if you’d be willing to go with a reproduction. But Su Harvey at Prairie Mile Tile does beautiful work, and might be able to reproduce the tiles for you.
Here’s a link to her website:
http://suharvey.com/index.html
Alright, I search their entire inventory and came up with a lot of “close but no cigar”, but they do have a lot, so perhaps watch these guys? http://ogtstore.com/architectural-antiques/antique-tile.html
Best of luck with your search!
Oh then there are these guys, who also happen to have the tiles in pink.. http://www.urbanremainschicago.com/products/architectural/majolica-fireplace-tile/group-of-three-matching-early-20th-century-american-pink-majolica-glazed-fireplace-tiles-featuring-laurel-wreaths-with-flowing-ribbons.html
Still searching, but have you considered reproductions?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Antique-USET-Majolica-Fireplace-Raised-Relief-Tile-Set-Gold-Green-Laurel-Wreath-/222293517049
Close enough?
Cool! But they are gold, and I need pale lettuce green!