I learned the other day (from reading an architecture book I picked up) that the chimneys of Merriman Park are not historically accurate --guess chimney pots weren't invented until the Victorian Era. Ooops.
Duh Moment
I've been beating myself up about this because I feel like I should have known this already. It's even worse because the book I "discovered" this information in was one of those books that you buy on a whim (this one was at the woodworking shop where I exchanged the aforementioned gouge, and it was titled Architecture For Dolls' Houses 40% OFF --how could I not get it?
So do I snap off the offending chimney pots, or leave them as is?
At first I was like, "whatevs," nobody will know the difference, but as time goes by, I get more and more incensed when I look at them.
They will have to go.
Could you pretend the chimney pots were added later, as an improvement, or is this going to be the original, pristine, "as-it-was-built" version?
ReplyDeleteDon't rip them off the building. That source of information you found is not correct.
ReplyDeleteIlluminated manuscripts from the 13th century show chimney pots on buildings.
Merriman Park was planned to have been built circa 1730 but I am going to decorate it in a later period style: the English Regency --circa 1800. It doesn't appear that houses built between those years would have had chimney pots. Not sure how I could have missed this little tidbit! So yes, Missy, the house will have some "original" Georgian decor mixed in with more "modern" Regency improvements.
ReplyDeleteThe Victorians, who LOVED to reserect past architectural styles, undoubtedly borrowed their chimney pots from an older (perhaps Medieval)? source.
Etchings of Carlton House, a regency styled building in the late 1700s and early 1800s showing chimney pots.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CarltonHouseFacade.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_s5HiEo4ABVg/S6PgEnQvcFI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/_3yyUNp1rbQ/s1600-h/Carltonhsexterior.jpg
Heathfield House circa 1800 showing chimney pots.
http://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/images/medium/medHeathfield_House.jpg
Regent Murrays house circa 1800 showing chimney pots.
http://www.antiquemapsandprints.com/SCANSF/F-1605.JPG
I will repeat it once more, your source is mistaken. Use the internet to verify architectural history details. Use keywords and search for old images that date to the era of time. They will not be photographs as photography did not exist. Google has an image search bar that allows for searching for black and white images only. That helps a lot when looking for old, original images of buildings versus finding modern photos of updated and remodeled buildings.