THE W. P. ADDEN HOUSE
Many of the old houses still contain some fine specimens of old hardware
that were used when they were built, more especially the H and L hinges
and the old latches which have not been removed. The knockers have often
disappeared, being more conspicuous and therefore eagerly sought, not
only by collectors but by builders of new houses into which Colonial
ideas have been introduced.
If you are looking for this particular feature in the farmhouse, you
will probably find it widely varied, as the different owners of the
house each had his own special ideas and changed the hardware to suit
his tastes. Many did not realize the importance of these fixtures in
retaining the sixteenth and seventeenth-century interiors.
It is absolutely necessary that the hardware should correspond in
material to period. Too little thought has been given to this subject
and has led to an incongruous use of hardware, leaving an impression of
lack of information concerning the correct architectural details of the
house. There is a decided difference between the hardware that was used
in the latter part of the sixteenth century and the early seventeenth
and that we employ to-day. The twentieth-century "builders' hardware"
covers a great variety of objects included in every part of the house.
In Colonial times the term was applied to few, such as latches, locks,
knockers, and hinges, some of which were very ornamental in design, for
they ranged from small pieces to large ones.
The evolution of this special feature of the house is of interest to
the house builder; it originated in the Dark Ages, at which period we
find used Romanesque, Renaissance, and Gothic types in so many
different forms that it is little wonder the architect turns to them
for copy. The best examples are seen in the late sixteenth and early
seventeenth-century houses, when the decoration of the entrance door was
a very serious subject and received great attention, especially during
the Colonial period. Then the knockers were of the most importance and
were either of cast-iron or brass. The former were often very beautiful
in design and were used on the earlier houses, for brass did not come
into favor until later. Unfortunately the waning vogue of this piece of
hardware led to many rare pieces being destroyed or thrown into the
melting pot. It is fortunate that some house owners realized their worth
and that collectors felt they would become a fad later on and so stored
them away, which accounts for many old knockers found on the market
to-day.
The latch, lock, knob, and hinge are also interesting. The former is
made from either iron or brass but rarely of any other metal. Before the
appearance of the latch, the door-ring was used, but this it would be
most difficult to locate. The thumb-latch is occasionally fanciful in
design but is generally very plain and is rarely seen even in old-time
houses, having been replaced by the door-knob. The most common feature,
and one which we are quite apt to discover, is the long strap-hinge
which was designed for a special purpose, for we must remember that in
the early days wooden pins were used to fasten the door; and while they
kept it compact, yet it demanded the strap-hinge also for protection.
This hinge will be found in many different patterns and makes, sometimes
running almost the entire width of the door, and often constructed in
three sections,--the upper, lower, and central, although frequently
only two were used. The ornamental ones are rarely if ever seen in
farmhouses, being confined to the wealthier class. The plain iron ones
were more often found, and these are of two types,--the one known as the
H hinge and the other as the H and L.
Closet doors often are equipped with the H hinge which takes its name
from its formation. Because of the fact that the home builders of to-day
are turning their attention more and more to the use of decorative
hardware, one should be very careful to retain this feature as an
effective detail in the interior finish of a remodeled farmhouse.
In the town of Reading, Massachusetts, is a most attractive remodeled
farmhouse that has been carefully worked out by W. P. Adden with such a
regard for the preservation of old-time atmosphere that it can be
considered as a fine type to copy. Not only has the exterior been
carefully planned, but the owner has gone farther and made a special
study of the hardware, so that the house to-day contains many wonderful
examples that are correct in their treatment and add much to the
atmosphere of the home.
[Illustration: THE W. P. ADDEN HOUSE]
This old farmhouse was originally a gambrel-roofed cottage built about
1760 and was probably a four-roomed house, as is indicated by the
partitions filled with brick that were found in the center of the
present house, and also by an old brick oven and fireplace which were
buried up and covered over by the portion of an old brick chimney
evidently added later. The additions to this dwelling, even when
purchased by the present owner, had been carefully planned, so that
there were no awkward joinings or incongruous jogs discernible in the
outline. There is no doubt that here, as in other old farmhouses, the
early builders had displayed an inherent sense of proper proportion, and
the additions which were made from time to time might be said to be
after-expressions of first thoughts.
When this house was first purchased, it was in an excellent state of
preservation, with the exception of the ell which was past repairing. It
faced directly south and had evidently been set by a compass regardless
of street boundary, though the location was only a short distance from
the main road. The design of the house contained all the characteristics
of early construction,--the small-paned windows, closely cropped eaves,
and long, unrelieved, roof line. At the time of the purchase of the
estate, which had originally included hundreds of acres, it was
surrounded by a low wall of field stone which had evidently been taken
from the grounds to make tillage possible. The house stood on a slope
and was surrounded by grass land; the same idea is carried out to-day,
in that little attempt has been made at garden culture, the owner
preferring to keep the estate as near as possible to the farm lands of
centuries ago.
After the remodeling was commenced, many interesting facts of
construction were brought to light. The north side of the house, which
was originally the rear, was changed by the present owner into the main
front, with entrance and staircase hall. The hall was necessarily small,
and in order to make it practical, five feet of the large central
chimney had to be removed, including three fireplaces and two brick
ovens. It was then found that this portion had evidently been added to
the house after the original chimney had been built, as an old fireplace
and brick oven were found on the line of a partition on the south side
of the hall. It was also discovered that in all probability the original
house had a lean-to at the north which was used for a kitchen, and that
this fireplace and brick oven were a part of the old room. The original
chimney was found by actual measurement to be sixteen feet by seven and
a half feet, and the stone foundation was the largest ever seen, being
ample enough to accommodate the wide hearths as well as the chimney. In
fact, to-day it takes all the central portion of the basement, leaving
two small spaces on either side. In the remodeling, it was found that
the original work was laid up with clay, meadow clay being taken as a
binder.
The exterior required little alteration, save on the north side, where
it was necessary to remove a portion of the wall in order to run the
hall out under the roof of the house so that it might be two stories in
height. The front of the house, which faced directly south, was left
unaltered, with the exception that on the opposite side from the ell a
glass-enclosed piazza was built of like width, length, and height. This
afforded a ballast, as it were, to the main building and made a
comfortable playroom for the children.
A new porch, arched with Colonial pillars, was built at the front of the
house in keeping with the type. In the ell a second one of less formal
proportions was designed which was reached by a flagging of rough
stones. A third porch of entirely different character was a finish to
the rear of the house and shows lattice work, being quite ornamental in
design.
The angle formed by the main building and the new ell gave space for a
flower plot, and here is located a small rose garden. This is outlined
by broad paths of stone; surrounding the whole are wide borders of
old-fashioned flowers which lend a touch of color that is very
attractive.
[Illustration: The Stairway]
Entering through the front porch, one comes to a new hall, and with the
exception of this, there has been little change in interior. This hall
is most interesting; here are found the H and L hinges, a yellow and
white Colonial wall-paper, and a staircase that divides at the landing
and by easy treads leads on either side to chambers above. An old
grandfather's clock is an appropriate furnishing for this part of the
house. All through the lower story the old woodwork has been carefully
preserved, and where it was destroyed it has been replaced.
The living-room is practically as it was when purchased. Here we find
the H hinges and the old-time latches, while through the center of the
room runs a beam which had to be cased in and which has been painted
white to match the trim. At one side a built-in bookcase has followed
the architectural lines so perfectly that it seems as if it had been
there ever since the house was built. The simple Colonial fireplace
shows more ornamentation than is generally found in old farmhouses,
which indicates that it was of a better type dwelling. With its new wall
hangings and white trim, this room is most attractive. It connects with
the sun-parlor at one end and is well-lighted and most homelike in
atmosphere.
The dining-room, facing east, has had a new group of windows added and
contains the largest fireplace in the house. The china closet above the
fireplace was discovered when the plaster was removed for the purpose of
building in a similar one. This room is fitted with H and L hinges and
the old-time iron latch. It was originally a portion of the old kitchen,
the remainder of it being taken for a lavatory and passageway.
All through the house we find that careful attention has been paid not
only to hardware but to furnishings. No new-fashioned pieces have been
used in any room in the house, and this careful attention to details has
been carried out even in the lighting fixtures, which are all of the
Colonial type.
The second-story floor has undergone changes to meet the requirements of
the present owner. One half of this story is devoted to the nursery; it
is equipped with a large fireplace, deep closets, bath, and nurse's
room, while the remainder provides a large bedroom, bath, and
dressing-room. It has been so arranged that each part is distinct by
itself, and convenience has been looked after in every particular.
The original attic was entirely unfinished, and when new stairs were
erected in the second-story hall, there was great difficulty in finding
room enough to enter the attic by the side of the large chimney.
In the remodeling of this house, comfort, a careful following of
Colonial details, and an especial attention to the hardware are the
salient features.