THE GEORGE D. HALL HOUSE
Fortunate is he who, on opening up the old fireplace in the house he
intends to remodel, finds hidden away behind plaster and paper a pair of
old andirons and possibly a shovel and tongs, indispensable furnishings
for the fireplace. No old farmhouse but what has in almost every room
some kind of an open hearth, and these are useless for the burning of
wood without fire-dogs or andirons, as they are commonly known.
To the inexperienced house owner who is looking for economy in his house
furnishing, reproductions are tempting, and most attractive sets of
fire-dogs are to be found in almost every store. In choosing a set,
however, one must exercise judgment. Many of the reproductions are low
in cost but are really merely lengths of brass piping, showing brass
balls that are lacquered and strung together on invisible wire frames.
They are in reality the cheapest kind of spun-brass andirons. If one
with a knowledge of the weight of brass handles them, he will realize
their flimsiness, but thousands of people do not recognize the
difference. Poor fireplace accessories such as these detract greatly
from the charm that surrounds a good hearth and mantel.
It is no longer easy to pick up original, cut-brass andirons at the
antique and junk shops,--that is, at a reasonable price. It is in the
country places, old farmhouses, and from people who have not yet learned
to gage their worth, that one can get a good bargain, bringing often
only three or four dollars a pair, and being of the best material. In
reproduction there are on the market to-day plenty of good, cast-brass
andirons, but they are expensive and cannot be purchased at less than
seven dollars, ranging from that to a hundred dollars a pair, while the
spun-brass kind may be purchased for two dollars and a half a pair.
Andirons come in a great many heights, and in the olden times two sets
were used, the one holding the forestick, and the other the backlog. In
addition to that, in the earliest American houses, creepers were used;
they were, in reality, of iron, small enough to be placed between the
andirons, and they helped out in holding the sticks. The first material
used for andirons was iron, and we find to-day occasional specimens of
this kind, many of them not particularly graceful, while others are very
ornamental in design. There are the Hessian andirons which are found
either in plain iron or decorated with bright paint; these came into use
about 1776 and were used to caricature the British soldiers who were
very unpopular in our country.
The most interesting of these old andirons show unusual shapes, a great
many of them having artistic ornamentation; occasionally we find them
with brass tops. It was fitting to use this metal, on account of the
fire frame, which was of cast-iron as well, and while many of these were
of foreign manufacture, yet not a few were fashioned by the village
blacksmith. In the choice of andirons, the size of the fireplace should
be considered; the small ones should not have the steeple tops but
small, ball pattern or some other design that is low enough not to crowd
the fireplace and thus give the impression of bad taste. The large
fireplaces need the high andirons, of which there are so many different
kinds. The modern adaptation of the Colonial has brought these
furnishings into vogue, so that to-day it would be almost impossible to
tell the old from the new.
Shovel and tongs were much used during the early period, but a poker
never accompanied the set. These appeared after the introduction of coal
and are found among the reproductions on the market to-day. Another bit
of the furnishings is the fender, of which there are many designs, some
being of simple wire painted black with brass top and balls, while
others are entirely of brass. The warming-pan is an appropriate
accessory for this part of the room; it should be hung on a peg at one
side of the hearth. In addition to that, we find the bellows, some of
which are most decorative in their design. The proper selection of this
furniture gives an air of refinement to the room.
There is a most attractive farmhouse situated in Dover, Massachusetts.
It is owned by Mr. George D. Hall, and shows a series of remodelings,
rather than a complete work, for each year an addition has been made
which has bettered the initial scheme. The original farmhouse, for
instance, which was built in 1729, was a small, unpretentious building
that was very dilapidated in condition, but whose situation appealed to
its present owner. It was his desire to obtain an old house that could
be used if need be for an all-the-year-round home; plenty of land,
picturesque views, good landscape effects, and ample elbow room were
what he especially desired.
[Illustration: LONE TREE FARM]
The house stands back from a winding country road in one of the most
picturesque situations it would be possible to find. An old stone wall,
built over a century ago by the original owner, still forms a boundary
line to protect the grounds. Few estates show so many beautiful trees;
they add greatly to the pictorial effect of the place. Graceful elms
with swaying branches are on every side, while on the opposite side of
the road pine trees are in evidence, and on either side of the stone
wall wild shrubs have been planted. There has been no attempt at formal
arrangement of the grounds, not even with the garden which is at the
side of the house. There has been built simply a picturesque lattice
that separates house from barn and over which have been trained
attractive vines.
[Illustration: As Finally Remodeled]
In 1907 a wing was thrown out to the south, with an enclosed, tiled
porch and a sitting-room above. A small eyebrow window was placed in the
roof to light the stairway, while the original porch on the west and
south was carefully retained. Two years later this porch was removed,
and a smaller entrance one was substituted. This showed a brick walk
extending from carriage block to covered loggia at the south. Again in
1914 the eyebrow window was removed, and dormers inserted in the roof.
An open, tiled platform was built outside the enclosed loggia, and a
sleeping-porch was added to the east sitting-room. A garden and pond
were laid out to the south of the loggia, with a vista framed by two
huge elms that were some thirty feet south of the house. These
improvements have converted the old farmhouse into one of the most
interesting and beautiful houses that can be found.
Within the last few years the planting and garden effects have been more
carefully considered; the grounds have been enlarged, and at the left of
the house an old-fashioned garden has been laid out with a gazing-globe
for the central feature. The name "Lone Tree Farm" was given at the time
of purchase from the fact that a single tree guarded the house at the
front. This tree still stands but has been enhanced by the careful
planting of shrubbery on either side the driveway, which has now grown
until it has become a partial screen for the lower floor of the
farmhouse. Other trees have been added, and in order to obtain the
seclusion desired, extensive grounds have been purchased on the opposite
side of the road, so that no neighbors may come near enough to detract
from the quiet.
In remodeling this house, an ell has been added at the rear for the
service department, and a sun-parlor has been thrown out at one side.
This makes a most attractive living-room in winter and, with windows
removed, a cool sleeping-porch in the summer. The Colonial porch which
has been added at the front is much more attractive than the former long
veranda which is replaced by the sun-parlor. In painting the house,
white has been used with green blinds, so that it is in reality a
symphony of green and white, and as it stands in the center of the lot,
surrounded on three sides by pasture land, gardens, and meadows, and on
the front by hundreds of acres of woodland, it is one of the most
interesting studies in house remodeling to be found.
The small hallway is simply an entrance with narrow, winding staircase
that leads by easy treads to the second-story floor. In 1914, in ripping
out these front stairs to secure the space above them for a small room,
it was discovered that the old smoke-house, where in olden days hams
were cured, and the back of the bake oven behind it had not been torn
out. The former consisted of two Gothic arches, the taller of which was
twenty feet in height; the shape was dependent on the two fireplaces in
adjoining rooms. The smoke-house is about five feet deep and when
discovered was enclosed with an inch of greasy soot. An oak cross-beam
with hand-wrought nails indicated where the hogs were hung. It had been
left in its natural state after being cleaned out, and as it looked
crude to one entering the front door, it was shut off with an old,
paneled door, so that the hall, with stairs removed, is now shaped like
six sides of a hexagon, the front door remaining where it originally was
placed.
[Illustration: The Living Room]
The living-room, which is at the right of the hallway, has been made
from two rooms. In this the old woodwork has been carefully retained,
and the walls have been hung with a soft green that is a fine background
for the many pictures and which brings out the beauty of the white
woodwork. The furniture here does not follow the Colonial lines, for
comfort has been the first consideration. It is shown in the large,
roomy davenport piled with sofa pillows and the comfortable armchair at
one side of the open fireplace. Here the owner has supplied the correct
fireplace accessories, the andirons being low with brass ball tops, and
the shovel and tongs having the same finish. The mantel, while not
elaborate, shows hand-carving and paneling. Bookcases are a feature of
this room and are found everywhere.
[Illustration: The Sun Parlor]
Opening from the living-room is the glass-enclosed sun-parlor which has
been tiled, and in which is a modern fireplace of bricks laid in white
mortar. Over it is a bas-relief. The andirons are high, of modern type,
showing fleur-de-lis design, and are in keeping with the fireplace.
Willow furniture is used in order to give the sun-parlor a light touch
which could not have been done if the Colonial idea had been carried
out. It is an ideal summer living-room, being sunny most of the day.
Then, too, its location is well chosen, as it overlooks the
old-fashioned garden and commands vistas cut in trees and shrubbery.
[Illustration: The Den]
The den, used extensively by the owner, is a typical man's room.
Built-in bookcases and window-seats give it a most livable look, while
pictures of the hunt line the wall, and a hunting scene is used as a
frieze. It is placed in a sunny part of the house so as to catch as much
light as possible.
[Illustration: A Corner in the Dining Room]
The dining-room was made from a part of the old kitchen and strangely
enough shows fine paneling of white pine, which has been carefully
preserved and makes a background for the mantel ornaments. The mantel
shelf is narrow and extends around the whole fireplace; the old chimney
has been partly built in for modern use, while the andirons are very
unique reproductions. The old crane has been retained, as have the
pothooks and iron kettle, while the old brick oven, now never used, is a
memento of the days when our grandmothers cooked with great logs of
wood, heating the oven once a week in order to do the family baking. The
furniture is of the Colonial type, while the rugs are modern but blend
with the scheme color of the room. It is large, well-lighted by many
windows, and divided by an alcove only from the living-room which
adjoins it.
Every room in this house has been carefully considered with regard to
view, and one can stand at any window and look out upon a different
phase of country life, for trees and shrubbery are so arranged that the
grounds lend themselves admirably to pictorial effects upon which no
neighboring house intrudes.
[Illustration: The Sewing Room]
Up-stairs in the ell of the house, over the sun-parlor, is a large
sitting-room. It has been so designed that it faces three different
directions and is lighted by a group of long windows at one side. In
this room the sunlight lays practically all day, making it a bright,
livable room, where Colonial features have not been considered. To be
sure there are several pieces, such as the old-time work-table, but
modern ideas mainly have been introduced. On either side of the cluster
of windows are built-in bookcases which have been painted white to match
the trim and are filled with well-read books. Between these bookcases is
a long window-seat, beneath which drawers have been built which are very
convenient for holding unfinished work. The hangings are of muslin with
blue over-drapery, harmonizing with the color scheme of the room. A
large, open fireplace on the opposite side provides for a cheery wood
fire, more especially on stormy days, for this house is one that is
lived in all the year round, so that heating and lighting had to be
taken into consideration.
In addition to this room there are three chambers, two bathrooms, and a
closet on the floor. Each one of these chambers has been given a
different treatment. One of the most interesting shows fine woodwork
in the paneled doors and also in the small closet that is over the
fireplace, a favorite place for a closet to be introduced in the early
days. The fireplace is not a large one, and the andirons are small-sized
steeple tops. The bed is an old slat bed, while every piece of furniture
is in keeping with the period.
Take it all in all, one rarely finds a farmhouse that shows more
attractive features than this one, where comfort, light, and view have
all been carefully considered. It is perfectly available for an
all-the-year-round home, as it is not too far from the station to allow
its occupants to go back and forth to business every day.