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December 30, 2008
Going for the Gold on 9th Street
The folks at this 9th Street brownstone in Park Slope aren't letting the recession, or the sudden cultural distaste for gilt and glamour, get in the way of their renovation. They're restoring their bracketed cornice to all its gold leafed glory. Such attention to detail!
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Comments
Anyone know who is doing the work???
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 10:14 AM
A bit gaudy but nevertheless attractive, although I don't know that it's historically accurate (which may not matter much, since 9th, bet. 5th & 6th isn't in the PS HD).
I get a good view of it while working out at the Y, across the street.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at December 30, 2008 10:55 AM
Very nice. Though I wonder if it was in fact originally that way? If so, great, but it looks a little gaudy to my eye. To each his own.
Posted by: Bolder at December 30, 2008 10:55 AM
I agree that it is actually quite attractive but of course our Protestant/Puritan Brooklyn ancestors would never ever have done this sort of thing. Gilding was done by the decadent (and often Catholic) societies of Europe. Henry James's novel "The Europeans" has an interesting passage about the newly arrived haute-bourgeoise continentals visiting their American relatives, whom they had heard were very rich, and upon entering their home they wondered why there was not even a single bit of gold leaf anywhere.
Posted by: sam at December 30, 2008 11:09 AM
Even a post on gold leaf on a cornice would eventually turn into a race/religion issue on brownstoner!!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 11:12 AM
"Restoring" is not the right word, as the cornice was most likely never gilded (though anything is possible). Often, cornices were painted to look like masonry, so brown is a distinct possibility here. (Sometimes, too, sand would be added to the paint to enhance the stone-like effect.)
Accurate or not, they're doing a nice job. And for the historic purists, paint is paint - it can always be undone (on wood at least - masonry is a different issue).
Posted by: WBer at December 30, 2008 11:14 AM
That would be largely the French, sam. We all know about their decadent society and their profligate use of gold leaf.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 11:15 AM
Dave, don't blame the French, have you ever been to Vienna? Prague? St Petersburg? Rome?
Actually, the Russians are the biggest lovers of gilding, but I guess we know that from some of the Bath Beach houses we have seen here.
Posted by: sam at December 30, 2008 11:21 AM
Neat idea.
Posted by: zeebee_in_bklyn at December 30, 2008 11:33 AM
I like gaudy. Can't wait to finish my tacky blue and gold living room.
Hey, when you say "gold leaf" do you really just mean "gold paint"? Gold leaf would be ex-pen-sive!
Posted by: rh at December 30, 2008 11:36 AM
Will this be a bordello? It has that look.
Cornices should be black to match the windows and ironwork.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 11:39 AM
While it would not be my first choice in colors, I think its nice they owners are going to such painstaking detail without going to the darkside of ugly home renovations. The details on a cornice are subtle when viewed from the street so it might look better in person than it does in this photo. Nice to see owners going that extra mile with details.
Posted by: Mrs. Limestone at December 30, 2008 11:52 AM
It's very much in the same period as the "Painted Ladies" of San Francisco, and other wood frame Italianates and Queen Annes. The colors used here really complement each other, and I like bringing the details out. I agree with Mrs. Limestone.
Posted by: Montrose Morris at December 30, 2008 12:00 PM
Well, I seem to be in the minority here, but I think it looks awful. Maybe it's because I have preconceived notions of what a cornice should look like, and this is not it, but whatever the reason, I'm not a fan of the look.
Posted by: Bond at December 30, 2008 12:15 PM
"painted ladies" ugh!
Don't give people any more ideas.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 12:21 PM
God forbid one brownstone looks slightly different from another.
If I could get my hands on that place on the corner of Lafayette and vanderbilt you'd all see what a real "painted lady" should look like.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 12:30 PM
I'd rather they do this:
- http://gothamist.com/2006/09/22/park_slope_brow.php
Posted by: SnarkSlope at December 30, 2008 12:41 PM
Figures a hetero would paint a place that color Snark. Gays have better taste!! Nonetheless, I suspect Mr. Henry might have been on an acid trip in 1968 when he did it.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 12:47 PM
Snark...did you see where we all missed the misspelling of Mrytle Ave on the Produce Market awning yesterday? It couldn't have been more obvious!!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 12:48 PM
Oooppps...and here too...Myrtle.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 12:52 PM
What kind of person doesn't like Painted Ladies? I'll bet you hate puppies and kittens too!
Posted by: rh at December 30, 2008 1:05 PM
I love puppies and kittens. The secret's in the sauce. Mmm-mmm.
Posted by: SnarkSlope at December 30, 2008 1:07 PM
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright goldleaf cornices and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favorite things
Cream colored ponies and crisp apple streudels
Doorbells and sleigh bells and schnitzel with noodles
Wild geese that fly with the moon on their wings
These are a few of my favorite things
Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things
When the dog bites
When the bee stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 1:08 PM
Who couldn't love a vintage frame house with pink clapboards, lavender cornice, turquoise windows and hot pink barge boards?
Me!
I think those psychodelic color schemes were a preposterous and dated product of the 1960's. Fortunately, when those houses were being painted in San Francisco, most of Brooklyn was so depressed and poor that no one could afford a can of purple paint.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 1:14 PM
Inigo.....the majority of the psychedelic color schemes in SF are now gone. I think the best of the nice painted ladies are on Lafayette Park
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 1:18 PM
dave,
you're not really suggesting that brownstones be painted gay colors like the gingerbread houses in San Francisco or Cape May?
From what I have read, the original colors of those houses were pretty subdued. Moss green, mustard, brown, maroon trim. Not real "happy" colors.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 1:23 PM
NO Inigo, I'm not suggesting that brownstones be painted at all. They shouldn't be painted, the stone is not allowed to "breathe" once that happens. It really ruins the stone longer term once a coat of paint is applied.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 1:26 PM
This is the house I was referring to...the Joseph Steele house...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/2609702818/
And, I think it looks great just as it is. However one or two more colors on the corbels and beads might add something!!!
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 1:33 PM
Embrace your inner gay, Inigo!
Posted by: rh at December 30, 2008 2:10 PM
"Embrace your inner gay, Inigo!"
I don't think so. I'm Presbyterian.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 2:26 PM
Denial is not just a river in Egypt.
http://www.ucc.org/news/presbyterians-move-to-allow.html
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 2:32 PM
I'm with Snarkslope. Purple is the new gold.
Posted by: boroughbred at December 30, 2008 2:50 PM
Are Presbterians anti-color?
Posted by: rh at December 30, 2008 3:15 PM
Let's try that again: Presbyterian.
Posted by: rh at December 30, 2008 3:17 PM
They are a dour and gray lot, rh. That said, I think they enjoy some fancy old school cocktails like Manhattans Old Fashioneds and the eponymous Bourbon Presbyterian!!!!
http://www.drinknation.com/drink/Presbyterian
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 3:21 PM
We're a laugh riot compared to the Unitarians.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 3:31 PM
And the Lutherans as well. Ever hear of "Lutheran Melancholia?"
The Unitarians don't have music during the high holydays...at least you guys put on a decent show in that regard but the Episcopalians and most certainly the Catholics have you beat there.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 3:37 PM
The Lutherans can knock'em back, if you get my meaning.
The original Puritans in Brooklyn turned into either Congregationlists or Unitarians. They are the true heart of WASPNESS. The Episcopaleans may as well be Catholic for heavens sake, especially the high church crowd. And now this controversy about gay Episcopal priests has them in a simmer. Wasps never boil, they only simmer. Like a good stew.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 3:48 PM
Wasps never boil, they only simmer. Like a good stew. QOTD
I don't know how St. Bartholomew's on Park Ave in Manhattan gets away with that restaurant and all the craft stalls during the holidays on that front terrace of theirs!!!
That high church Christmas Eve mass regalia they have is practically Catholic but the crowd is better dressed.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 4:01 PM
well Dave, we church types are fighting an uphill battle in terms of the cost of maintaining these old places of worship. They are huge caverns that are really expensive to maintain. If you can get a restaurant in there to pay you some rent, go for it! Even the low-church Methodists would not begrudge the Episcopalians their rental income to maintain that enormous Byzantine pile on Park Avenue.
I think many of the huge old churches are doomed. There just are not enough folks around to support them. Brooklyn used to be known as the Boro of churches.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 4:14 PM
Can't argue with you there.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 4:18 PM
I was interrupted, let me finish my thought:
Brooklyn used to be known as the Boro of churches before it became known as the boro of condos.
Happy New Year to all.
Posted by: Inigo at December 30, 2008 4:20 PM
A lot of those churches would be amazed at what their "church pewter" that they sold off years ago is worth today. I'm a collector and a Johann Christopher Heyne chalice sold for $50k last August.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 4:22 PM
The yellow house, Dave? I think you should aim higher. That Masonic Temple is sort of dingy the way it is.
Posted by: Heather at December 30, 2008 5:10 PM
It does look to be in tough shape nowadays Heather. I went by it 2 nights ago and wasn't impressed.
Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 30, 2008 5:20 PM
Going a ways back in the thread, actually Inigo you're wrong, the painted ladies were not painted colorfully for the first time ever in the 60's. It's just wrong to think any use of color is never original to the Victorian era. I would not be surprised at all to learn cornices and front doors on brownstones here were painted with colors.
This from Wikipedia:
"bout 48,000 houses in the Victorian and Edwardian styles were built in San Francisco between 1849 and 1915 (with the change from Victorian to Edwardian occurring on the death of Queen Victoria in 1901), and many were painted in bright colors. As one newspaper critic noted in 1885, "...red, yellow, chocolate, orange, everything that is loud is in fashion...if the upper stories are not of red or blue... they are painted up into uncouth panels of yellow and brown..."[5] California Architects and Builders News, April 1885.
It goes on to describe how starting in the 60's homeowners returned these houses to their bright colors. Which means the painted ladies were being RESTORED to their ORIGINAL colorful exteriors. If people are painting them bland colors again as somebody claimed, it's actually not original.
Posted by: traditionalmod at December 30, 2008 8:15 PM
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